Dallas County could be ‘shortchanged’ by poor Census response, officials say 

BY TODD PRATER | Selma Sun Staff 

Dallas County is falling behind on its response to the Census, and that could mean the county will be “shortchanged” in government funding for a decade, according to an official with the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Marilyn Stephens, assistant regional Census manager for the U.S. Census Bureau, said that nationwide “nearly 62% of the nation’s households have completed their census form. In Alabama, 59.4% have completed, but in Dallas County only 52% have completed their Census.” 

Stephens said the formulas used to determine the need of the state, county and cities use Census population data. “If you don’t participate, then your community gets shortchanged for over 10 years,” Stephens said.

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