With the 2020 Census right around the corner, we need to make sure our elected officials do their job and make sure our communities are counted. Without the proper funds to conduct the 2020 Census outreach, as many as 73,600 underrepresented Ohioans won’t be counted.
2020 Census funding wasn’t added in the Ohio Senate’s first draft of the budget bill. We have a critical opportunity, now, to add it to the Senate’s final version. Right now the budget bill makes 19 references to the Census for a variety of decisions – including each county’s share of local government and library funds – but doesn’t dedicate any funds to ensure that data is accurate.
Asian Services In Action, Inc., and members of the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition, are supporting efforts to include state budgeting for grants to local governments and nonprofits for 2020 Census communications and outreach. An allocation of $1.1M in the state budget for 2020 Census would provide allow nonprofit organizations to conduct Get Out The Count (GOTC) mobilization efforts in hard-to-count (HTC) communities, and provide grants to local governments and Complete Count Committees (CCCs) to fund localized communication and outreach to their residents.
We need our leaders to act now!
Email or Call Our Senate Leaders TODAY! This is our FINAL push
Ask our Senate leaders to support Senator Lehner’s omnibus amendment adding  $1.1 million to the state budget for grants to local governments and nonprofits for 2020 Census communications and outreach. This is our final push before Ohio Senators pass the budget!
Email or call the following and use the script provided below:
- Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof (614-466-7505)
- Ohio Senate Finance Committee Chair Matt Dolan (614-466-8056)
- Ohio Senate Finance Committee Vice Chair David Burke (614-466-8049)
- Ohio Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Vernon Sykes (614-466-7041)
Dear Senate Member [name here],
I write/am calling to ask for your support for an amendment to the budget adding $1.1 million in state support for the 2020 Census.
This funding will ensure that Ohio receives its fair share in the distribution of the nearly $800 billion of federal funding determined by the census for small business loans, transit, infrastructure, CHIP, Medicaid, school lunch, and much more.
I ask that an appropriation be made for grants to local communities and nonprofits to support outreach to “hard-to-count” communities which include parents of young children, individuals living in high-density rental units, racial and ethnic minorities, and new Americans and immigrants.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Resources
Census Health, Education, and Nutrition Talking Points
