Please take a minute to help Winsted and your neighbors.
Winsted is currently trailing the average response rate for the 2020 Census. The census count every ten years is important to our community as the data is used to determine our financial share of state and federal grants for schools, roads, housing, healthcare and so many more.
Please take a minute to respond by mail, in person, or online. See the information below from the regional census 2020 director.
The national Census response rate currently is 65%, Connecticut is 69% and Winchester is approximately 62%. The Self response deadline is September 30.
Since 1790, the Constitution (Article 1, Section 2) mandates a count of ALL residents living in the U.S. every 10 years, also known as the Decennial Census. The statistical data collected from the Census determines legislative representation in Congress, plus proportionate return of more than $675 billion dollars in federal funds. These revenues are critical for supporting local school systems, infrastructure improvements, healthcare programs and so many social services dependent on renewed funding to continue these survival services.
Winchester has seen an increase in new residents, and renters who are living as neighbors in a
seasonal or secondary home. It's critical these families also complete the nine-question Census for
ALL of their residences; failure to do so will count against the local area's response rate of completion.
Remember, if our area ends with a 70% Census response rate, we'll be shortchanged receiving 30% of deserving funds due to non-response. This data will be used in calculating our federal support for the next 10 years before updating a complete count of residents until the next Decennial Census in 2030!
--Census enumerators currently are knocking upon doors locally, and will have photo IDs visible you may ask to see, wearing face masks and complying with social distancing when they visit households which have not yet responded to the Census. It takes only 10 minutes to complete the Census, which can be done online at www.2020census.gov or by calling 844.330.2020 (operators can assist completion in 59 languages), or by mailing back the paper questionnaire sent earlier. Census staff will NEVER ask your citizenship status, enter your home, nor ask for social security numbers nor personal financial information. All responses are confidential, and protected from being shared with any other governmental agency as mandated by the Supreme Court.
In counting every U.S. resident once, only once, and in the right place, the Census Bureau must summarize its accurate count and deliver the final results to the White House no later than Dec. 31, 2020 in order to re- draw Congressional districting by next April. Remember, it's not too late to complete the Census, but time is running out.
Thank you for helping our community optimize local response rates, and receiving deserving federal funds.
Kevin S. Shippy
New York Regional Census Center U.S. Census Bureau-CT office