Tuesday, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Council heard three great presentations on the importance of a complete count for the 2020 U.S. Census. Presenters included Dr. Lloyd Potter, State Demographer; Sophia Azoubel, U.S. Census Bureau; and Berta Rodriguez, City of San Antonio Census Administrator.
Dr. Potter touched on the significant growth San Antonio and Bexar County are experiencing and how this change needs to be reflected in the census. He stressed that besides people moving to San Antonio, people already in San Antonio are moving to other parts of town or to the suburbs. This movement creates additional challenges to a complete count.
Ms. Azoubel’s message to the business leaders in the room is that they will play an integral role in ensuring people are engaged, encouraged and educated about the census. She provided an overview of why the Census is important and the uses of Census data. Texas received more than $43 billion dollars per year based on decennial census data. Per capita allocation is $1,578. In addition to funding, it is estimated that Texas could gain three more Congressional seats. There are some changes to the 2020 Census business leaders and residents should be aware of. In 2020, new technology will be introduced to make it easier for individuals to respond to the census. For the first time, you will be able to response online, by phone, or by mail. Lastly, the U.S. Census Bureau is building a more accurate address list and automating field operations. While the new technology is great, San Antonio faces a digital divide. It is estimated that nearly 20 percent of the population does not have access to internet.
Ms. Rodriguez discussed the community-wide effort to ensure everyone is counted and the formation of the complete count committee. Stakeholders have already begun meeting to develop a strategy that works for San Antonio and Bexar County. While the launch date for this census is a year away, she encouraged business leaders in the room to begin educating employees that the census is safe, fast and important. In the Fall of 2019, awareness campaigns will begin, and in the Spring of 2020, employee participation activities will be implemented.
Your Chamber’s President & CEO Richard Perez was appointed to serve on the steering committee. The committee is part of the Complete Count Committee that is focused on obtaining an accurate and complete population count for San Antonio and Bexar County. His appointment demonstrates the business community’s commitment to supporting the 2020 Census.
