MIAMI – Miami-Dade Commissioner and Census Liaison Esteban “Steve” Bovo, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and several other local mayors held a news conference Wednesday morning outside Jackson Memorial Hospital regarding the 2020 Census.
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Counting efforts for the Census will be ending on Sept. 30, a month sooner than previously announced by the U.S. Census Bureau due to the bureau’s plans to accelerate the completion of data collection and apportionment counts.
According to local officials, Miami-Dade County currently has a self-response rate of 59.4 percent.
WATCH LIVE: Miami-Dade leaders hold news conference on 2020 Census
Posted by WPLG Local 10 on Wednesday, August 26, 2020
“It’s unacceptable, quite frankly, because we’re not only jeopardizing the next 10 years of our community, we’re leaving millions of dollars on the table,” Bovo said, noting that the state’s response overall has been around 60 or 61 percent and the country’s response has been around 75 percent.
The commissioner reminded the public that filling out the Census is required by law and people can fill out the Census online, on the phone or by mail.
“By responding to the 2020 Census, residents can impact funding for health care facilities like the Jackson Health System in Miami-Dade County,” Bovo said. “Our community is at risk of losing millions of dollars in funding if our residents do not complete the Census. I am happy to be joined by City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Village of Key Biscayne Mayor Michael Davey, City of North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime and other municipal mayors whose cities also have a low self-response rate. Our community needs to respond to the census for our heroes on the front lines of COVID-19 -- doctors, nurses, and health professionals.”
Click here to complete the 2020 Census online.