Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Warren Slocum, Board President
Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Subject: County of San Mateo opposition to the memorandum of the President of the United States regarding Apportionment following the 2020 Census
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution opposing the memorandum of the President of the United States on excluding unauthorized immigrants from the apportionment base for the United States House Representatives following the 2020 Census.
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BACKGROUND:
Ensuring a complete count of San Mateo County residents in the 2020 Census is essential for many reasons and this Board has indicated that it is a priority. The decennial census serves as the cornerstone of our democracy and is written into the United States Constitution. The Census ensures that everyone is equally represented in our political system through the enumeration and apportionment process, and that government resources are allocated fairly. Census counts are also used to make important community decisions, including where to build homes, parks, schools, and roads and where to offer health, childcare, and transportation services. Businesses rely on census data to determine where to open facilities, what products to develop, and how to market their services.
There have been several challenges that have created obstacles for obtaining a complete count in the 2020 Census. Among these are several actions by the President and his administration that have created fear in some communities, including among unauthorized immigrants. In addition to the initial proposal to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, on July 11, 2020, the administration issued a memorandum that directs the Secretary of Commerce, in preparing the report of tabulation of the 2020 Census for apportionment of Representatives in the United States Congress, to take action or exclude from the report of ...
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