El Paso County prepares for 2020 Census; 4,000 jobs expected

A kick-off event for the 2020 census was held Friday in Colorado Springs. The Pikes Peak Area Complete Count Committee, along with Mayor John Suthers, discussed the importance of the census and introduced a new census office right here in the Springs that will represent all of Southern Colorado during the counting process.

Written in the Constitution, a census report is required every 10 years and directly impacts everyone’s communities.

Suthers said, “City funding, County funding and State funding from the Federal Government is largely based on a census count so it’s going to impact everybody.”

When it comes to the census, if a person isn’t accounted for, that means money will be lost for the community.

“When you consider how much money is at stake — it’s $2,300 per person — so if you undercount you can kind of equate to the fact that probably lost in the region of $2,300 dollars,” said the mayor.

Census offices were set up around the state, and Colorado Springs was chosen as one of the destinations. Now, the Census Committee is looking to fill 4,000 positions right here in El Paso County.

Suthers said, “This is the first time we’ve had a major regional office here, so it’s all Southern Colorado, not just El Paso County, so it’s a lot of jobs.”

He added that it will be a great opportunity for people who are looking for temporary work. The job will pay $16.50 an hour and pay for mileage.

“We have a lot of people who I think like part-time employment that pays good, and I think it’s a real opportunity for people for good part-time employment,” Suthers said.

About 7% of the population was missed in the 2010 census, officials hope that this year they get that number down significantly.

Saturday, a hiring event will take place for the 2020 census as the look to fill those 4,000 positions. That will happen from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Library 21C, which is at 1175 Chapel Hills Drive.

KRDO Only 2019