Sometime next month, every U.S. household will find a census form in its mailbox. Its arrival shouldn’t be a surprise. Federal law requires such an accounting every 10 years. Besides, the U.S. Census Bureau is in the midst of an aggressive media campaign to remind the nation’s residents that the time to be counted is nigh.
Residents should heed that reminder — and participate willingly in the decennial undertaking. Participation costs nothing and is, by law, confidential. Moreover, it provides information vital to the operation of government at the federal, state and local level. This year, in fact, it will be easier than ever to take part in the Census. The form contains only 10 short questions. Completing and returning it in the envelope provided should take only a few minutes.
The investment of those few minutes can provide a significant return. Obtaining an accurate count of the numbers of people who reside in the United States and pinpointing where they are located aids the federal government in two ways. It helps federal officials more equitably disburse more than $400 billion in federal funds every year. The numbers also are used to draw new congressional and state legislative district lines.
Range of services
Population and location data is used by the government to dispense funds for schools, public transportation infrastructure, elderly programs emergency food and shelter and a host of other programs. The same figures are used by local and state governments to develop land-use policies and to plan for a broad of array of public services that range from medical facilities to fire and police protection. An undercount in the Census, then, can result in a state not receiving its fair share of federal dollars. The amount of money involved is larger than many might suspect. One expert puts the sum at about $900 per year for each person counted.