Council President Parker inviting Census Officials to speak at Tuesday’s Council meeting

In order to provide an update to the public about the status of the 2020 Census, Council President William Parker has invited representatives to speak on at Tuesday’s meeting.

Council President William Parker is encouraging all residents and organizations to take part in the Census 2020 briefing and to be sure they have completed their forms.

“We need for all of our residents, churches, and community groups to get involved and help with Census participation,” President Parker said. “We need every single person to do their part and fill out the questionnaire so Birmingham can continue moving forward.”

Here are a few reasons why participation is so important:

· Federal funding for states and cities: Census totals help determine the amount of funding that the City will receive from the federal government for the next decade. The census affects up to $900 billion in federal grants.

· Congressional apportionment: The number of citizens that are counted throughout the state determines how the 435 U.S. Congressional seats are distributed. Following the last census, ten states lost one or more seats in Congress. As the state’s most populous city, Birmingham plays a huge role in how many Congressional seats Alabama will have.