Idaho Falls committee formed to help with gathering 2020 census data
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The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.
IDAHO FALLS – With the 2020 Census efforts beginning to pick up around the state and nation, the Greater Idaho Falls Complete Count Committee (GIFCCC) is helping to ensure every population group is represented in census data.
The group’s inaugural meeting was held last Tuesday, May 21.
The committee, chaired by Idaho Falls Community Development and Services Director Brad Cramer, was formed after Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper met with U.S. Census officials and invited them to the city to meet with city officials and community organizations.
“Idaho uses Census data to determine the allocation and distribution of our state sales tax, gas tax, state highway funds and more,” said Mayor Casper, in a letter sent to members of the committee. “Many other state social services programs are impacted by allocation formulas that rely on Census data. We can’t afford for Idaho’s population to be under counted.”
The 2020 Census will help to determine the 10-year baseline allocation and distribution of more than $675 billion in annual federal funds to Bonneville County. Among other things, the Census will be used to determine redistricting for state and federal legislative districts, grants to local education agencies, highway planning and construction, direct funding for health care, medical assistance, and emergency response services.
The GIFCCC will work to ensure a more complete count in Bonneville County in the 2020 Census by raising general awareness of the 2020 Census and reaching out specifically to populations known to be vulnerable to under-counting.
“We are reaching out to other local governments and community stakeholders across Idaho Falls and Bonneville County to make sure we have a broad spectrum of interests and populations represented,” said Cramer. “There are a lot of important decisions made based on the census data, so it’s really imperative that we try and make sure all residents across the county are accurately represented in the upcoming counts.”