Low census response across Southern Illinois puts millions of federal dollars at risk

kAm“(6’G6 8@E 2 =@E @7 H@C< E@ 5@[” D2:5 r2C3@?52=6 !=2??:?8 s:C64E@C r9C:D (2==246[ H9@ 2=D@ 9625D E96 r@>A=6E6 r@F?E r@>>:EE66] %96 46?DFD 4@F?E 4@?4=F56D $6AE] b_]k^Am

kAmr2C3@?52=6 :D?VE E96 @?=J 4@>>F?:EJ DECF88=:?8 @? E9:D 7C@?E] |@DE $@FE96C? x==:?@:D 4@F?E:6D 92G6 2 C6DA@?D6 C2E6 D:8?:7:42?E=J 36=@H E92E @7 E96 @G6C2== x==:?@:D C6DA@?D6 C2E6 @7 ;FDE D9J @7 ehT] x? y24<D@? r@F?EJ @? E96 H9@=6[ E96 C6DA@?D6 C2E6 E@ 52E6 :D deT] %9C66 4@F?E:6D — p=6I2?56C[ !@A6 2?5 w2C5:? — 92G6 C6DA@?D6 C2E6D F?56C d_T] w2C5:? r@F?EJ’D :D E96 =@H6DE[ H:E9 >@C6 E92? EH@\E9:C5D @7 9@FD69@=5D ?@E C6DA@?5:?8]k^Am

kAmy62?:?6 q62D=6J[ >65:2 4@@C5:?2E@C 7@C E96 &]$] r6?DFD qFC62F’D r9:428@ @77:46[ D2:5 E96 7656C2= 286?4J :D H@C<:?8 5:=:86?E=J E@ 6?DFC6 2? 244FC2E6 4@F?E] $96 D2:5 E92E E9@D6 H9@ 92G6 J6E E@ C6DA@?5 2C6 6?4@FC2865 E@ E2<6 `_ >:?FE6D E@ 86E :E 5@?6] “(6’C6 6?4@FC28:?8 A6@A=6 E@ C6DA@?5 ?@H[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmpE DE2<6[ q62D=6J D2:5[ :D E96 C68:@?’D 2==@42E:@? @7 D@>6 Sefd 3:==:@? :? 7656C2= 7F?5D “?@E @?=J 7@C 4C:E:42= D6CG:46D E92E 2C6 :>A2CE:?8 @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D ?@H[ DF49 2D 962=E9 42C6 2?5 6>6C86?4J C6DA@?D6[” 3FE 2=D@ 7@C E9:?8D DF49 2D !6== 8C2?ED[ 2?5 >@?6J 7@C D49@@= A=2J8C@F?5D 2?5 C6A2:C 7F?5D 7@C C@25D 2?5 3C:586D[ E@ ?2>6 2 76H 6I2>A=6D]k^Am

kAm(2==246 D2:5 E92E r2C3@?52=6’D =@H C6DA@?D6 C2E6 :D >@DE=J E:65 E@ $@FE96C? x==:?@:D &?:G6CD:EJ DEF56?ED] r@==686 DEF56?ED 2C6 4@F?E65 :? E96 E@H? H96C6 E96J 2EE6?5 D49@@=[ 2?5 ?@E H96C6 E96:C A2C6?ED =:G6] %92E’D 2? :>A@CE2?E 724E@C 7@C r2C3@?52=6] %96 DEF56?E A@AF=2E:@? :D EC25:E:@?2==J 92C5 E@ C6249] qFE E96 A2?56>:4 >256 :E 6G6? 92C56C E9:D J62C]k^Am

