The next US Census won't get underway until next April, but Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is acting now to encourage all people to be counted. Not being counted, he warns, could cost the county millions of dollars worth of federal resources used for various needs.
Poloncarz signed an order Thursday calling for the creation of a Complete Count Committee, which will campaign to raise awareness of the Census and explain the importance of participation.
Cara Matteliano will co-chair the Committee. She explained the importance of cooperating with Census officials next year.
"Federal funding is at stake. Congressional representation is at stake," she said. "All of that depends on the number of people counted in the Census. And that's not for one year or two years. It's for ten years. It affects every single resident at every stage of their life."
Poloncarz's office states that for every individual not counted, the county loses $2,400. One thousand people left uncounted means $2.4 million of federal resources won't come to the county. Poloncarz says the services provided with the use of those federal dollars range from road work to preserving clean water.
He recognized there are many living within the county who may need encouraging to take part. They include newer arrivals who may come from native countries where a government official coming to one's door is something to fear.
"Some individuals, especially those who may be newer to our community, the new Americans, may not understand what the Census is, may not trust when they hear that they're getting a piece of mail from the government and asking them for information about who lives in their home," Poloncarz said. "They may not understand why someone may come to their door and ask them questions. We want to get that information out this year, going into the Census, so that people are fully apprised of what will happen next year, and understand it's very important for them to answer these questions."
Poloncarz anticipates New York State will see decreased representation in Congress following reapportionment driven by Census numbers, perhaps a loss of one district. But he told those in attendance Thursday that Erie County's population has increased while other parts of Upstate New York have lost residents.
"There are now three representatives for Western New York: Congressman Higgins, Congressman Collins and Congressman Reed. My hope is, after all is said and done, there will still be three representatives for Western New York," Poloncarz said.
The 2020 US Census officially begins next April 1.
