Mayor Duggan 'pushing the panic button' as Detroit census response sits under 50%

DETROIT (FOX 2) - "We are pushing the panic button."

Calling it a "scary" situation, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is worried as the deadline to fill out this years census form approaches. "We could lose hundreds of millions of dollars over the next 10 years."

That's hundreds of millions of dollars that would go to school lunch programs, Medicaid and roughly 300 state and federal programs.

"We lose about $1,800 a year - or $18,000 a person - for everybody that doesn't fill out that form," he said.

The deadline is usually October 31 but the 2020 census is ending a month early on September 30.

"The president shortened a month off the census time so we already this year don't have a Detroit census office for the time and census takers," Duggan said.

Duggan said the response rate in Detroit is just under 50% - the third worst in the country. But Michigan as a whole is sitting at about 70%, which means those federal funds - and Congressional representation - will then get distributed to areas where people were counted.

"If we don't get counted we won't have 10 representatives and five senators, we will have eight representatives and three senators and the outstate areas will have extra representation," Duggan said. 

Duggan said communities of color are less likely to share personal information with the government about who lives in their homes and how much money they're making, a problem most larger cities have been dealing with for decades.

"By federal law, the Census Bureau cannot share your information for 70 years. They can't share it with the IRS; they can't share with immigration; your car insurance company. They can't share it with anybody," Duggan said.

The 2020 census has about 10 questions and takes a few minutes. And remember: it will never ask questions about your citizenship, for money or donations - or for your social security number. The city, with the help of volunteers going door-to-door, is now scrambling to get everyone counted. And soon. 

"If we don't take initiative to go online and get counted that Detroit's gonna lose."

If you haven't filled out this census form you can do it easily online. For more information, visit michigan.gov/census2020.