Carbondale council OKs proposed settlement on skewed census fig

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The city council has taken a step toward settling a dispute with nearby Murphysboro over an undercount in the 2000 census.

Councilors approved a settlement Friday in which Murphysboro and the state would pitch in to pay Carbondale $420,198.74 in lost state payments based on population.

In the most recent count, the U.S. Census Bureau mistakenly listed 4,345 residents of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's high-rise dorms as living in one Murphysboro block.

The city of Murphysboro and the state revenue and transportation departments must agree to the settlement.

Under the agreement, Murphysboro would pay Carbondale $416,652 and the state would pay $3,546.24.

In exchange for the money, Carbondale would agree not to seek a rehearing on a suit it had filed seeking payment based on the correct figures.

Each community in Illinois receives a share of income taxes, gas taxes and state use taxes based on its population.