Billions For Programs At Stake As Census Deadline Nears

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Every Pinellas resident needs to respond to the 2020 Census today to avoid an under count that could cost the state and local community billions of dollars for programs and impact representation in Congress.

That’s the message from local leaders in the countywide Pinellas Complete Count Committee this week as census takers begin door-to-door follow up at homes that haven’t yet responded.

The easiest way to respond is to take the census securely online today at www.My2020Census.gov, by phone in English (844-330-2020) or in one of 13 languages.

The urgency for all residents to respond quickly recently increased with the U.S. Census Bureau’s announcement that it is ending the nationwide population count a month earlier than previously expected on Sept. 30, 2020.

As of Tuesday, Aug. 11, only 63.6% of Pinellas residents had responded online, by phone or by mailers sent out to every address in the spring.

“We need everyone to take just a few minutes to respond if you haven’t already, and then remind your family, friends and neighbors,” said County Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch, who chairs the countywide census committee.

“Think of the few minutes that you take filling out the census as an investment that will build a better community for our children, friends and neighbors for years to come.”

A diverse coalition of local governments, nonprofits, community organizations, churches and businesses formed a countywide committee to encourage census completion, especially in areas that have historically been under counted.

The Pinellas Complete Count Committee has sponsored bus ads, driven community outreach and recently launched a new social media campaign using hashtags #PinellasCensusChallenge and #MakePinellasCount. Learn more about how to get involved in the Love My Neighborhood Census Challenge and find other resources here: www.pinellascounty.org/census.

Programs throughout Florida get about $44 billion in federal funding based on data collected in the 2010 census, according to a study by George Washington University.

Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the census guides funding for a range of critical programs and services, including healthcare, roads, schools, food assistance and much more.

The count also determines how many seats in the U.S. House of Representatives go to each state.

Census Bureau In-Person Follow Up – What to Expect

Census takers hired from local communities are expected to begin visiting homes that have not yet responded starting this week. All Census workers will wear masks during their work and maintain social distancing while asking a few basic questions to complete the household survey.

Important facts (from U.S. Census Bureau):

• Census takers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date on the badge.
• All census takers speak English, and many are bilingual. If a census taker does not speak the householder’s language, the household may request a return visit from a census taker who does. Census takers will also have materials on hand to help identify the household’s language.
• If no one is home when the census taker visits, they will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone or by mail.

More information: https://2020census.gov/en/census-takers.html

The census asks basic questions, such as name, age, sex, race/ethnicity, but the survey does not ask for sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers or citizenship status.

This press release was produced by the Pinellas County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.