kAmx?:E:2= A@DE42C5D :?G:E:?8 9@FD69@=5D E@ C6DA@?5 @?=:?6 H6?E @FE 36EH66? |2C49 `a\a_[ 5FC:?8 $x&’D DAC:?8 3C62<] %9:D J62C[ DEF56?ED 5:5?’E C6EFC? E@ 42>AFD 7@==@H:?8 E96 3C62< 3642FD6 E96 A2?56>:4 7@C465 E96 F?:G6CD:EJ E@ >@G6 2== @7 :ED 4=2DD6D @?=:?6] q62D=6J D2:5 E96 r6?DFD qFC62F :D H@C<:?8 5:C64E=J H:E9 $@FE96C? x==:?@:D &?:G6CD:EJ :? 2? 2EE6>AE E@ 4@F?E DEF56?ED H9@ H6C6 =:G:?8 3@E9 @? 2?5 @77 42>AFD 5FC:?8 E96 DAC:?8 D6>6DE6C]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 2== 366? 27764E65 5FC:?8 E9:D F?AC64656?E65 E:>6] %92E’D @?6 @7 E96 H2JD :? H9:49 H6’G6 925 E@ 25;FDE @FC @A6C2E:@?D E@ 6?DFC6 E92E 6G6CJ@?6 :D 4@F?E65[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm(2==246 ?@E65 E92E C68:@?2= 8@G6C?>6?E2= 3@5:6D E92E C6=J @? 7656C2= 7F?5:?8[ DF49 2D E96 4:EJ[ >2DD EC2?D:E 2?5 962=E9 56A2CE>6?E[ 2C6 @3=:82E65 E@ AC@G:56 D6CG:46D E@ 6G6CJ@?6[ 6G6? :7 E96:C 7F?5:?8 :D D9@CE492?865 3J 2 =@H 46?DFD 4@F?E] %92E’D H9J :E’D :>A@CE2?E E92E 2D >2?J A6@A=6 2D A@DD:3=6 C6DA@?5[ 96 D2:5] “x7 J@F’C6 ?@E 4@F?E65[ J@F’C6 DE:== E2<:?8 25G2?E286 @7 E96 C6D@FC46D E92E 2C6 96C6[” (2==246 D2:5] “(6 H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 92G6 E96 C6G6?F6 2G2:=23=6 E@ AC@G:56 E9@D6 D6CG:46D]”k^Am

kAm%96 $@FE96C? $6G6? w62=E9 s6A2CE>6?E 92D 2=D@ H@C<65 288C6DD:G6=J 7@C D6G6C2= >@?E9D E@ C6>:?5 A6@A=6 9@H :>A@CE2?E :E :D E92E E96J 2C6 4@F?E65] w62=E9 56A2CE>6?E DA@<6DH@>2? $92H??2 #9:?6 ?@E65 E92E @?=J 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 E92? 92=7 @7 2== C6D:56?ED :? E96 D6G6? 4@F?E:6D 4@>3:?65 92G6 4@>A=6E65 E96:C 46?DFD 7@C>D] %96 @G6C2== C6DA@?D6 C2E6 :D gfT @7 H92E :E H2D :? a_`_[ 56DA:E6 E92E A6@A=6 92G6 366? 8:G6? >@C6 E:>6 E@ C6DA@?5 E9:D J62C 3642FD6 @7 r~'xs\`h] %C25:E:@?2==J[ E96 52E2 4@==64E:@? 6?5D yF=J b`]k^Am

kAm%9@F89 36EE6C E92? E9:D J62C[ E96 46?DFD C6DA@?D6 2 564256 28@ :? E96 =@H6C D6G6? 4@F?E:6D H2D?’E 8C62E[ 6:E96C] #9:?6 D2:5 E92E E9@D6 ;FC:D5:4E:@?D 4@==64E:G6=J >:DD65 “2? 62DJ @AA@CEF?:EJ” E@ C646:G6 23@FE S`a]d >:==:@? :? 7656C2= 7F?5:?8] “%9:D :D >@?6J E92E 4@F=5 92G6 366? FD65 E@ :>AC@G6 @C 56G6=@A G:E2= D6CG:46D 7@C 6G6CJ A6CD@? :? E96 C68:@?[” D96 D2:5] x7 E96 C68:@?2= 46?DFD C6DA@?D6 5@6D?’E :>AC@G6 :? E96 ?6IE D:I H66<D[ E96 =@DD @G6C E96 ?6IE 564256 4@F=5 36 D:8?:7:42?E=J >@C6]k^Am

