WHEREAS, the U.S. Constitution requires a count of the nation’s population – or census – every ten years to determine the number of congressional representatives for each state and allocate $600 billion dollar in federal funding annually;
WHEREAS, Erie County’s fair share of federal funds for programs essential to health care, education, housing, economic development and transportation, as well as our political representation in Washington, all depends on an accurate and fully-counted census response;
WHEREAS, the 2020 census will be the first census to use the Internet and telephone call-in for responses from households, which will have an effect on the number of responses in Erie County; and
WHEREAS, the most vulnerable residents of Erie County are more than likely to be determined to be hard to count by the U.S. Census Bureau.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, MARK C. POLONCARZ, Erie County Executive, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Erie County’s Charter Sections 301 and 302, do hereby order as follows:
1. That Erie County establishes a 2020 Census Complete Count Committee that:
- Shall be co-chaired by the Deputy Commissioner of Planning from the Department of Environment and Planning, and the Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo;
- Will include nonprofits, community leaders, educators, librarians, business leaders, experts, religious and faith leaders, and any other organization or stakeholder that will support the mission of the committee;
- Supports the goals and ideals for the 2020 Census, will disseminate 2020 Census information, and encourages all County residents to participate in events and initiatives that will raise the overall awareness of the 2020 Census and increase participation;
- Provides Census advocates to speak to County and Community Organizations;
- Supports census takers as they help our County complete an accurate count; and,
- Meets as a whole on a quarterly basis and report back its progress to the undersigned on a quarterly basis.
GIVEN, under my hand and the Privy Seal of the County of Erie in the City of Buffalo this fourth day of April, in the year two thousand nineteen.
County of Erie
By: __________________________
Mark C. Poloncarz
Erie County Executive