Maries and Miller County Citizens!
Please complete your Census2020 here - https://my2020census.gov/ . Only 48.4% in Maries County and 53.1% in Miller County have completed the Census2020. https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html We need more people to complete this easy form. Why? It helps our community in many ways such as with schools (including school lunches), highways, firefighters, libraries, natural disasters, rural business enterprise grants, wildlife grants, housing preservation grants, hunter and education safety to name a few. Here is a complete list. https://2020census.gov/content/dam/2020census/materials/partners/2020-01/Uses-of-Census-Bureau-Data-in-Federal-Funds-Distribution.pdf
To be counted is particularly helpful for rural communities like ours. We need every person counted as this number determines how much the federal government distributes to each state. The more people that are counted, the more money our state will receive. It might even contribute to us getting high-speed internet someday!
It is required by law so feel free to exercise your citizenship rights and responsibilities. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2007-title13/pdf/USCODE-2007-title13.pdf
The entire state of Missouri loses $1,272 in federal dollars for every person undercounted.* There are only six states that lose more dollars per person than Missouri. States can also lose congressional seats if undercounted as Missouri did in 2010. That is NOT good. We can do better.
*SOURCE: Reamer (2018). “Counting for Dollars 2020: The role of the Decennial Census in the Geographic Distribution of Federal Funds. Report #2 Estimating Fiscal Costs of a Census Undercount to States.”, George Washington Institute of Public Policy. https://gwipp.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2181/f/downloads/GWIPP%20Reamer%20Fiscal%20Impacts%20of%20Census%20Undercount%20on%20FMAP-based%20Programs%2003-19-18.pdf
It only takes a few minutes and if you need help, call or feel free to visit one of our library branches. - https://my2020census.gov/
Thanks for participating,
Lisa Garro, Director
Heartland Regional Library