Several cities in Illinois, including Central Illinois, could lose federal funds as a result of a proposed re-designation by the Federal Office of Management and Budget.

The recommendation to O-M-B by several federal statistical agencies, would change the designation of a "metropolitan statistical area" to cities with a core city count of at least one-hundred thousand, instead of having a core city count of betweeen 50 and one-hundred thousand.

Illinois cities that could lose the "M-S-A" designation include Decatur, Danville, and Kankakee, all because of loss of population. 

Many of these cities would be re-designated as "micropolitan statistical areas", and as a result, have federal funding and economic development implications.  

Several of the mayors in these cities have written letters to the feds asking that the change of designation for their city, be stopped so their designation as a "metropolitan statstical area" can remain.

In all, some 144 cities across the country could lose their M-S-A status.