It's Time to Make #850COUNT in the 2020 Census

WRITTEN BY: JULIA K. MADDALENA

The 2020 Census began on April 1, and there has never been a more important census year for Bay County. In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, population loss means our community stands to lose significant funding for the next decade. 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 important.

The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on census data. That money is spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs. Census data is also used to secure fair representation in government. Every 10 years, the results of the census are used to reapportion the House of Representatives and determine how many seats each state gets. State officials use census data to redraw boundaries of state legislative districts to account for population shifts. Even private businesses can use census data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores, which create jobs and opportunity for communities.

The census asks for limited personal information from you, and under the law your privacy is protected. Federal law prohibits the Census Bureau from publicly releasing responses that could identify a person or a household. Responses cannot be used against anyone by law enforcement and can only be used to produce statistics. All Census Bureau staff take a lifetime oath to protect your personal information and any violation comes with a penalty of up to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison. In fact, the only time information can be released is to support historical research after 72 years. To put this in perspective, this means the information available today from the census was collected in 1940. With these protective laws in place, you can rest assured your privacy is taken seriously.

Despite the importance of the census and measures taken to protect privacy, up to 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 cities 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 strong for our community and economy. If all those in Bay County register for the census, we can secure much-needed resources for the next 10 years, and encourage healthy growth and support for our residents.

On a local level, the Complete Count Committee in Bay County, Long Term Recovery Task Force, governmental bodies, businesses and civic organizations have joined forces to promote census awareness, education and participation. Our singular goal is to have everyone who had "heads in beds" in Bay County on April 1 to register with the census. This includes long-time residents, new residents, and those who are assisting in hurricane recovery efforts.

You can help achieve this goal by personally registering for the census and encouraging those around you to register. This can include family members, co-workers, employers, employees, and friends. Post cards with invitations to register were mailed out to all Bay County residences beginning in midMarch. Residents can respond online, by telephone or by mail, and it only takes a few minutes to complete. Directions for each method were included on the post card delivered to your residence. Registration is ongoing with reminders being sent out regularly. If you misplaced your postcard, you can go to www.census.gov to take the 2020 census.

Be sure to register quickly. Those who do not respond in April may receive an in-person visit from a census taker to ensure their information is counted. Census offices will begin closing in the fall, and the final count must be delivered to the President by December 31, 2020. For those looking for employment, the census will be hiring in our area. Please visit the Census Bureau website for more information on how to apply.

You can also help by committing to make your business or organization a partner in the 2020 Census. Community partners help spread the word and encourage participation in the census. Partnership and support can manifest in many ways, most of which are easy to do. Even while practicing social distancing, partners can share information through social media, television, radio and print media. Materials for partners are available online at the Census Bureau website and partners will be recognized at the end of the year for their support of the community.

Support the census today! Together, we can make #850Count and bring a brighter future to Bay County.

Julia K. Maddalena is an attorney at Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, LLC and the Chairwoman of the 2019-2020 Leadership Bay Class, a program of the Bay County Chamber Foundation. Leadership Bay chose the 2020 Census as its project for this year, and is committed to making #850Count. To learn more about the census, visit the Census Bureau website at https://www. census.gov/en.html. To become a community partner, please contact Julia Maddalena at jmaddalena@handfirm.com to obtain a registration form.