(Radio Iowa) — The 2020 census will begin with a mailing starting in mid-March. Census Bureau spokesperson Maureen Schriner says it’s important that everyone looks for and completes the census form to be counted. Schriner says the census determines our legislative representation and also determines how much money communities get from the federal government. She says the federal government decides every year on how to hand out 675 BILLION dollars in funding for services in communities.

Schriner says some people are concerned that the information they provide on the completed census forms will be readily available. She says that in information is kept confidential.”Your individual information is never shared. For 72 years it is locked down, it is confidential. It is not shared with any other governmental entities,” according to Schriner.  She says the information is only released in an aggregate form. Schriner says that would be numbers like the population of the state. “So the 2020 Census tries to go out and record the entire population. That’s what it is used for — so it is not reported out on an individual basis,” she says.

Additional information about the census can be obtained by going on-line at www.2020census.gov