Full Transcript for Proposed Census Changes with Doreen Garlid

representation decreased, you know, your residents aren't getting the representation that they should, but it also impacts not only your federal funding, but it can impact the funding that you get from the state of Arizona down to the cities. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:15.199 There are some significant changes being proposed to the decennial census right now. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:20.000 Uh, it's not a long document, but it's a meaty document. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:26.160 Can you share what initially jumped out at you when you first saw those proposed changes? 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:31.519 This new rule would mean reduced funding in Tempe in a lot of different ways. 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:45.839 And you know, we looked at state uh shared funding, and that state, that number, that data number, that status number that we get from the census, that tells us how much funding we are going to be getting distributed to our local cities and towns from the state. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:49.920 So the distribution from the U.S. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:55.360 Census Bureau looks at the number from the July 1st, I think, the year before. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:00.160 And if that number is not accurate, our state's shared revenue really drops. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.319 And we need those fundings for a lot of important things that happen in the city. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:09.839 Um, it also will be affect, so it'll be affecting the dollars that we get in for our community for human services. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:23.360 If you think about our community block grants, our home grants, um, and other critical housing funding, if that census number is wrong, then we are not going to be able to get the funding that we need to work on our housing. 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:32.319 Um, and it's coming at the worst possible time that we have in the country right now where we are short housing and construction costs continue to climb. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:39.040 So if we don't have those that number correct and we don't get the funding we get, that affects all of that. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:51.279 Um, the other thing that I think that it affects for us in the community that we think about, or I think about as a member of the Navajo Nation, is that the Census Bureau also eliminated four out of the six testing sites across the US. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:56.079 So one of them was established on our tribal communities. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:00.800 So there is the poorest communities in the country. 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:06.959 It's part of Indian country where they don't have access to paved roads, they don't have a lot of one running water going to their homes. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:15.519 By restricting the resource of being able to get to that, the testing sites, this Arizona tribal communities, they will continue to be undercounted. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:23.360 And that makes for a disadvantage that has been happening for decades and will continue to happen if we don't do it in the right, in the right way. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:41.279 And the other thing that that rule really pops out to me and for the communities, because I volunteer for an organization that oversees a TEMPE, um uh Tempe School District, it's we help get additional funding or try to get funding for teachers and for students because they are a Title I district. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:55.360 This census poverty and population data informs um education and Title I funding allocations, that could seriously affect the students in the school districts that are in Tempe, and that's pretty scary. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.720 No, thank you for that, uh, council member. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:02.639 I think it's interesting that you brought up the census test site. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:08.399 Um Arizona was one of six test sites uh planned for earlier this year. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:15.920 Uh, at the last moment, we did see it was changed, and they they decreased the Census Bureau, decreased uh the test sites from six to two. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:22.879 Very importantly, eliminating not only testing in all the tribal areas chosen, but also all the rural areas. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:31.199 And this is the second time uh or the second decade in a row where no rural areas are being tested prior to the decennial census. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:40.639 So definitely a concerning trend considering we'll never have a perfect census, but I think we can always strive toward perfection. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:43.360 And the only way to do that is through accurate testing. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:56.320 We're never going to be perfect, but if we're removing test sites and we're removing locations where we want to do those test sites, we are not, we are going farther away from getting accurate numbers. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:02.720 And again, yes, you're right, we will never be perfect, but if we're going backwards, we're going back down the hill, and we can't do that. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:03.919 We can't do that. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:07.519 We're making it harder to get accurate numbers, and that's not the right way to go. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:18.399 And I think you flagged a couple of the many ways that municipalities use um census data because it does feel like this sort of wonky federal government issue. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:21.360 How does it impact me as a locality? 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:24.000 Um, and the funding piece is a huge part of it. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:30.639 I know a lot of cities, um, each decennial do their best to meet their community development block round threshold. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:38.240 I know that 50,000 population number is one a lot of mid-sized cities are always striving to hit and count everybody. 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.519 But you hit the nail on the head with the state revenue sharing. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:47.039 Even if you're not a big city, if you're not going out for big federal grants, you are

still getting state revenue funding. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:53.440 You are still getting other sorts of funding, and that's your residents' taxpayer dollars being returned to them. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:10:00.000 Um, and you need accurate numbers to make sure uh that it returns to your community. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:09.600 Uh, the rule would also exclude non-citizens and non-permanent residents from the apportionment count, which includes people here on visas. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:16.320 I know some students from ASU might be here on visas and faculty, refugees and undocumented residents. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:22.879 From the municipal perspective, what would those changes mean in practical terms for Tempe? 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.840 Would there be any impacts to municipal services? 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:37.840 Well, of course there would be, because again, it's the revenue that we get from the state share dollars that come into our community that help us do human services in our community. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:48.960 It helps improve all the other services, the libraries, all these other things that people in our communities use, that we would no longer have the funding to be able to use those those dollars. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:11:10.480 Um, and I think when you think about, if you specifically think about wanting to make sure that you're doing an accurate count to the people in your community, um, Maricopa County has about 225,000 undocumented immigrants that were listed from a survey that was done in 2023. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:18.159 Um and if you think about that and you think about the population of that same time, it's about 5% of the population. