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November 7, 2009

Census 2010 efforts underway

Toni Hopper

DUNCAN — Verna Allen told Stephens County Commissioners Monday that $300 to $400 billion in federal funds could be available nationwide, based on 2010 Census results.

Allen, who is with the U.S. Census Bureau, visited the commissioners to present to them what role they are expected to play in the federal program. Because Allen was on the agenda as a presentation only, commissioners could not give Allen any signatures indicating cooperation. They listened and then said they would put it on the coming Monday agenda.

“We’d like you to partner with us. It also affects the seats in the House of Representatives,” Allen told them during her presentation.

“We want everyone to be counted,” she said.

Allen offered some statistics from the 2002 Census count, noting that only 68 percent of census records were returned.

She said this coming census will be even easier, as there are only 10 questions to answer. Ten questions, 10 minutes, she noted.

“It’s safe, easy, important,” she said. Allen said a concern many United States citizens have with the census is privacy.

She said census workers are bound to protect that and can be punished if they divulge any of the information they receive.

“The statistics determine federal money that is available, some $300 to 400 billion, over the next 10 years,” she said. “It is based on the count.”

Commissioner Darrell Sparks grinned and said, “A couple billion would be alright.”

The census deadline is April 1. Allen noted the forms would be mailed out in mid-March and are pre-paid for postage return.

“We want everyone to be counted. We’ll be visiting principals at the schools and meeting with superintendents.”

She also noted that census forms will only be mailed to actual physical addresses, so households that have a post office box will not be included in the census mail.

“They won’t come to post office boxes. We need to get the word out,” she said. Also, students in college will only be counted at college, not at their parent’s address.

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