Census 2020 Self Response Rate low in Kingston. Here’s how you can help before 9/30 and why we need you.

By Rebecca Martin

It’s been ten years since the last Census Population Count. Locally, while in the midst of COVID and deep unrest, 2020 presents us with another challenge to assure that community members take the census.

TAKE THE CENSUS NOW

Why is the census important? “The census population count determines how many representatives each state will have in Congress for the next 10 years and how much federal funding communities will receive for roads, schools, housing and social programs.” For Kingston, beyond critical infrastructure needs, it means important funding that flows through the Ulster County and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in support of programs for our community and those in need such as our Library, the Everett Hodge Community Center, the Boys and Girls Club of Kingston, the Center for Creative Education, the YMCA and others. What might not be well known, is that every person in our community that takes the census helps to provide a formula that equates to $1000s of dollars per person and that is allocated to support these important initiatives and programs.

Some ignore the census request concerned with records not being secure. But our constitution requires a census and protects all of the critical information collected as confidential, where it is not allowed to be used for law enforcement or other government agencies of concern.

Some say that the current president and his administration is using methods to deliberately diminish count and particularly in Democratic areas like the City of Kingston. It’s another reason why in Kingston, responding to the census must be counted as one of our important civic duties.

As of September 8, the Self Response Rate of Kingston community members taking the census is down from 2010 by a little over 11%, and that’s not surprising given the climate in our local community. Although there is a push to extend the census deadline, we have until September 30 to get as many of our community members as we can to take the census, and KingstonCitizens.org wants to help.

TAKE THE CENSUS NOW

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Take the census today!