The findings from the 2007 Special Census provides additional federal funding for DeKalb.

The 2007 Special Census, conducted in April 2007, found approximately 3,100 “new” people living in DeKalb since the 2004 Special Census.

The numbers within the special census account for people counted in 2007 as well as pre-existing residences counted from the 2000 decennial census and 2004 special census.

Doug Eaton, technician of Information and Technology Division of DeKalb, described the process of getting specific numbers as “pretty involved” but said if requested, he would be more than happy to help someone with it.

Perks of being counted

DeKalb receives on average, $100 per capita or person from the Gas and Motor Fuel Tax and the State Sales Tax, among other taxes.

The increase in population resulted in approximately $310,000 more funding from the state government per year.

“We recognized that there was a population increase since the last special census in 2004,” Eaton said.

Although the censuses did result in additional funding for the city, both cost money to conduct. The 2004 Special Census cost $93,638, while the 2007 Special Census cost $138,046.

“Our deficit would certainly be worse without that special census, there’s no question,” Eaton said.

Other items surveyed in the special census were total population, sex, age, race, households by type, housing occupancy and housing tenure.

Student impact

Another factor within the special census that Eaton discussed was student inclusion.

All students residing in DeKalb, be it on or off campus would have been counted in the special census, Eaton said.

“The reason that students need to report their residency as DeKalb is because then the city then receives the revenues in order to provide the services to them,” Eaton said.

Examples of such services that Eaton listed were road repairs, snow removal and emergency services.

When students spend nine out of 12 months of the year in a city where they use resources such as the roads, the money given from the state government should be used at that city, Eaton said.

There were more students counted in the 2004 Special Census than the 2007 Special Census, Eaton said.

The next census that will be completed is the decennial census in 2010.

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