WRITTEN BY: JULIA K. MADDALENA
T
he 2020 Census began on April 1, and there has never been a more important census year for Bay County.
redraw boundaries of state legislative dis-
from the census was collected in 1940. With
tricts to account for population shifts. Even
these protective laws in place, you can rest
private businesses can use census data to
assured your privacy is taken seriously.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, pop-
decide where to build factories, offices and
ulation loss means our community stands
stores, which create jobs and opportunity
Despite the importance of the census and
to lose significant funding for the next de-
for communities.
measures taken to protect privacy, up to
cade. Moreover, as hospitals and medical professionals struggle to address care for Covid-19 patients, we know future funding for our local healthcare system is extremely
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The census asks for limited personal information from you, and under the law your privacy is protected. Federal law prohibits
20% percent of the population does not respond to the census in any given census year. This already has a negative impact on communities, but in Bay County some cit-
important.
the Census Bureau from publicly releasing
The distribution of more than $675 billion in
a household. Responses cannot be used
federal funds, grants and support to states,
against anyone by law enforcement and
counties and communities are based on cen-
can only be used to produce statistics. All
sus data. That money is spent on schools,
Census Bureau staff take a lifetime oath
hospitals, roads, public works and other
to protect your personal information and
vital programs. Census data is also used to
any violation comes with a penalty of up
secure fair representation in government.
to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison.
strong for our community and economy. If
Every 10 years, the results of the census are
In fact, the only time information can be
all those in Bay County register for the cen-
used to reapportion the House of Represen-
released is to support historical research
sus, we can secure much-needed resources
tatives and determine how many seats each
after 72 years. To put this in perspective,
for the next 10 years, and encourage healthy
state gets. State officials use census data to
this means the information available today
growth and support for our residents.
BAY B I Z / S P R I N G 2020
responses that could identify a person or
ies have projected a population loss of up to 25% as a direct result of Hurricane Michael. If we have a low participation rate and a loss of population, undoubtedly our community will continue to suffer for the next 10 years. We must do everything in our power to make census participation in Bay County
