The Supreme Court kept the Trump administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census for now, and that is putting some pep in the steps of Austin’s Mayor and Travis County’s Judge. In a joint statement, Mayor Steve Adler and Judge Sarah Ekhardt said they are encouraged by the ruling. They called the question repressive and believe the city and county can now move forward on getting a more accurate count, which would result in more federal funding. However, the Justices put the hold on the question because the Trump administration didn’t give a good enough reason for it.
In response, President Donald Trump Tweeted that he’s asked lawyers if they can “delay the Census, no matter how long” until the “United States Supreme Court is given additional information from which it can make a final and decisive decision.” Federal law requires the census must begin on April 1, 2020.
FULL STATEMENT:
Today, Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt and Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Co-Chairs of the Austin-Travis County Complete Count Committee, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling on the citizenship question in the 2020 Census:
“We are encouraged by today’s Supreme Court of the United States ruling. Having unburdened the census from the repressive citizenship question, City of Austin and Travis County can move forward with working to obtain as accurate of a count as possible, resulting in additional federal funding for our region, and accurate representation during the redistricting process. Citizenship information cannot be used for any other purpose and cannot be shared with any other agency or individual.”
Every ten years the U.S. Census Bureau oversees a survey of the whole country to determine population totals and breakdowns by sex, age, race and other factors. Next year, between March and July, individuals will be able to respond online, by phone, or by mail.
The Census information guides the allocation of more than $800 billion in federal funding to programs across the U.S. that are crucial to the well-being of families and communities. If Texas residents are undercounted by even 1{2db634631ef8bd3f096060bc7daa4fc6677d16e616113d8c02bec6b420e3105c}, Texas could lose at least $300 million per year.
If people in Austin and Travis County go uncounted then the community could lose significant funding for Medicaid, Medicare, State Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP), Section 8 Housing, Head Start, National School Lunch Program, Special Education Grants and highway planning and construction.
Counting everyone can be logistically challenging. Very young children, immigrants, people who live in rural areas, people of color, people who move residences more frequently, and people who face language barriers, are often harder to count.
Over the next year, the two authorities will join forces alongside the newly formed Austin-Travis County Complete Count Committee to raise awareness about the importance of the Census and get as many people as possible to participate.
(Photo:Shutterstock/Maria Dryfhout)
