Census Helping in Brockway

BROCKWAY, Pa. – According to the 2020 Census website, Jefferson County still falls behind neighboring counties for turning in census data, but it is beating Forrest County 59%-26%.

While census completion is not a competition, it is necessary for more than numbers and assigning representatives. It is used to calculate the way communities are funded. Each person counted could bring thousands of dollars of funding to the county over the next decade. That is one reason why Census workers are going into communities to make sure everyone is counted.

In Brockway, 2020 Census workers will be in front of Mengle Memorial Library this Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The workers will help residents fill out forms and explain anything that might be confusing.

Brockway’s census response is at 46.5%, which is below the state average of 66.8%. DuBois is reporting better than the state average at 68.1%. All data is from 2020census.gov.

According to fliers sent out by 2020 Census, everyone needs to fill out a census form, which only takes a few minutes and can be done online or on paper. The fliers say that the information in changing demographics can be used to draw congressional districts as well as state legislative districts. It can impact the number of seats a state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives. It also impacts federal funding.

The flier adds that the information cannot be used against citizens for any reason. From the flyer: “Residents do not need to be concerned about safety and security, as Census answers can’t be used against you, and data security is managed by security experts operating at the highest levels. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, the U.S. Census Bureau cannot release any information that identifies individuals, and anyone who breaks this law faces a fine of up to $250,000 and/or up to five years in prison.”

Jefferson County has a link to the Census and other information on its website. The Census can also be found at pa.gov/census or 2020census.gov.