April 1 is Census Day and the Bureau is striving for an accurate count in 2010. To convey the importance of counting every citizen, regional and local representatives held a meeting Jan. 13 at the Southern Md. Higher Education Center. Dorothy Wilson from the Census Partnership Office said, “We have $400 Billion to give for things to improve the community, but we have to know where people are.”
The census count is how the federal government determines which counties get funding for libraries, schools, highway projects and more. La Plata Census Office Manager, Ken Turner illustrated the process by estimating each person that goes uncounted means a $3,000 loss in county funding.
The 2010 Survey is quick, taking about ten minutes to fill out. Wilson said, “The census is easy, it’s safe and it’s confidential.” The bureau will not share any information, even for immigrants worried about citizenship status.
Dick Myers read a letter of support from Sen. Mikulski, who recently increased census funding to create additional jobs and processing centers to “assure an accurate count.” The Bureau is actively recruiting qualified people to fill critical positions in St. Mary’s and surrounding counties. Those interested in census jobs should call 1-866-861-2010 or click here for details.
Efforts to find hard-to-count citizens include targeting group living arrangements like military barracks, women’s shelters and nursing homes along with conducting a point-in-time homeless count. A clear picture of the population provides information for future funding decisions and allows policy makers to acknowledge the level of need in our community.
Though some concern about fraud during the census has surfaced, Bureau reps assured safety and said any enumerator you encounter will have an ID, official census bag and materials, and will never ask for your social security number or financial information. An example of the questionnaire is available online, as is a wealth of information about the U.S. Census Bureau and what being counted is all about. Stepping into the digital here-and-now, you can also find them on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Citizens should watch for these surveys in mailboxes beginning in mid-March and field agents will follow-up with those that didn’t respond starting in May. The numbers are due to Pres. Obama Dec. 31, 2010 and the official counts will be released in 2011. It only comes around once each decade, so be sure to participate.
