Charleston County News Release
MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Jennie Davis Flinn, Charleston County Public Information Officer
Phone: (843) 958-4012
Email: jflinn@charlestoncounty.org
Release Number: 3083
Date: February 22, 2010
Council Encourages Residents to Complete Census Form
County missed out on approximately $2.3 million during the last decade due to low count
Charleston County Council is encouraging residents to complete their 2010 Census form, which is expected to arrive in mailboxes in early March.
Last year, Council passed a resolution stating the importance of an accurate Census count to our community.
“Everyone living in Charleston County needs to fill out and return their Census form so that we can get an accurate count,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie Pryor. “We need to know how many people live in the County so that we can accurately plan for infrastructure and services and get our appropriate share of state and federal funds.”
Census counts, which are done every 10 years, are used to allocate over $400 billion in federal funds to states and local communities every year for social services, transportation, education and other critical needs.
According to the S.C. State Budget and Control Board, Charleston County loses approximately $500, per decade, in state aid for each person who is not counted.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 4,649 people in Charleston County were missed during the 2000 Census, which means the County missed out on approximately $2.3 million in state aid during the last decade.
“That’s critical funding that our residents need and deserve just as much as other areas,” Pryor said. “If we don’t get an accurate count, another community will get our share.”
In addition to funding, the 2010 Census count will determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the boundaries of legislative districts.
Information shared with the Census Bureau is completely confidential. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s personal information with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.
For more information about the 2010 Census, visit 2010census.gov.
Background information on the 2010 Census: