BROWNSVILLE — While the next U.S. census is about two years away, Cameron County officials have already commenced efforts to tackle undercounting that has long plagued the area.
City, county and school district leaders gathered at the Dancy Building in Brownsville last week for a training session with Blanca Ramirez-Salazar of the U.S. Census Bureau.
As a partnership specialist, Ramirez-Salazar discussed how local leaders can leverage their combined resources to increase “self-participation” in the 2020 census.
While census workers visit homes of people who don’t respond to give residents another chance to be counted, she said there’s always a possibility no one will be home or residents will decline to participate. That’s why it’s ideal for people to participate of their own accord.
“We know when people are working together, it generates an eclectic and positive environment to ensure folks get counted,” Ramirez-Salazar said.
Results of the count have far-ranging impacts, from determining how congressional districts will be drawn to funneling more than $675 billion in federal funds.
County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. will head the Complete Count Committee dedicated to increasing turnout among Cameron County residents.
During the census training, officials expressed concerns over new neighborhoods being missed by census records and the potential chilling effect of the planned return of a citizenship status question. Some also offered suggestions on ways to begin raising awareness of the coming census.
“When you multiply the amount of money that’s been lost over 40, 50, 60 years, it’s staggering,” Treviño said. “We’ve got opportunity in spite of any roadblocks any group or individual might put up … to secure counts all of the people in our community.”
Results from a study by the George Washington Institute of Public Policy show the federal government in 2015 distributed about $43.3 million to Texas, or $1,578 per person.
Imagine the millions more lost by undercounting the population, Treviño said.
When self-response begins on March 23, 2020, Ramirez-Salazar said residents will be able to respond online or by phone for the first time by using a code they will receive with their hardcopy survey.
Ramirez-Salazar will return in May and lead another round of training on the committee model, which is considered a best practice by the U.S. Census Bureau.
