Local Government and the Decennial Census
By Richard Whipple, San Francisco City Hall Fellow '10
Every ten years, the federal government conducts the largest civil service mobilization in the nation: the decennial census. Each decade, every single resident of the United States is included in the census enumeration. In addition to providing valuable data sets for researching and understanding the demographic composition of our nation, census information plays a critical role in dictating congressional representation and determining to whom and where over $400 billion in federal funds is distributed. The census enumeration, in many ways, represents the best of effective federal government bureaucracy.
An unsung, yet mandatory member in the cast of census collaborators is local government. Despite all the planning, organizing and well-oiled execution of the Census Bureau, the efforts by the federal government to accurately count the country’s residents fall short. With resources and representation at stake for all parts of the country, the census enumeration is highly relevant to all city governments and community organizations.
For some perspective, the 2000 census efforts represented record funding levels from the federal and state government. Organization on behalf of the Census Bureau and State of California was touted as the best in any census to date. Yet over 100,000 residents were undercounted in San Francisco alone. Though this number was a vast improvement over previous census enumeration efforts, it still equated to a loss of over $300 million in federal funds that San Francisco could, and should, have received.
What can be credited for the improvement of 2000? And what is also needed to close the 100,000 person gap in 2010? I propose that the answer is local government. Of all levels of government, local government is closest to communities and residents. In its best form, local government knows community-based organizations, understands local issues, and has trusted relationships with neighborhood leaders. It knows what kind of messaging will resonate with communities and is more equipped to be responsive to their concerns and challenges. Local government leaders, especially in San Francisco where I live and work, have strong relationships with the communities that they serve. In addition, many local governments provide millions of dollars of funding to community organizations through grants and contracts. Local governments also provide much of the services and infrastructure that residents rely on daily.
So how can San Francisco’s local government tip the scale to maximize results in the 2010 Census? Through enrolling and utilizing trusted leaders in the Complete Count Committee; through entrusted reliable community groups with conducting outreach and addressing specific barriers; and through engaging City employees, departments and leaders to insert census messaging into the many interactions that they have directly with the residents of San Francisco. As I have watched remarkable community leaders work in concert with the census bureau’s strategy, I see how local government plays a critical role in bridging the gap between the individual and the nation. While there will always continue to be challenges and obstacles related to including all residents in census counts, San Francisco has made a remarkable effort to identify and communicate with those most likely to be left out.
Ultimately, the census represents more than a needed demographic analysis of the nation’s residents. If executed correctly, the census can be a starting point for developing a relationship of trust between the undercounted and underserved communities and government. It has the potential to change perceptions about government, and to strengthen citizen participation in the decision making process.
Every ten years, the federal government conducts the largest civil service mobilization in the nation: the decennial census. Each decade, every single resident of the United States is included in the census enumeration. In addition to providing valuable data sets for researching and understanding the demographic composition of our nation, census information plays a critical role in dictating congressional representation and determining to whom and where over $400 billion in federal funds is distributed. The census enumeration, in many ways, represents the best of effective federal government bureaucracy.
An unsung, yet mandatory member in the cast of census collaborators is local government. Despite all the planning, organizing and well-oiled execution of the Census Bureau, the efforts by the federal government to accurately count the country’s residents fall short. With resources and representation at stake for all parts of the country, the census enumeration is highly relevant to all city governments and community organizations.
For some perspective, the 2000 census efforts represented record funding levels from the federal and state government. Organization on behalf of the Census Bureau and State of California was touted as the best in any census to date. Yet over 100,000 residents were undercounted in San Francisco alone. Though this number was a vast improvement over previous census enumeration efforts, it still equated to a loss of over $300 million in federal funds that San Francisco could, and should, have received.
What can be credited for the improvement of 2000? And what is also needed to close the 100,000 person gap in 2010? I propose that the answer is local government. Of all levels of government, local government is closest to communities and residents. In its best form, local government knows community-based organizations, understands local issues, and has trusted relationships with neighborhood leaders. It knows what kind of messaging will resonate with communities and is more equipped to be responsive to their concerns and challenges. Local government leaders, especially in San Francisco where I live and work, have strong relationships with the communities that they serve. In addition, many local governments provide millions of dollars of funding to community organizations through grants and contracts. Local governments also provide much of the services and infrastructure that residents rely on daily.
So how can San Francisco’s local government tip the scale to maximize results in the 2010 Census? Through enrolling and utilizing trusted leaders in the Complete Count Committee; through entrusted reliable community groups with conducting outreach and addressing specific barriers; and through engaging City employees, departments and leaders to insert census messaging into the many interactions that they have directly with the residents of San Francisco. As I have watched remarkable community leaders work in concert with the census bureau’s strategy, I see how local government plays a critical role in bridging the gap between the individual and the nation. While there will always continue to be challenges and obstacles related to including all residents in census counts, San Francisco has made a remarkable effort to identify and communicate with those most likely to be left out.
Ultimately, the census represents more than a needed demographic analysis of the nation’s residents. If executed correctly, the census can be a starting point for developing a relationship of trust between the undercounted and underserved communities and government. It has the potential to change perceptions about government, and to strengthen citizen participation in the decision making process.
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