Census forms make big differences to small towns

NORTH LIBERTY— Carrie Wilton received her U.S. Census form on the handle of the front door of her North Liberty home. “They just needed to know mine and my husband’s name and our little girl,” she said, adding that she quickly filled it out and returned it. And hearing that news was music to the ears of North Liberty town leaders. “It’s great news,” said clerk-treasurer Vicki Kitchen. She’s been working for more than a year to make sure every family in town has a form and fills it out to be counted. “It all makes a difference,” said Kitchen, referring to a difference in her small town budget’s bottom line. How much federal funding a city or town gets to pave streets, build buildings, and buy equipment and supplies – depends heavily upon how many people live there. During the 2000 Census, Kitchen said too many people didn’t fill out a form. “We came in dead last of all the entities in St. Joe County with the response rate,” she said. “We’ve lost several hundred thousand dollars.” So she swore it wouldn’t happen this time. Over the summer, she and others entered the town Fourth of July Parade, handing out Census information. There are posters, fliers, and informational booths all over town. And small towns are getting help from Uncle Sam, too, in the form of a national television ad campaign. The first spot aired during the Super bowl. “Every dollar is important to the town,” said Kitchen. The deadline to mail your form in is May 1.