Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

The United States 2020 census is recruiting local hires this month, with the decennial population count in Haines to begin in March.The U.S. Census Bureau is advertising a $28-$31 hourly wage with flexible hours. Individuals can apply online at https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html.

Barb Miranda of the U.S. Census Bureau in Juneau said that local hires will be responsible for making sure that every household gets a survey packet this spring. Additional hires during summer will conduct follow-ups with people who don’t respond to the original questionnaire.

“That is when we expect to have the most people we hire” said Miranda.

Census data affects federal funding distribution and policy decisions for the next ten years.

The Haines Public Safety building, for example, failed to qualify for federal funding through the Community Development Block Grant because the 2010 census indicated Haines was below the threshold for low-to-moderate income residents, said Haines Borough grants administrator Carolann Wooton.

Census data helps direct $3.2 billion annually in federal funding allocations. These spending programs include highway planning and construction, Head Start, and healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Haines residents can expect a survey packet on their doorknobs in March. The packet will outline options for response, including an online alternative that was not available in 2010.

If residents don’t respond to the questionnaire, they can expect a knock at their door sometime after April 1, 2020. “We hope everyone responds right away, but if they don’t people will get a knock on their door,” Miranda said.

In 2010, the Haines Borough saw a drop in initial reporting by 18 percent from the 2000 census. “Of course, we would like to see that reversed in 2020,” Miranda said.

In April 2019, the Haines Borough Assembly appointed the Haines Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) to direct outreach and education of the 2020 Census through a volunteer Complete Count Committee. Margaret Friedenauer, HEDC director, said responses are confidential and can only be used to produce statistics.

Friedenauer said the 2020 census is important because of “data, dollars and democracy.”

“Data is used for roads, infrastructure, schools, services for veterans, federal decisions and federal funding distributions,” Friedenauer said. “It informs business decisions, policy decisions, community initiatives, transportation planning and school resources, just to name a few”.

Estimating how much federal funding is at stake if individuals go uncounted is complex because demographics influence funding. If seniors are undercounted, for example, it will not affect special needs funding in schools.