The latest data from the Census was released yesterday and it shows, yet again, that a growing, young and diverse population inhabits Howard County. Employment rates are down 2 percent since 2000, but the median family income is higher, even after inflation.

Considering the youthful population, and the "bubble" that seems to preserve the county's status as a premier model for societal cooperation, the existential question looms for the maturing generation: How did we get to this point?

Local blogger Frank Hecker has done a lot of the legwork for young people like myself, who yearn for some perspective from which we can compare whether our current days are truly as bright (or as gloomy) as many people claim.

Hecker recently published a four-part series on the history of re-districting in Howard County, looking back as far as the late 1960s, when Columbia was in its infancy and many of the historical towns and villages began the transformation into the "bedroom communities" of today.

Hecker writes about the birth of the first five-member county council and executive positions, created in 1968 after a 57 percent vote in-favor of changing from a system with three county commissioners:

"In the first general election under the new charter, Howard County voters elect[ed] Democrat Omar Jones as county executive by an almost 2-1 majority … Voters also elect[ed] three Democratic county council members, Edward Cochran, William Hanna, and J. Hugh Nichols, by substantial and almost identical majorities … They join previous commissioner Alva Baker to form a 4-1 Democratic majority on the council, with fellow commissioner Charles Miller the only Republican."

Sounds familiar, does it not? Not only was the political identity of the first council eerily similar to that of the present one, but many of the concerns of county citizens seem to have been swept forward in time. One such issue: Columbia's growing influence on the county.

Hecker replied to a comment about the similarity to the current legislature, saying, "reading old newspaper stories about Howard County politics while following current Howard County politics causes distinct feelings of déjà vu."

One thing that does stand out as different, though, is the tone of the council members and former politicians. Hecker notes how, after turning down the bid to run for re-election in 1974, County Executive Omar Jones shared some not-so-civil thoughts about both the democratic and republican candidates:

"In a parting shot he criticize[d] the presumed Democratic and Republican candidates for his position, calling Edward Cochran a wild-eyed bleeding heart liberal who would make Howard County an adjunct of Columbia and someone whom activists in Columbia think can walk on the waters of Lake Kittamaqundi, and criticiz[ed] James Holway's propensity for writing letters and memos."

Former county commissioner and councilman Charles Miller is even quoted as calling Columbia, "a Chevrolet sold as a Cadillac." Now who says "Choose Civility" is a wasted effort?

Overall, Hecker does a stellar job of representing the big elections, as well as the many efforts to dismantle and change the representation on the council. The first efforts to create districts for the council--as opposed to electing members at-large-- were failed attempts to decrease the influence of Columbia, which many citizens and politicians feared would sterilize the entire county.

Eventually this would change, as we have five council members representing five districts, and I am looking forward to seeing whether Hecker continues to dig up the more recent history of the redistricting battles.