Make a difference by filling out 2010 Census

I know the census might seem a bit tedious, but I was SHOCKED to find out how much each person counted is worth to the city they live in! Please fill it out and send it back on time– it’ll only take a few minutes of your time, but its effects will last an entire decade~!!!

By M. Margaret Bates
For some people, the United States Census is a too long, too cumbersome questionnaire that is a once-a-decade hassle.

That attitude, however, can be very harmful to our cities’ futures. The census is an opportunity to improve the quality of life for all of our residents for years to come. As an elected official for Lauderhill and immediate past president of the Broward League of Cities, I want to bring to everyone’s attention how the census affects our cities.

The Census Monitoring Board found that just one uncounted person in 2000 meant the loss of an estimated $1,300 in funding, which would be $1.3 million less in funding if just 1,000 people did not complete the census.

Here are some important facts:
April 1, 2010, is Census Day: Residents will receive their census packets now through the end of March and must return them via mail by Census Day, April 1.
The 2010 Census questionnaire can be completed in 10 short minutes and asks only a few simple questions, like name, marital status, gender, age and race. Census employees will visit any resident who does not complete the questionnaire between April and June.
Be Counted: Stand up and be counted. Since the census determines seats in the House of Representatives, an accurate count guarantees Florida has appropriate representation in Congress.
Local, state and federal governments also use census data to distribute funds for services like public safety or building roads and bridges.

Valuable Information:
Census information helps determine dollars for programs like child care and hospitals. The data shows important information like areas of population growth, which can help determine new school locations and needed dollars for educational programs.
Businesses also use census data to determine areas of expansion. Some businesses look for bustling communities in need of services like supermarkets, and others are interested in growth like shopping centers and new housing.

The 2010 Census is easy and ultimately important to the future of our communities: An accurate count can give our cities the chance to grow and thrive. For more information, please visit http://www.broward.org/census2010.

Tags: Accurate Count, April 1, Census Data, Census Information, Census Monitoring Board, Census Questionnaire, Child Care, Federal Governments, Gender Age, Important Facts, Lauderhill, League Of Cities, Mail, Margaret Bates, Marital Status, Population Growth, Public Safety, Roads And Bridges, Simple Questions, United States Census

This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 8:41 am and is filed under News & Developments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.