Title
Consideration of Citizen Petition Related to Citizenship Question Being Added to Census 2020
Description
This report provides the City Council with information in response to a citizen petition submitted by Shawn Severud at the April 18, 2018, Formal City Council meeting. The petition requests that City Council instruct staff to perform an analysis on the likely reduction in census funds distribution as a result of a citizenship question being added to the 2020 Census and what options are available for the City Council and public regarding Census 2020 efforts, Attachment A.
Report
Summary
On March 26, 2018, the U.S. Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) announced that it would use the 2020 Census to require information on the citizenship status of every resident in the country. As required by the Census Act, on March 29, 2018, the Census Bureau transmitted to Congress the Secretary of Commerce's final determination of the questions that will be asked on the 2020 Census.
The Census Bureau has not sought citizenship information on the decennial census form that goes to every household in the country since 1950. In departing from nearly seven decades of practice, the Bureau also departed from its long-standing, well-established processes for revising the decennial census questionnaire. Decisions to change questions on the decennial census typically take several years to test, evaluate, and implement; but this decision was compressed into an unprecedented period of less than four months.
Immediately following this decision on April 3, 2018, a multi-state and multi-city lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court. The basis of the lawsuit is to enforce the federal government's constitutional obligation to conduct an actual enumeration of the national population every ten years, by determining the whole number of persons in the United States. The lawsuit challenges the Department of Commerce's decision to add a citizenship query to the 2020 Census questionnaire, claiming it will fatally undermine the accuracy of the population count and cause tremendous harm to the Plaintiffs and their residents.
The decennial enumeration of the population is one of the most critical constitutional functions the federal government performs. It directly determines the apportionment of Representatives to Congress among the states, the allocation of electors to the Electoral College, and distribution of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funds to states, local government, and other grantees. For every person living in Phoenix who is not counted in the census, the City loses approximately $350 in annual State funding and $155 in annual Federal funding that is issued directly to Phoenix.
It is important to understand the potential impact on the overall population count of the addition of a citizenship question as this has not been a part of the decennial in seven decades. Staff is currently researching how inclusion of the citizenship question could impact response rates within the region and consulting with the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) to gather demographic data that will assist with assessing potential impacts of a reduced response rate on federal and state funds the region receives.
Staff is also researching actions taken by other states and cities as well as other organizations to advocate for a complete and accurate count.
City Council and public involvement in Census 2020 is critical in helping Phoenix get an accurate census count, and one key way for City Council and the public to participate is by serving on the Census 2020 Complete Committee. The Complete Count Committee plans and implements locally-based outreach campaigns that raise awareness of the census and work to achieve a full and complete count. Staff is currently working with the Mayor and City Council Offices to finalize the Census 2020 Complete Count Committee.
Options for Council Action
A. Staff will continue in these efforts and provide updates to the Council on this issue.
B. Provide other direction to staff.
Staff recommends continuing its research on the potential impact of adding a citizenship question to the census, and continuing to maximize ways for the City Council and public to participate in the City's Census 2020 efforts.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Office of Government Relations.