Voting Matters: Census connects federal money and your taxes

Editor’s note: The South County Chapter of the League of Women Voters will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States this year in a series of monthly columns in The Sun. The amendment, which gave women the right to vote, became law on Aug. 26, 1920.

The U.S. Constitution provides for a population count every 10 years; that is, a count of everyone regardless of citizenship residing in the U.S. It is known as the U.S. Census. (Article 1, Section 2). The Census determines the number of representatives each state can send to Congress in Washington, D.C., and also determines the allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars of federal spending. But the Census is more than a population count. And the 2020 decennial Census is particularly important because the number of people counted will affect the amount of federal money received by Rhode Island in general and received by South County cities and towns in particular.

Presently, Rhode Island has two Congressional representatives. Our representative in South County covers the 2nd Congressional District. Rep. Langevin advocates for us; he is our voice in Washington. He holds periodic town hall meetings open to the public to learn of constituent concerns, and his office responds to voter calls.

Upon the completion of the 2020 Census, each state will be assigned representatives based upon that population count. Some states will have increased in population, and there is a real possibility that Rhode Island will have decreased in population. That decline may be great enough for Rhode Island to lose one of its two Congressional seats. This loss would affect our voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. It would also result in the loss of that Congressman’s staff and its ability to pursue grants for our cities and towns. That possible decrease does not bode well for the economy of our state.

For example, in fiscal year 2019, Westerly received a total of $525,852 for its school lunch and breakfast programs based on its 2010 Census figures. Similarly, in the same year, based on the 2010 Census, Westerly received a total of $773,331 in monies allocated to special education for public school students. So, in just fiscal year 2019, there would be over a million dollars the town would have had to make up in taxes, as these programs are mandated.

Additionally, grants based on Census figures were awarded in 2019 for improvements to the Westerly Senior Center totaling $340,000, and to the WARM Shelter totaling $45,000 for employment. Without figures showing need, these grants benefiting both valuable local institutions might not have been made.

The number of people we will have counted by the Census in 2020 will determine how much money our state receives from the federal government in the next decade.

Based on the 2010 Census, the federal government provided Rhode Island with $3,801,279,399 over 10 years. In addition to the local programs, these billions went to a variety of Rhode Island programs, including financial assistance programs like Medicaid ($1,533,540,000), and federal direct student loans ($487,158,624). Other eligible funds went to child care, low-income housing and food programs.

A reduction in Rhode Island’s population will result in a lower allocation of federal funds to the state, and therefore South County cities and towns. Unfortunately, the need to fund these programs will not disappear. The bills must be paid. To pay these bills, the state and towns like Westerly, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Richmond, Narragansett, and South Kingstown will have to get the money from taxpayers — you and me.

With all this money on the line and the possibility of increased taxes looming, it would benefit all of us to count everyone in Rhode Island.

The League of Women Voters is urging all of us to make sure we complete the Census forms. For the first time in history, people may complete the Census form for their household online. For those without computer access, the League has joined with local libraries to provide assistance in completing electronic forms. Paper forms will also be mailed by the Census Bureau. If people do not respond by either computer or paper, a Census employee will come to your home or you may call the Census and complete the information by phone. There are translators in many languages available. There is no citizenship question on the form, and responses are confidential and protected by law.

If you need assistance or have questions, please contact Debborah Smith at debborah.Smith@2020census.gov.

Let’s make sure we all get counted.

Marguerite Long is chairwoman of the Voter Registration Committee of the League of Women Voters South County. Follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/lwvrisc.