TEXARKANA - Millions of dollars in government funding will depend on an accurate local census count this year, community leaders said Tuesday.
U.S. Census Bureau staff and local volunteers told elected officials from both sides of the state line about efforts aimed at getting the count right. Their comments came during the quarterly meeting of the Joint Texarkana Community Committee, a bi-city panel formed to discuss issues important to both Texarkanas.
The U.S. Constitution calls for a census of all citizens every 10 years. U.S. Congressional districting, government funding and statistical analysis depend on the data collected during the census.
About $675 billion in government funding for 132 programs nationwide is influenced by the census, said Texarkana, Texas, City Planner Holden Fleming. It is estimated that each person missed in the count will cost the city $10,000 a year until the next census, in 2030, he said.
"This is our opportunity to shape the future of Texarkana," Fleming said.
Fleming and two other speakers, co-chairs Pastor David Watkins and DeAnna O'Malley, serve on the recently formed Texarkana USA Complete Count Committee, a group dedicated to engaging, educating and encouraging Twin Cities citizens about the census.
Watkins spoke about outreach efforts including working with churches, nonprofits and local colleges, as well as a presence at this month's Mardi Gras celebration. O'Malley focused on census safety, warning that no census worker will ever ask for money or banking information or threaten anyone with jail time.
"Now is the time to get involved," said Chandra Lavender, a partnership specialist with the Census Bureau.
Everyone should get a census survey in the mail by April 1, she said. There are three options for responding this year: by mail, by phone or online. The time needed to complete the survey is about 10 minutes.
Lavender said the Bureau is hiring as many people as possible by Feb. 29 for jobs that pay between $17 and $23 an hour. Those interested can find more information and apply at 2020census.gov/jobs.
An initiative of the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce, the JTCC was formed in fall 2017 to share ideas and discuss common challenges facing both cities. It is not set up to take any action. The committee's next quarterly meeting is scheduled for June.