65.2% of Pasadenans Have Responded to the 2020 Census

With the 2020 census season more than halfway through, Pasadena officials are urging local residents to make sure they are counted in order to make sure the city and state get their fair share of tax revenue, as well as prevent the state from losing one or more congressional seats for the first time in history.

The city’s self response rate of 65.2% as of Wednesday exceeded both the state average of 64% and the national average of 62.8%, according to federal data. The response rate in Los Angeles was 52.5%.

But work is still to be done in order to match the 71.7% response level of the prior census a decade ago, Pasadena City Clerk Mark Jomsy said.

“That is our goal: To reach at least the 2010 response rates,” he said. To that end, “We’re doing everything we can to engage with the community.”

A low count could result in countless tax dollars being diverted to other areas, as well as the possibility costing California at least one, and possibly two, seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a statement from the Brookings Institution.

“Since the 1950 census, three Sun Belt states—California, Florida, and Texas—have gained the most new members: 23, 19, and 14, respectively,” according to the statement. “But California’s large, 53-seat congressional delegation did not increase after the 2010 census, and new projections suggest that the nation’s most populous state will lose a seat for the first time in its history. Meanwhile, both Texas and Florida are projected to gain multiple seats.”

This is the first year the census can be completed online, which has been the way the majority of Pasadenans have completed it so far, data shows.

The Census Bureau will begin sending representatives door-to-door in August to follow up with those who haven’t returned responses, but with the ongoing pandemic, completing the census online or over the phone is recommended.

More than 58% of respondents in Pasadena completed the census online, according to federal data.

The 12-query questionnaire can generally be completed in less than 10 minutes, federal and city officials said.

Several factors were working against the census count in 2020, officials said.

Concerns after a proposal to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire left some people without legal immigration status worried about taking part, according to city officials. And that was before anyone had ever heard of COVID-19, which has only presented further challenges.

In a video statement issued Wednesday night, Councilmember Margaret McAustin issued a plea for local residents to participate in the 2020 census.

“We can do better,” she said of the response rate.

“The 10 minutes you spend filling out the ten questions will help determine how much tax money we get back from the state and federal governments for the next 10 years,” McAustin said.

“Pasadena received over $400 mllion over the last 2010 census count  That money helped Pasadena provide housing for those in need, helped vulnerable populations avoid homelessness, funded transportation service, provided community health programs and supported our after school activities,” she said. “The more people we have filling out the census, the more money we get to provide these services. Make Pasadena count.”

In addition to the new online option, the census may also be completed over the phone by calling 844-330-2020. Those wishing to complete the process in languages other than English can find a listing of numbers to call to receive service in multiple languages online.