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CORSICANA – From now until March 20, Census Information Packets will be delivered to mailboxes across the country. The results will impact the future of Texas communities for the next decade.
The census – which can be responded to by mail, phone or online – will determine future congressional representation and how more than allotted $675 billion in federal funds are spent in support of each state and county.
The data collected is used for roads, emergency services, public schools, child care, early intervention services for children with special needs, housing support, and much more. Additionally, the results will decide how funds are assigned to health programs across the region.
The census provides businesses with data on the communities they serve – specifically population trends and growth projections – allowing businesses owners to rely on this information to make key future decisions.
According to state experts, being undercounted by even 1% in 2020 could result in a $300 million loss in federal funding for Texas, so it has become more important now than ever to participate.
If the survey is not completed online or returned by mail by the April 1 deadline, census takers will begin door-to-door follow up visits. The final count will be tallied and delivered to the president on Dec. 31, 2020.
The 2020 Census will ask, according to its website:
***How many people are living or staying at your home on April 1, 2020. This will help count the entire U.S. population and ensure that people are counted according to where they live on Census Day.
***Whether the home is owned or rented. This will help produce statistics about homeownership and renting. The rates of homeownership serve as one indicator of the nation's economy. They also help in administering housing programs and informing planning decisions.
***About the sex of each person in your home. This allows the U.S. Census Bureau to create statistics about males and females, which can be used in planning and funding government programs. This data can also be used to enforce laws, regulations, and policies against discrimination.
***About the age of each person in your home. The Census Bureau creates statistics to better understand the size and characteristics of different age groups. Agencies use this data to plan and fund government programs that support specific age groups, including children and older adults.
***About the race of each person in your home. This allows us to create statistics about race and to provide other statistics by racial groups. This data helps federal agencies monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as those in the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.
***About whether a person in your home is of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin. These responses help create statistics about this ethnic group. This is needed by federal agencies to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as those in the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.
***About the relationship of each person in your home. This allows the Census Bureau to create estimates about families, households, and other groups. Relationship data is used in planning and funding government programs that support families, including people raising children alone.
For more information about the census, visit www.2020census.gov.
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