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:30.320 And if with this new rule, what will happen is that the new proposed question on the legal status, it'll cause fewer people to want to fill out the census form due to fears right now. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:40.240 If you think about the ICE issues of dealing with the fears of immigration agents targeting specific homes in your area, that would again cause our numbers to go down drastically. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:43.759 And again, we're caring for every person in our community. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:50.639 If somebody needs help or services or somebody needs something, we're not first checking to make sure that you know what their status is. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:56.960 We're checking that we're there to help people and we're there to take care of all the people that are in our community. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:06.240 It by changing this rule, it is by far the least efficient way to spend federal dollars on behalf of the people in your community. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:07.679 Least efficient. 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:21.360 You mentioned, you know, that Tempe or Maricopa County has an undocumented population, as do most, if not all, populations across the country, people live where they live. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:33.440 You know, it's really interesting because one in four American-born children live with a parent that has a mixed status, lived in a family of mixed status. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.279 And you had mentioned education earlier. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:42.960 I know not every city deals with their education funding, but education as a whole is always important for the community. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.320 And children are always undercounted. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:13:00.960 And I know there are concerns that if there was a legal status question or a citizenship question on the census, that more families would choose not to answer the question, which would of course lead to decreased funding for education, for housing, for all the other points that you had mentioned. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.759 What I think is really sad about that is that it trickles down. 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:17.840 If we do not have, again, if we do not have this accurate counting, if if this rule goes into effect, these rules go into effect, the trickle down is going to be the most vulnerable in our communities. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:24.159 And it's going to be our children, it's going to be our seniors, it's going to be those people who need more assistance. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:27.360 The trickle-down effect is dangerous for our communities. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:29.759 And that is what is going to happen to us. 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:36.000 And it's not just the larger communities, it's not the 190,000 approximately that are in the city of Tempe. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:44.639 It is cities, towns, and villages across the country of all sizes that will be living with the effect of the undercount. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:49.120 The proposal would change when people are counted too. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:55.360 Right now, the Census Bureau counts a person's usual residence as the one that they spend the majority of their time in. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:14:05.200 However, the new proposal would count people instead where they are at the majority of the time, specifically from January 3rd to April 1st. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:16.799 I suspect that Tempe might get some snowbirds from northern states who might live the majority of their time in a different state, but during that time period might be enjoying the warmer weather down in Tempe. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:23.200 How do you see that affecting Tempe and also cities in all regions of the country? 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:35.679 Well, Tempele, Tempe does get our snowbirds each winter, but they're not as significant a slice of our population compared to the other communities that are here in Arizona. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:46.320 Our largest influx of outside population, it consists mainly of our students that come into town who will be in school during those months of testing. 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:51.840 For Tempe, I think a major problem is the plan to stop testing group quarters. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:54.559 That to me is for us, that affects us more.

00:14:54.720 --> 00:15:05.519 So, you know, as I said earlier, the dormitories and the nursing homes for Tempe, not counting those areas really would put us down as, again, further undercount our population. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:14.799 And that, again, makes it difficult for us to qualify for needed funding to meet the demands of our residents and our temporary residents that come into Tempe every year. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:21.120 This proposal would also bar race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation questions from the Census Forum. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:28.080 Race and ethnicity questions have been asked on the decennial census since 1790, when the US had its very first census. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:35.279 And there are currently no sexual orientation questions included or proposed, but it would bar them from ever being included in the questionnaire. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:46.799 While the census information can feel very data heavy, do you have any examples of how race and ethnicity data has been used by Tempe before? 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:56.639 Well, I will I'll just say first off, we're not going to be able to understand the full depth of our city's demographics if this rule moves forward. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:00.000 That's just that's just what's going to happen. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:16.000 There are many grants that are regional and local that have historically included formulas that give credit or points of scoring improvements to projects that specifically address more vulnerable populations, which are the ones that you had mentioned. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:23.519 For example, the Biden administration, we qualified for funds to increase our the trees we planted. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:41.440 This formula had some scoring advantages for us in Tempe that focused on lower socioeconomic numbers and higher heat impacts, which was helpful for us because we were able then to put in the shade canopy areas that were needed in these areas. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:47.840 So that really hit the city of Tempe and is something that we were able to use because of demographics and information like that. 00:16:48.080 --> 00:17:01.120 We also had um we had another one that helped out with our transportation because areas that were car-free households scored better for in the city of Tempe, and we were able to use funding in those areas also. 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:12.400 So again, I think trying to get as much information as possible out of these census numbers is going to help be able to help us across the board in every area for our communities. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:22.160 I think a lot of people, when they see that the the US government is asking them those questions, they feel a little bit um uncomfortable. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.759 They don't know why it's being asked. 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:25.119 But it is really interesting. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:28.640 You know, I know a lot of municipal planning departments use them. 00:17:28.880

