Every 10 years, Alaskans leave millions if not billions of dollars on the table.<\/p>\n
U.S. Census Bureau specialists said Alaska is historically the least responsive state to the decennial — 10-year — census with only 64 percent of percent of its estimated population responding in the most recent census year 2010. The national response rate was 72 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. <\/a><\/p>\n While the national response rate climbed by 5 percent points between 2000 and 2010, Alaska’s response rate fell by 3 percent points during that time.<\/p>\n Myrna Gardner, tribal partnership specialist for the Census Bureau, said because the census is used to determine distribution for federal funds, every 1 percent of Alaskans (about 7,500 people) who don’t respond to the census equates to $22,192,500 less per year for the state.<\/p>\n “That is astounding,” Gardner said during a Thursday presentation at the Southeast Housing Summit. “Look at what we’re doing by not responding to this.”<\/p>\n Using that number, 2010’s 36 percent non-response rate translated to a loss of $798.93 million per year. That’s nearly $8 billion lost over 10 years. The next 10-year census will be conducted next year.<\/p>\n Specialists said that’s federal money that could go toward Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicare Part B, highway planning and construction, Pell Grants, school lunch programs, temporary assistance for needy families, Section 8 Housing choice vouchers, Title I grants and special education grants.<\/p>\n [First-time housing summit talks housing problems and what’s being done to address them<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n Gardner said it’s particularly notable that so much funding is being left on the table amid concerns about proposed cuts to the state’s budget.<\/p>\n “It’s mind-boggling,” Gardner said after her presentation. “We all know what it takes to live here. We’re the masters of our own fate.”<\/p>\n Census data also affects things such as the number of seats a state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and redistricting, specialists said.<\/p>\n Barbara Miranda, partnership specialist for the Census Bureau, said small, predominantly Alaska Native villages in Southeast Alaska tend to be even less responsive than the rest of the state with response rates in places like Klawock and Hydaburg near or even below 50 percent.<\/p>\n Cities and boroughs didn’t do that much better, according to the data.<\/p>\n While Juneau had the best response rate in the state at 75 percent, Haines had a 46 percent response rate and Kenai Peninsula 52 percent.<\/p>\n Gardner said she understood some of that comes from a mistrust of the government or concerns that information shared could land respondents in trouble with landlords or housing authorities.<\/p>\n She emphasized that those who collect data for the census are not allowed to share personal identifying information under penalties including prison and\/or a $250,000 fine.<\/p>\n Gardner said the Census Bureau also attempts to recruit trusted locals to collect data and visit homes to help reduce concern.She said wages start at $28 per hour and applications are now open at census.gov\/job<\/a>s<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alaska’s geography and low population density also make the state tough to count, Miranda and Gardner said.<\/p>\n There are some plans in place to combat that.<\/p>\n