2020 Census is coming. Can Placer County count on you?

It’s the beginning of a new decade, time again to be counted by the U.S. Census Bureau, and help shape the future of Placer County.

Beginning in mid-March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census.

The census is important because the results are used to determine how much funding local communities receive for key public services and how many seats each state gets in Congress.

Results also help determine how over $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to states, cities and counties each year.

Your participation can impact your community because funding is allocated based on census results, and that money can be used to build new schools and roads, secure funding for hospitals and fire departments, and much more.

The census is also an important tool in making choices that help our local economy to thrive. The census collects valuable data to assist businesses with making informed decisions on where to open new stores, where to expand operations and which products and services to offer.

The census plays an important role in our democracy, too. The U.S. Constitution requires that electoral districts be periodically adjusted or redrawn for population shifts. Each decade the census reveals where populations have risen or fallen.

Did you know that for every person missed in the census the county loses $10,000 in federal funding over a ten-year-period? The county would lose $1 million if 100 people miss taking the census.

Luckily the process to be counted is simple, safe and secure. Beginning in mid-March, you can take the census online, by mail or over the phone. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential.

For those that do not take the census, the Census Bureau will begin visiting homes to help make sure everyone is counted.

You can get involved with the 2020 Census, too. Visit www.PlacerCounts.org to receive updates about local census activities and volunteer activities.

Warm Regards,

Supervisor Jim Holmes