Are Prince George’s County and Greenbelt residents informed and Census-ready?
By law, every 10 years, the U.S Census Bureau counts every resident in the United States. Your participation determines your federal, state and local representation, and how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed. If our communities are undercounted, we miss out on an estimated $18,250 per person over a 10-year period in Maryland.
We were undercounted in the last census, and it cost the county $360 million! Our communities cannot afford that. In 2010, according to the Maryland Department of Planning, the State of Maryland response rate was 76 percent. In Prince George’s County, where the response rate was only 74 percent, we experienced an undercount of approximately 20,000 residents, the largest in Maryland. The City of Greenbelt had a 73 percent response rate in 2010 with an undercount of approximately 6,000 residents.
Census Day is April 1, 2020. Yes, it’s April Fools’ Day, but the census is serious business, and we must make every effort to participate. Prince George’s County and the City of Greenbelt are working together on the County’s Complete Count Committee to ensure every resident is counted.
Households will start receiving an invitation in the mail to respond as early as March 12. This is the first Census that will be done primarily online or by phone. Please participate as soon as you receive your invitation to respond in the mail.
It’s safe. Personal information is confidential by law. Disclosure of personal data is subject to a $250,000 fine and/or five years’ imprisonment.
It’s easy. One can complete the census online, by phone or by mail. You can respond in 13 different languages via phone or online.
It’s important. Census data provides the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds which helps to fund our roads, schools, hospitals, Medicaid and many other programs, including Head Start. Complete the Census 2020 survey for everyone present in the household as soon as the census form arrives this month. We encourage all residents, neighbors and community members to join us, and complete the forms by April 1, 2020. Every Prince Georgian and Greenbelt resident must be counted!
For more information, visit PGCensus2020.org, and don’t forget to participate as soon as the invitation arrives in the mail.
#ProudToBeCounted
Todd Turner is chair of the Prince George’s County Council and District 4 Councilmember representing Greenbelt.