By Evan Curtis, Governor’s Office of Management and Budget
Census day—April 1, 2020—is rapidly approaching. Once a decade, on years that end in zero, the largest peacetime mobilization of the federal government is undertaken to count each resident in the United States at their place of residence as of April 1. You may wonder, why all the fuss? And, do I really need to participate? After all, what happens in Washington DC, or even Salt Lake City, can oftentimes seem far removed from rural Utah. However, when you receive a postcard or survey in the mail or a Census worker arrives at your door, don’t miss the opportunity to be counted. Consider three key reasons your participation in the 2020 Census matters for you and your community.
First, Census figures determine how billions of our tax dollars are distributed in Utah. As you might expect, the federal government uses the Census to direct much of the more than $5 billion of federal funds that come back to our state in the form of road projects, healthcare assistance, school funding and much more. However, what might surprise you is Census figures direct state tax dollars as well. Each time you pay motor fuel or sales tax at your local gas station or convenience store, those funds are redistributed back to your community by the state Tax Commission—with 50% of the funds disbursed based on the number of road miles or point of sale and the other 50% based on population. The population numbers come from the Census. For your tax dollars to fully benefit your communities, you need to be counted as part of your community in the Census.
Second, Census numbers determine political representation at every level of government—from Congress to your local school district. While Utah is not expected to receive an additional congressional seat this time around (we received a fourth seat in 2010), state representation will definitely be impacted. As the state’s population distribution changes, so will the distribution of our legislative districts. As the balance of population has increasingly shifted toward urban areas along the Wasatch Front, it will be increasingly important that rural communities are fully counted to ensure fair representation. Your participation in the Census ensures you are counted and fairly represented.
Finally, Census numbers are the official baseline for the state’s planning and economic analysis. All of Utah’s population estimates and projections for the coming decade will be calibrated to the count on April 1, 2020. These numbers are used to plan schools, determine critical infrastructure such as water projects and roads, and drive economic development efforts. Beyond government uses for Census numbers, the private sector uses the data to research the location of potential customers and employees when exploring possible sites for a business. If having jobs and services matters to you, being counted in the Census also matters to you.
We get only one shot at getting a complete and accurate count of all Utahns. The impact of our participation, or lack thereof, in the 2020 Census will resonate throughout the coming decade and have a direct effect on your community’s budget, your political representation, and your city or town’s ability to attract and retain jobs for you and your children. In short, you matter. Your participation in the 2020 Census is crucial. Be counted.
Evan Curtis is the State Planning Coordinator in the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget and co-chairs the 2020 Census Statewide Complete Count Committee for Utah.