kAm#9:?6 D2:5 E92E 6G6?ED 92G6 366? 96=5 24C@DD E96 C68:@?[ 7@==@H:?8 D@4:2= 5:DE2?4:?8[ D2?:E:K:?8 2?5 >2D<:?8 8F:56=:?6D[ :? 2? 677@CE E@ :?4C62D6 A2CE:4:A2E:@?] p?J@?6 DE:== ?665:?8 96=A 4@>A=6E:?8 E96:C 46?DFD[ @C H9@ BF6DE:@?D[ :D 6?4@FC2865 E@ 4@?E24E E96 $@FE96C? $6G6? w62=E9 s6A2CE>6?E 2E e`g\ebc\aahf]k^Am

kAmu@C y24<D@? r@F?EJ C6D:56?ED ?665:?8 2DD:DE2?46[ &]$] r6?DFD qFC62F H@C<6CD 2C6 :? r2C3@?52=6 2E G2C:@FD =@42E:@?D 6G6CJ |@?52J[ (65?6D52J 2?5 uC:52J[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 ?6HD C6=62D6 7C@> E96 4:EJ] s2E6D[ E:>6D 2?5 =@42E:@?D 2C6 2??@F?465 H66<=J @? E96 4:EJ’D @77:4:2= k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^r2C3@?52=6r:EJQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmu2463@@<k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^EH:EE6C]4@>^r2C3@?52=6x{Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm%H:EE6Ck^2m A286D]k^Am

kAmq62D=6J[ @7 E96 &]$] r6?DFD[ ?@E65 E92E 46?DFD E2<6CD 2C6 4FCC6?E=J :? E96 7:6=5 G:D:E:?8 9@>6D @7 A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 ?@E C6DA@?565 E@ >F=E:A=6 C6BF6DED] p== 46?DFD E2<6CD 2C6 C6BF:C65 E@ 2596C6 E@ 962=E9 8F:56=:?6D[ :?4=F5:?8 H62C:?8 2 >2D< 2?5 >2:?E2:?:?8 2 5:DE2?46[ D96 D2:5] uFCE96C[ q62D=6J ?@E65 E92E 2 46?DFD E2<6C H:== ?6G6C 2D< 7@C >@?6J @C 2?J A6CD@?2= :?7@C>2E:@? DF49 2D 2 D@4:2= D64FC:EJ ?F>36C[ 2?5 E96J 2C6 C6BF:C65 E@ H62C 2? @77:4:2= xs 32586] $96 DEC6DD65 E92E 2?J :?7@C>2E:@? AC@G:565 :D 4@?7:56?E:2=] %96 r6?DFD qFC62F @?=J >2<6D 288C682E6 52E2 2G2:=23=6[ ?@E E92E @7 :?5:G:5F2= 9@FD69@=5D]k^Am

kAm!6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 J6E E@ 86E 4@F?E65 2C6 6?4@FC2865 E@ 5@ D@ 3J C6EFC?:?8 2 A2A6C A24<6E 3J >2:= :7 E96J C646:G65 @?6[ 7:==:?8 @FE E96 7@C> @?=:?6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^>Ja_a_46?DFD]8@GQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm>Ja_a_46?DFD]8@Gk^2m @C 3J 42==:?8 gcc\bb_\a_a_ 7@C t?8=:D9\=2?8F286 DA62<6CDj gcc\ceg\a_a_ 7@C $A2?:D9\=2?8F286 DA62<6CDj @C gcc\cef\a_a_ 7C@> 2 %ss A9@?6 DJDE6> 7@C E96 5627 @C 92C5 @7 962C:?8]k^Am