Bysiewicz’s Work On Census Continues

WEST HARTFORD, CT — An estimated 29% of Connecticut has already responded to the 2020 U.S. Census, but Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz is determined to make sure Connecticut gets to 100% by the end of August.

The deadline to respond to the Census has been extended two weeks from July 31 to August 14, according to Bysiewicz who has been heading Connecticut’s counting efforts.

“The Census is critical to our state,” Bysiewicz said.

There’s $11 billion in federal funding at stake.

This is the first year residents can complete the Census online, but the postcards and letters have been hitting mailboxes right around the same time was Bysiewicz and Gov. Ned Lamont were asking Connecticut residents to stay at home.

Bysiewicz said she’s been in touch with members of the 156 complete count committees by telephone, video conference, or email. She said the Census is still taking place and they are rededicating themselves to make sure everyone in Connecticut is counted.

She said if you’re unable to fill out the Census online or with a smartphone there’s also a phone number. The phone number is different for each specific language. There are 14 languages listed on the Census website.

Because of the global pandemic census takers won’t be dropping off invitations at millions of homes, but everyone should receive a paper form in the mail in mid-April if they have not yet filled out the online version, Bysiewicz said.

Bysiewicz also mentioned that the Census is still hiring.

For the more than 100,000 Connecticut residents who filed unemployment claims this week that might be welcome news. Bysiewicz said the jobs pay around $25 an hour.

She also wanted to dispel any rumors that the federal stimulus package delayed the Census. She said that was not part of the package and not something that could be done by an act of Congress.

Bysiewicz said she’s still hard at work for the citizens of Connecticut even though she can no longer be in the same room as Gov. Ned Lamont because it lowers the risk that both of them could contract the virus.

She said Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella has made sure the two don’t have any face-to-face contact these days.