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Recommended listening: A primer on the 2020 Census

January 7, 2020 – FYI, News

The 2020 Census kicks off in Alaska later this month. This Alaska Public Media Talk of Alaska episode is a good and interesting primer on the census, explaining things like what the census is, why it’s vitally important for local communities and the state, and why Alaska is counted first. Listen here:

“The U.S Census happens just once a decade and it kicks off in Tooksok Bay, Alaska in mid-January. Getting an accurate count of all Alaskans is critically important for billions of dollars in federal funding and drawing political jurisdiction lines. It determines how much money the state gets for infrastructure projects, federal student loans, and even meals on wheels.”

CBJ is a part of the Complete Count Committee in Juneau. An accurate community count will ensure Juneau gets its full share of funding for local public services. Schools, healthcare, law enforcement, firefighting, roads and infrastructure, airport maintenance – all of these things depend on federal resources that are allocated based on census data.

(Photo by Heather Holt)