Puerto Rico Cuenta is warning about proposed changes to the Census Bureau’s population count for 2030 and what they could mean for Puerto Rico, including the collection of population data and the distribution of federal funds. Political analyst Jay Fonseca discussed the proposals on Los Datos Son Los Datos with Lorena Molina of Puerto Rico Cuenta.
Molina said the proposals could affect how communities are represented and how federal funds are distributed, and warned the changes could make Puerto Ricans invisible in the count. One proposed modification would eliminate the question on race and ethnicity. Molina noted that without that information, it would not be possible to know how many people identify as Puerto Rican under current criteria.
Another proposal would validate people’s addresses through evidence of tax records. Puerto Rico Cuenta urged residents to take part in the process and submit comments before November 2 through prcuenta.com.