OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Getting an accurate count in the 2020 Census is important to Nebraska for a number of reasons.
One study suggests that for every person who fails to be counted, Nebraska misses out on $21,000 in federal funding over the next decade, a figure that can add up to millions if the count is short, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
Governor Pete Ricketts has rejected forming a statewide "complete count" committee, a practice the Census Bureau has encouraged to help ensure a full Census count. Nebraska is one of only two states without a census committee, according to the World-Herald.
The World-Herald adds that some 300 federal programs use population numbers to aid in distribution of more than $800 billion in federal dollars to states. A recent analysis by George Washington University found that in 2016, Nebraska received just under $4 billion through such programs.
