Tina Williams, a field manager at the U.S. Census Bureau, speaks about
the importance of the 2020 Census to Fulton-Montgomery Retirees Local
members. Listening at left are Fulton-Montgomery Retirees Local Executive
Vice President Al Hayes and Local President Grace Bevington-Eglin.
ALBANY — At the start of every decade, our country conducts an official count of who lives where through the U.S. Census Bureau.
Why should it matter to CSEA members that the Census count happens this year?
The answer, as usual, comes mostly down to dollars and cents.
Some might think the Census is just a way to draw up political districts and determine how many political representatives represent certain areas. Yes, that’s one part of it, but not the most important part for us.
The bigger picture, for CSEA members working in government, is that the services we provide are largely funded by federal funding to our state and localities. It actually makes up more than a third of our state budget, and it’s estimated that for every person NOT counted, New York loses $2,000 per person per year for 10 years.
To put that into perspective, the 2010 Census only counted 69 percent of our state’s population. That’s a huge loss of money that could have been used to fund the vital services we provide and the jobs our members perform. To put it simply, a more accurate Census count can translate into job security for us and future job opportunities in our communities.
“New York can’t afford to lose any federal funding, so we all have an important stake in an accurate census,” CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan said. “We all want to ensure New York gets its fair share, and we will do our part to share information and help make sure everyone is counted.”
Over the next several months, CSEA will be talking with our members about the importance of participating in the Census and how important an accurate count is to our work and home lives. CSEA is also letting members who wish to supplement their income know that the Census Bureau is currently hiring workers to assist in getting the count done.
We’ll also highlight what’s new in the Census count, most notably that for the first time ever, people will be able to be counted online, as well as by phone, mail or in person. For those without internet access who wish to use the online option, community portals will be available at local libraries, as well as SUNY, CUNY and community college campuses.
The Census count begins on April 1, and every household should receive a postcard with instructions on how to fill out your Census forms by that date.
If you have questions about the census, you can visit 2020census.gov for information.
If your CSEA unit, local or section would like a presentation on the 2020 Census, please contact your region’s Political Action Coordinator.
