Getting counted counts

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is urging Ohioans to accurately fill out census forms because failure to do so could cost the state millions, or perhaps billions, of dollars in federal money.

The 10-question census form was recently mailed. The U.S. Census Bureau wants all of the forms completed and mailed back by April 1. Between April and July, census takers will go to households that didn’t mail completed forms, Brown said.

Ohio receives about $14 billion each year from the federal government based on census data, Brown said.

A 2-perent undercount in the number of Mahoning County residents could mean a loss to the county of $61.8 million in federal funding over 10 years, Brown said, using information compiled by the Brookings Institution.

A 2-percent undercount in Trumbull County could result in a loss of $54 million over 10 years there with Columbiana County possibly losing $26.9 million over 10 years under the same scenario, according to the Brookings Institution report.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com