TUCSON, Ariz. -- The 2020 census deadline has been pushed back to October 31, and Tucson isn’t wasting any time.
The Tucson Census Fiesta took place Friday evening at the Grant Plaza South Shopping Center.
More than 100 people were counted today after filling out their census at this event, something Tucson Mayor Regina Romero says is a duty for folks living in the United States.
“As a city, as a county, as a region, we have to do this together,” Mayor Romero told KGUN9.
Mayor Romero says the census is more than just a civic responsibility. She adds it will also help with city funding.
“Every person that does not report to the census, we lose approximately $ 30,000 per person in a decade. A family of four is $120,000 per decade. Imagine if 100,000 people don’t report,” added the Mayor.
Maria Cardenas, a Partnership Specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, says filling out the form can help with Tucson's recovery.
“The Census data information impacts our roads, our libraries, our hospitals, our medical programs, our food stamps, our access, senior programs, schools,” Cardenas told KGUN9.
The census counts the number of U.S. residents, which is used to allocate seats in congress and determine how taxes are split among the districts.
“We have to make sure that we make an extra effort to promote the importance of reporting to communities of color..because we’re not reporting and it hurts our representation in Congress. It hurts our representation in the state legislature and city councils,” said Mayor Romero.
The form can be filled out online, in person, or over the phone, in either English or Spanish. All information is kept confidential.
“We cannot share that information with ICE, immigration, or any other law enforcement,” said Cardenas.
“We’ve got to make sure we report ourselves, because we stand to lose money and representation,” Mayor Romero told KGUN9.
Click here for more information on how to fill out your census.
