All Fresno County residents need to be counted in new census for their own good
When municipalities face financial shortfalls, it forces government officials to often resort to two undesirable choices — raise taxes or cut services. So it’s pertinent that taxpayers receive as much help as possible from the federal government.
No, this column is not calling for enlarging the existing bureaucracy. Rather, we call on residents to participate in a once-in-a-decade tradition of sorts: filling out the U.S. Census.
The census is a federal government document issued to households every 10 years to gather data on population and trends. Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, is a national census partner and is encouraging individuals around the country through public service announcements to complete this form. Among other things, the census helps determine where to allocate some $675 billion, which is hardly chump change.
For Fresno County residents, it’s especially crucial to fill out the census since the county is considered a “hard to count” population. This designation is based on the percentage of residents not expected to complete the form.
The bureau estimates that some 26.8 percent of the population isn’t expected to respond. It states that Fresno County has a “high proportion (of the population) living below the poverty level,” many of whom are children. A Wall Street/24/7 study found that between 2010 and 2016, some 12.8 percent of Fresno city residents lived in “extreme poverty.”
Given that reality, Fresno County residents must perform this civic duty in earnest. Most of the census funds help support safety net programs involving food security, rental assistance, school lunches, early childhood education, job training, and college financial aid. These are issues that many organizations, including IRUSA, care about to help bring people out of poverty.
Fresno County has a relatively high proportion of residents relying on these programs. Recent statistics from the bureau show that just over 20 percent of county households receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as food stamps. And, only 20.4 percent of county residents have a college degree, which could partly be attributed to tuitions being out of reach for many families.
Providing ample and affordable homes in the county has also been challenging. A report last year by the California Housing Partnership stated that federal Housing and Urban Development funds have decreased significantly over the years, from $22 million in 2008-9 to $14.8 million in 2017-18. It also mentioned the county needs another 35,380 rental homes to meet current demand.
If more residents fill out and submit the Census, there’s a possibility more funding will be allocated. The funds can be used to enroll more kids in HeadStart, provide subsidized lunches to kids from low-income households, and enable more students to attend college with the help of federal Pell Grants.
Completing the census is hardly an arduous task, as the average length of time is a mere six minutes. Because of increased use of technology, most people will complete the form online instead of snail mail. And, it’s available in many languages, too.
Residents can expect to receive information about the census in the mail next month. Make sure you’re counted!