--> 00:17:33.920 Um, and it really has been sort of a thorough line for us since 1790 asking. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:36.480 It's not a new development. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:38.640 And it shouldn't be changed. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:48.160 There, I mean, the qu some questions that are asked may be difficult, but in the long run, it pays off for the communities that are served by those numbers. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.359 So we need to have them. 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:52.319 And I know Tempe is a larger community out there. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:18:05.119 You might be able to find other data sources or pay for them, but I know a lot of communities across the country, especially smaller and more rural communities, census data is their only form of accurate data out there. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:07.680 And so if you you lose it, you lose everything. 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:08.799 Absolutely. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:09.920 Yeah, absolutely. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:16.319 Census issues can be hard for cities, towns, and villages to get engaged with because it happens once a decade. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:17.279 There's turnover. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:25.519 Again, it's one of those feels bureaucratic and administrative and far away from the city priorities that you're dealing with every day. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:36.799 Even though it drives funding decisions from the state and federal government, as well as your businesses, your nonprofits, uh, and the city itself, of course, it doesn't really feel like it's tackling urgent issues. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:43.039 Uh, what would you say to other local elected leaders who may not yet be engaged on census? 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:48.079 Why does it matter that they show up and respond to these proposed changes? 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:56.960 So accurate population counts are necessary to ensure we can provide critical services to our residents and our visitors. 00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:03.119 And it does seem like four years is a long way off to be able to think about this. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:16.400 Right now is a time to engage with our representatives to reach out to the administration right now to let them know what your first hand experiences are and what the impacts of this rule change will make on your community. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:22.079 And, you know, we sit there, and I'm not sure what terms, how long terms are for other elected officials. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:25.359 I sit here and think, oh gosh, I've got a four-year term, that's a long time. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.960 That is not a long time. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:36.160 And if you think that the census is going to be coming out or we're going to be doing it in four years, it's going to be proposed and finalized a year or two before that. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:38.559 So really, you don't have four years. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:49.119 So what I would say to the communities around is do exactly what I did thinking about this podcast or the CitSpeaks that we're going to do is doing more research. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:20:03.599 I think I will not say that that I um was invited onto this Cityspeak conversation with all the knowledge of what this is going to do and that rules and how are the rules going to be affect my community, but I am engaged now. 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:13.440 Knowing the fact that that this could make such a difference in our city and really impact our bottom line budget, it is really important that we all get an engage. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:14.960 We all get the information. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:23.759 We reach out to NLC for more information or more help that will make a difference in our communities and not look at it that yes, we have pressing issues. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:27.359 I've got a council meeting on Thursday, I really need to get focusing on. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:35.680 Yes, those are immediate issues, but if we're not also thinking long term, we are we are going to be causing issues in our community that are unnecessary. 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.440 And we need to reach out and participate. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.599 Thank you, Councilmember Garland. 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:42.799 To leave our listeners with kind of one last thought. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:47.920 Do you want to share what would happen in 2030 if Tempe's population is undercounted? 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:49.920 How is that going to impact the city? 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:56.960 Well, I think it leads to fewer fundings going to our emergency responders, our police who are on the front line. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:00.720 It also affects funding available for city services and programs. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:10.400 If you think about our parks, our recreation, our class, the classes that we have, the libraries, the services that our community uses, those are going to be affected. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:14.559 Again, we talked about Title I, we talked about our students and our kids in our community. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:18.000 We'll also see reduced funding for affordable housing projects. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:27.359 Tempe is considered a leader in this area by developing new funding resources, but those things will not happen if we don't have accurate numbers. 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:32.400 You know, we are looking right now at building a workforce housing complex on top of a fire station. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:38.319 It's a creative way to use fundings that we have currently to make a difference in our housing. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:42.960 If we do not have the accurate numbers, we will not have the funding to move forward on those projects. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:46.319 We all have a responsibility to the residents in our community. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:22:04.480 And if we are not getting educated and if we are not reaching out to NLC or to our representatives or to the administration to tell them how important this issue is and the fact that we cannot have rule changes that are going to undercount our communities, we are we're going to be behind and we're going to be losing. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:05.920 We need to be reaching out. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:22.160 Thank you so much, Councilmember Garland, for stopping by Cities Speak today and breaking down how the census proposed changes to the 2030 decennial census would impact communities and why sharing why an accurate count is so important to cities, towns, and villages across America. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:30.079 To our listeners, we encourage you to submit a comment letter by the October 13th deadline sharing how the proposed changes will impact your communities. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:41.759 If you would like more information, you can visit nlc.org slash census to find resources on the proposed changes, including an explainer blog, a webinar recording, and a template comment letter. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:48.000 If you have any questions or would like more information, please email census at nlc.org. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:49.440 Thank you all for listening. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.720 We'll be back next week with another episode of CitySpeak. 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:02.319 Thanks for listening to City Speak with Clarence Anthony. 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:04.559 If you like the show, let us know. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:07.759 Share this episode with your friends, and make sure to subscribe. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:12.000 We're curious to hear what you think, what you want more of, and how we can improve. 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:20.000 If you have feedback or an idea for a guest you'd like Clarence to sit down with, send us your thoughts at Cityspeak Podcast at nlc.org. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:22.480 Join us next month for a new episode. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:25.839 Like and subscribe here or wherever you get your podcast. 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:27.119 See you next time.