SIKESTON — Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, officials are still stressing the importance of completing the 2020 Census.
“The census data drives two things that are important to our community: dollars and democracy,” said Jonathan Douglass, Sikeston city manager.
Douglass said that federal and state funding of various programs depends on population counts.
“For every person in Missouri that is not counted, the state loses about $1,300 in federal funding,” Douglass said. “Most of that money is spent in communities, on roads and bridges, educational programs, nutritional programs, health programs, and more. If we are undercounted, we won’t receive the resources our community deserves.”
The gas tax in Missouri is an example of funding the City of Sikeston receives from the state that is dependent on population counts. The state collects gas tax from around the state and then sends a portion to cities and counties that is not based on how much gas is sold in those jurisdictions but what the populations are.
“Population counts are also key to attracting businesses and employers to Sikeston,” Douglass said. “If retail businesses don’t think we have enough a large enough customer base to support them, they won’t risk locating here. If employers don’t think we’ll have enough people to adequately staff their workforce, they won’t locate here.”
In a news release, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said that the emergency funding the state is getting for the COVID-19 pandemic is allotted to the state based on census population data. In order to be adequately funding, Missouri must first be adequately counted, Parson said.
The census data also drives redistricting at the local, state and federal levels.
“After the 2010 Census, Missouri lost a seat in the House of Representatives because other states’ population grew in comparison to ours,” Douglass said. “We don’t want that to happen again, especially if it is just because we don’t count everyone who is actually here.”
The Sikeston City Charter also requires the City Council to set new ward boundaries after each census, to maintain population counts in each ward as equal as possible. Areas that aren’t counted accurately risk being underrepresented on the City Council.
In an effort to get people to fill out the census information, the City partnered with Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Perryville and contracted with KFVS to produce and run targeted digital and TV advertisements encouraging residents to respond to the census. The City also created a Facebook page (@sikestoncounts) to share census information and encourage residents to participate.
The City also distributed census posters to schools, churches, and other community organizations, although at the moment most facilities have limited visitors.
“Census taking activities will continue throughout the summer, though, so hopefully these materials can have some effect when life normalizes,” Douglass said.
This year, the 2020 Census website, My2020Census.gov, offers those participating in the census the opportunity to respond online. Missourians who do not wish to respond online can respond by phone. The Census Bureau send a mail-in form to those who fail to respond by internet or phone.
“It’s real easy to respond,” Parson said. “We really need the City of St. Louis and our rural counties to show up by any means possible: internet, phone or mail.”
Eventually census workers will go door-to-door and try to get non-responders to fill out the forms.
“The fewer people they have to track down in person, the better the chance that all of our residents will be accurately counted and not passed over,” Douglass said.
Currently the nationwide response rate is 48.1% and the statewide rate is 49.4%. Sikeston is above average at 51.1% while Scott County is 47.3% and New Madrid County at 37.2% sit below average. Mississippi County is 46.1% while Stoddard is 51.3%.
Other local cities response rates are:
Dexter 55.3%
Portageville 52.4%
Charleston 51.5%
New Madrid 49.1%
Oran 44.0%
Miner 35.6%
Benton 35.0%