Low count in census cost DeKalb $41 million

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

About a quarter of DeKalb County’s residents weren’t counted in the last census, causing the county to lose about $41 million in federal funding, County Commissioner Connie Stokes announced Wednesday.

“That’s not good enough because that means dollars are left on the table,” DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis said Wednesday.

That money could have gone to transit, roads, healthcare, schools, parks and public safety, Ellis said.

With an anticipated $100 million deficit, DeKalb is pushing to ensure every resident is counted during this year's census. The new census figures will be used to determine where $400 billion in federal funding will be spent across the nation and DeKalb wants part of that money, said Stokes, chair of the county’s census committee.

On Wednesday, the county’s census committee announced three caravans to make sure residents in low-income neighborhoods are counted. The caravans – a parade of about 30 cars led by police – will ride through three sections of the county on March 13, 20 and 27 to let residents know about the census, Stokes said.

Stokes said she is trying to let undocumented residents know they can participate in the census without fear of being arrested or deported.

“We’re letting people know all they need to do is fill out the card and send it back,” Stokes said.

Stokes said that a large portion of the 28 percent of DeKalb residents who were not counted in the 2000 census were immigrants.