This week, state Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis called on Floridians to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census.
The U.S. Constitution dictates that a census be taken every ten years and the deadline to submit 2020 Census information is on September 30. Through the end of September, Patronis plans to leverage social media and other platforms to generate grassroots participation in the census.
Patronis weighed in on the matter on Tuesday.
“Participating in the 2020 Census is vital to supporting Florida’s future. Not only does the data collected by the census serve as the basis for fair political representation, it also plays a major role in determining the amount of funding that state governments and local communities receive from the federal government for the next decade. Census data is also critical for emergency response efforts as well, as it helps emergency managers and first responders better understand disaster resource needs in our state,” Patronis said.
“Florida is currently ranked tenth in census response rate nationwide, with many Florida Panhandle communities lagging in response rate compared to Central and South Florida counties. It is vital that we have the entire state participate and I’m urging all Floridians to take just a few minutes and visit my2020Census.gov to make sure you and your family are counted and help ensure a bright future for Florida. A special thank you to Governor Ron DeSantis and Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez for leading the state’s 2020 U.S. Census efforts,” he added.