Citizens Union, a leading good government group committed to reforming New York City and State government to foster accountability, accessibility, and transparency, issues the following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum:
There are a number of significant challenges that could result in an undercount of the 2020 census, particularly in states as diverse as New York. Billions of dollars for programs that provide food assistance to needy families, early childhood education to low-income children, and maintenance for the bridges and roads are tied to census data.
Given whats at stake, $40 million for community based outreach represents an incredibly wise investment. We applaud and congratulate the Assembly and Senate for including this funding in their budgets and encourage the Governor to include census funding in the final budget.