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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
ESTABLISHING THE COOK COUNTY COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR THE 2020 CENSUS
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States requires an enumeration of the population every 10 years to apportion congressional representation among the states; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 141 of Title 13 of the United States Code, the next federal decennial census of the population will be taken on the first day of April in 2020; and
WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau will endeavor to count every person in the nation, and many states and counties are establishing programs and initiatives to promote the census; and
WHEREAS, a complete and accurate count of the population is essential to the fair and proper allocation of federal funds towards social service programs, influences the planning and development of highways, hospitals, and businesses, and has a direct bearing on electoral representation and redistricting; and
WHEREAS, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the 2020 Decennial Census will cost an estimated $15.6B for which there is substantial budgetary shortfall that could result in an adverse impact on the Census Bureau’s ability to accurately count every resident of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Cook County has one of the highest concentrations of hard-to-count populations in the state, including racial minorities, immigrants, young children, tenants, and low-income households, among others, and an outreach strategy must be developed and implemented to include them in the Census; and
WHEREAS, this will be the first decennial Census carried out in a primarily online format, which may have a disparate impact on residents in hard-to-count communities who are more likely to face barriers created by the digital divide; and
WHEREAS, a united voice from businesses, government, community and faith based organizations, educators, media and others will allow the 2020 Census message to reach a broader audience, providing trusted advocates who can spark positive conversations about the 2020 Census ensuring that all communities are informed about the importance of the 2020 United States Census and that every resident is counted; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board President create a Complete Count Committee and appoint a Chair of the Committee, as well as the chairs of subcommittees that are representative of, and are directed to develop locally relevant outreach to all Cook County communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Complete Count Committee shall report to the Cook County Board of Commissioners on the development of a comprehensive outreach strategy on a bi-monthly basis leading up to the 2020 Census that shall include, but not be limited to sponsorship and partner funding initiatives to encourage participation in the 2020 census, the establishment and support of school-based outreach programs, partnerships with philanthropic organizations, non-profit community based organizations, and multi-lingual, multi-media campaigns designed to ensure an accurate and complete count of Cook County's population.
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