In less than a month, the campaign will be over, with some of the most important data to be accumulated to date. No, it’s not the presidential election. That’s Nov. 3.
This is the U.S. Census 10-year survey. The public part of it ends Sept. 30.
This 10-year count is particularly significant for rural areas that seem to miss out when dollars are counted out.
Unfortunately, rural areas may be the slowest in responding, which can explain why last month, barely half of the population of Butte County had answered the questions.
Households have gotten postcards about it. They’ve heard advertisements, read news stories, and seen fliers about this must-do survey.
But why is it really important?
It’s a count that provides a foundation for other decisions to be made. By knowing the number and ages of people in an area, decisions about federal spending is made. That’s translates into funding for hospitals, schools, roads, emergency response, and other public services.
It also is a basis for our government. Population counts translate into state representation in federal government.
With Butte County’s not-so-hot response rate, the U.S. Census has reached the knock-on-your-door stage. The deadline is coming up quickly, and workers are trying to get as many households counted as possible.
The questions are relatively simple — age, sex, race, type of housing — not Social Security numbers, immigration status or bank account numbers.
For example, the number of elementary-age students in an area can prompt changes in school lunch or free lunch programs.
There are still several options to fill out the census. Answers can be given over the phone. English speakers should call 1-844-330-2020, and Spanish speakers should call 1-844-468-2020.
Individuals can also go online to www.my2020census.gov and fill it out. Finally, census workers will be knocking on doors — and responding under coronavirus-safety rules — to record information personally from local households.
While some may think of the census as intrusion by the government, it really translates into government, according to the people out there.
Sept. 30 is the last day that information will be taken, so individuals still have a chance to be heard.
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September 02, 2020 at 05:47PM
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Still time to fill out the census survey | Editorial - Chico Enterprise-Record
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