As the U.S. Census Bureau prepares for the 2020 census, Hillsdale County is gearing up to reach the entire community.
The national census, which occurs every 10 years, determines the number of congressional seats apportioned and how state and federal dollars are distributed, among other things. Because the census occurs infrequently, undercounting one person has lasting effects on funding and representation for the community.
“The fact that the census is done on a decennial timeline makes it something that people put out of mind, and for many, it has no personal meaning in regards to its importance,” Hillsdale County Manager of the Community Action Agency Clint Brugger said in an email. “The participation rate in the 2010 census in Hillsdale County was estimated at 81%. Out of 100 people, 19 failed to enumerate. This may not seem that impactful until you begin to consider the implications.”
The effects of an inaccurate enumeration are a distortion in representation and loss of funding in crucial programs for the community for a 10 — year period, according to Brugger.
“Beyond our fair representation in government, there are more than $15 billion that get distributed to Michigan communities based on census data. These funds cover important programs such as Medicaid/Medicare, education, roads/infrastructure, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Head Start, childcare, and more,” Brugger said.
Brugger is spearheading the effort to reach out to the community and raise awareness about the seriousness of participation to get an accurate count.
“It is estimated that for every one person in Hillsdale not counted, it equates to a loss of funding per person of $1,800,” Brugger said. “We are stuck with the 2020 count for a decade. Simple math will tell you that each person, over the course of a decade, is more along the lines of $18,000. Now consider those 19 people that chose not to participate in 2010 and multiply that by $18,000 and you begin to realize the impact. We all pay taxes. The 2020 census is a way to ensure that your share of those funds come back to the community in which you reside.”
To reach county residents, the Community Action Agency and the Hillsdale County Community Foundation are working together on the Complete Count Committee.
“This is a cross-sector group of organizations working together to spread the message and work together to have the most accurate count of the population in Hillsdale County,” Brugger said.
Director of the Hillsdale County Community Foundation Sharon Bisher is working with Brugger to implement the marketing element of this process.
“We’ve created some basic awareness pieces, and that will continue to go out to the various groups, organizations, and media until March 15. The census opens around mid-March, and from there on it’s going to be boots on the ground,” Bisher said.
There are several challenges to getting a total population count, according to Bisher and Brugger.
The U.S. Census Bureau has moved to an “internet-first model of participation,” Brugger said.
“People can respond online, by mail or by phone. It will take a concerted effort to make sure that people understand the process and if things go wrong, how important it is to try again,” Brugger said.
The move to an online platform will make it more difficult for certain residents in the county to respond by internet.
“The challenge for Hillsdale County is we have certain sectors of our community who don’t have access to the internet in those remote areas,” Bisher said.
Bisher added that there are many residents in the county who simply do not have access to the internet. In order to remedy this problem, census days will be held where computers and hotspots can be brought to libraries and schools.
“Our community cannot afford to lose those dollars, so it is our attempt to reach as many people as possible with that message and encourage their participation,” Bisher said.
Brugger also noted the problems any county would face in getting an accurate population count.
“There are groups of the population that are typically undercounted. Those are young children, people of color, immigrants, undocumented people, homeless, people experiencing poverty and those typically served by non-profits,” Brugger said. “Hillsdale County has the second largest population of Amish in the State of Michigan. There is concern that they too will be difficult to count come April.”
At this point in the process, the city of Jonesville has worked directly with the U.S. Census Bureau to confirm property addresses and city boundaries, since the city was considered a “village” in the last census, according to City Manager Jeff Gray. In this count, Jonesville will be considered a city.
Gray reaffirmed the importance of the census, despite common misunderstandings among residents about its impact.
“The count is important whether you’re a town, city, village or county,” Gray said.
Beyond the impact of the census, the actual process should be a community-building activity, according to Bisher.
“We’re really hoping to bring together the community and understand the importance of caring for each other and looking out for each other’s future,” Bisher said.
