Brentwood City Commission highlights importance of 2020 Census

Brentwood Mayor Rhea Little issued a proclamation highlighting the importance of the federal census during Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting.

The federal census has counted the population across the nation every 10 years since 1790, and this years deadline for residents to submit their 2020 census form is set for April 1.

“We encourage a united voice from businesses, government, educators, media and others to allow the 2020 Census message to reach a broader audience. I join with the Board of Commissioners and encourage the citizens of Brentwood to participate in events and initiatives that will raise awareness for the 2020 United States Census,”  Little said. 

According to a news release, nearly $900 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities based on census data, and the data is also used to determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as any needed redistricting of state legislators, city and county commissions. 

“From a city budget standpoint we have 43,889 people in the city now is our certified population,” City Manager Kirk Bednar said in Tuesday night’s meeting. “We receive roughly $130 per person in state shared revenues which amounts to over five and a half million dollars in our budget which is directly based upon an accurate count of the number of people in this city.”

Bednar said that the 2020 census would also help to accurately reflect the continued growth that has happened both over the decade and in the last two years since the city’s special census was completed in 2018.

“We finished our special census, Jeff, in 2018, so we’re counting on this federal census to capture some of the growth that we’ve had, and obviously we need everybody to respond to the census when it comes because it’s a significant amount of money that otherwise would have to be raised potentially through other taxes or whatever,” Bednar said. “So it’s very important for the city of Brentwood, let alone for representation and everything else.”

Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson signed a proclamation into effect in July 2019 and implemented a Williamson County Complete Count Committee led by Williamson County’s Community Development Director, Joe Horne, with a goal of increasing the 2020 US Census participation throughout the county.

“Williamson County had an 82% mail participation rate in 2010, but we are committed to increasing participation this year to as close as 100% as possible,” Horne said in the news release.

2020 is the first year that citizens have the option to respond to the census by internet or phone as well as by mail.

In mid-March, households will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census. 

The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential.

The news release adds that every employee takes an oath to protect citizen’s personal information for life.

All Brentwood residents are invited to participate and #MakeBrentwoodCount.

For more information about the 2020 Census visit Census.gov.