Jackson's mayor urging response to census

The mayor of the fastest growing municipality in Cape Girardeau County is asking residents to answer the 2020 Census because he says a higher population count will help Jackson get its rightful share of revenue from the state sales tax on fuel.

Dwain Hahs, mayor of the county seat city since 2015, said the city gets $500,000 annually from the 17-cents-per-gallon tax.

“So much is attached to census numbers,” Hahs said Wednesday. “It’s important for us to get as close to accurate as possible.”

Rodney Bollinger, the city’s director of administrative services, said in a news release: “It is projected communities lose $1,300 in vital services for every person not counted in the census.”

Hahs said Jackson has had a 77.8% census response rate so far compared to 65.4% for Missouri as a whole.

“We’d like to get to 80% if we can,” Hahs said by September 30.

It’s clear to what the second-term mayor attributes Jackson’s growth.

“The Jackson R-2 schools are our No. 1 asset for families moving into the area,” he said, noting the city also has Saxony Lutheran High, Immaculate Conception and St. Paul schools.

“Companies look at the census, too,” Hahs said, “and if you are growing (in population) it’s a plus for us (because) they may end up wanting to do business here.”

The Census Bureau’s last official population tally was done in 2010, but its “Population and Housing Unit Estimate” was released July 1, 2019.

The estimate shows Jackson has grown 7.8% in the last decade, from 13,758 to 14,836.

Like Jackson, Cape Girardeau city and Benton, the Scott County seat, have also seen increases between 2010 and 2019. Several other communities have registered declines.

Population status (2010 v. 2019)

• Cape Girardeau: 37,941 to 40,559 (+6.9%)
• Benton: 863 to 873 (+1.1%)
• Sikeston: 16,318 to 16,023 (-1.8%)
• Scott City: 4,565 to 4,468 (-2.1%)
• Chaffee: 2,955 to 2,898 (-1.9%)
• Advance: 1,347 to 1,336 (-0.8%)
• Kelso: 586 to 587 (even)
• Delta: 438 to 425 (-3.0%)
• Gordonville: 391 to 371 (-5%)
• Oak Ridge: 243 to 233 (-4%)

Tech advances

Aside from a pilot online study in 2000, the Census Bureau has been a largely low-tech operation until this year, relying mainly on paper documentation. 2020 is the first census to offer an online response option to everyone. Residents may go to www.2020census.gov.

History

The census has been taken since 1790 and all U.S. residents aged 18 and older are considered legally obligated to participate.

On a national basis, the census determines the number of seats in the House of Representatives and the number of electors in the Electoral College.

There are eight House members in Missouri currently with Republican Jason Smith serving as the incumbent 8th District representative for Southeast Missouri.