April 1, 2019. This article discusses the disappointment of advocates across New York State with the allocated $20 million funding for the 2020 census included the governor’s state budget, which was released Sunday March 31, 2019. The author goes on to highlight that advocates were asking the state to provide $40 million for community based organizations to do outreach and help with 2020 census work, an estimate calculated by the Fiscal Policy Institute. The author goes on to note that New York has a lot to lose due to an undercount, including two congressional seats.

Lawmakers in Albany agreed to a $175.5 billion budget deal on Sunday. It includes $20 million for census outreach — only half the amount advocates requested.

The 2020 Census has proved contentious as the potential inclusion of a citizenship question has heightened fears of an undercount. Experts say asking census respondents for their citizenship status will deter responses in immigrant-heavy areas. Because of this, and because of New York’s history of being hard to count, community groups including the Fiscal Policy Institute requested $40 million in state funding to raise census awareness in immigrant communities.

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