The state is making a special effort to make a special effort in next year’s census.
The Complete County Committee is organizing state and local efforts to make sure everybody is counted in the 2010 census. Twenty-six community leaders are on the committee, chaired by Commissioner of Administration Kelvin Simmons. Simmons says a lot is riding on the census numbers, making it essential everybody is counted.
The federal government uses population to determine how much federal money to send to state programs and services. The committee cites estimates that Missouri will lose $1.3 million in the next decade for every 100 people who escape the census takers’ efforts.
Simmons says it’s also important to find everybody to avoid losing a seat in the United States House. Missouri is growing, but not as rapidly as some other states that could gain seats at Missouri’s expense. The actual count begins next Spring.
Information about the committee’s efforts to organize the state and local efforts is available through the Complete Count Committee Web site .