Counting everyone is crucial: Why the 2020 Census matters to Virginia
Richmond Times Dispatch (https://www.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/guest-columnists/margaret-nimmo-holland-column-counting-everyone-is-crucial-why-the/article_349dd85a-8e9f-5965-8ed1-297401ec0169.html)
March 30, 2019 - Margaret Nimmo Holland
The next 12 months are an important time in our civic life: We are preparing for the 2020 Census! Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau embarks on the major undertaking of counting each person living in the United States, whether child or adult. The census is required by the U.S. Constitution and has a major impact on our quality of life in Virginia for the next 10 years.
Knowing how many people live in our communities is essential for public and private sector planning, such as where to open new businesses, hospitals and schools, and where to build infrastructure. Additionally, the census data determines representation in Congress for the next decade.
Counting each resident one time and in the right place also is vitally important because data derived from the 2020 Census will be the basis for federal funding decisions over the next 10 years. In 2016 alone, Virginia received almost $18 billion through 55 federal spending programs guided by data derived from the 2010 Census. As Virginians, we have a lot at stake in the 2020 Census.
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With a year until the census, Virginia groups prep for hard-to-reach populations
Richmond Times Dispatch (https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/with-a-year-until-the-census-virginia-groups-prep-for/article_927dd866-3ef8-5e80-98c2-113a6dd7ac3a.html)
Mar 29, 2019 - Mel Leonor
Millions of dollars in federal funding, right-sized schools and local services, and possibly another Virginia seat in the U.S. House of Representatives depend on an accurate census count of Virginia’s residents.
The count takes place a year from Monday — April 1, 2020 — when the federal Census Bureau is hoping to count “everyone once, only once, and in the right place,” in what will be the country’s largest domestic mobilization effort.
Aware of what’s at stake, state and local organizations in Virginia are ramping up their efforts to make sure every household completes and returns its census form. In 2010, about one in five Virginians did not return completed forms, according to census data.
“Virginia is such a rich and varied state, but that’s going to make it super hard to have an accurate census,” said Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson, whose office is overseeing the state’s census planning group, the Virginia Complete Count Commission. “We have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time.”
For states, every uncounted resident represents roughly $20,000 over a decade in missed funding, Thomasson said. Politically, representation is also in the balance. District boundaries for Virginia’s General Assembly and U.S. House seats will be redrawn in 2021 using 2020 population estimates.
For the first time in census history, all U.S. residents will be able to fill out their form online through desktop and mobile devices, with the option of mailing a physical form or responding by phone.
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Mayor Stoney announces “RVA Counts 2020” initiative to ensure complete citizen representation
RVA HUB (https://rvahub.com/2018/11/01/mayor-stoney-announces-rva-counts-2020-initiative-to-ensure-complete-citizen-representation/)
November 1, 2018 - Trevor Dickerson
“For each person uncounted, the city and organizations miss out on $2,000 worth of funding each year until the next census,” said Mayor Stoney. “That’s $20,000 for each uncounted person over a ten-year span. Our team will use its networks and expertise to make sure we reach every square foot of Richmond.”
Earlier this week, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney launched a new initiative called Richmond’s Census 2020 Complete Count Committee. It was established to ensure that no citizen in the City of Richmond goes uncounted, the mayor’s office says.
“For each person uncounted, the city and organizations miss out on $2,000 worth of funding each year until the next census,” said Mayor Stoney. “That’s $20,000 for each uncounted person over a ten-year span. Our team will use its networks and expertise to make sure we reach every square foot of Richmond.”
The Mayor also stressed the values of being counted and encouraged every Richmonder to participate. The Complete Count Committee will keep residents informed and ensure the most robust representation of our city in the 2020 Census.
Members of the Complete Count Committee can be found here.
For more information, you can contact Chelsi Bennett, J.D., Chair, Complete Count Committee at Chelsi.Bennett@Richmondgov.com or 804.646.7978. Check out the project website here.
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Stoney Launches Census Committee
Richmond Free Press (http://richmondfreepress.com/news/2018/nov/01/stoney-launches-census-committee/)
November 1, 2018
Mayor Levar M. Stoney is seeking to ensure every city resident is counted in the official 2020 Census.
This week, Mayor Stoney launched Richmond’s Census 2020 Complete Count Committee to help make it happen when the population count begins more than a year from now.
He stated the committee’s focus would be on improving the count in African-American and Latino communities that tend to have lower participation rates.
“For each person uncounted, the city and other government organizations miss out on $2,000 worth of funding each year,” Mayor Stoney said.
“Our team will use its networks and expertise to make sure we reach every person and cover every square foot of Richmond,” he said.
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RVACounts2020 Seeks To Have All Richmonders Counted in 2020 Census
NPR Community Ideas Station (https://ideastations.org/radio/news/rvacounts2020-seeks-have-all-richmonders-counted-2020-census)
October 29, 2018 - Yasmine Jumaa
Today (10/29/18), Richmond held a launch event for it’s latest Community Partnership and Engagement initiative, “RVACounts2020”, which aims to ensure that everyone in Richmond is counted during the 2020 U.S. Census.
As a part of the “RVACounts2020” initiative, Mayor Levar Stoney says he’s selected City leaders to serve --in the Richmond Complete Count Committee, to help reach low-response areas.
“We’re going to put an emphasis on those areas. Particularly those areas in the City, I think, where we have high Latino populations, we want to focus on them,” Stoney said.
Stoney says getting an accurate count impacts the City’s ability to receive proper funding. “For each person uncounted, the City and organizations miss out on about $2,000 worth of funding each year until the next Census. That’s 10 years from now. $20,000, each uncounted person over a 10-year-span.”
This year will be the first time that citizens can participate in the Census online, or by calling a toll-free number.