The Census Is Coming - April 1, 2010

 Ten Minutes Every Ten Years

The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years. Census forms will be mailed to every household in March 2010 and Census Day is April 1, 2010. In Broward County, more than 800,000 housing units will receive the Census! The brief questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete, and asks for the name, gender, age, race, ethnicity and relationship to the householder, and whether the householder owns or rents their home. You should fill out your census form wherever you are on the day you receive it, regardless of where you live at other times of the year.

 It’s Safe to Complete the Census

Don’t be afraid to be counted, even if you are not a documented resident. Census forms are completely confidential for 72 years and cannot be shared with anyone, including welfare and immigration agencies. No court of law, not even the President of the United States, can access your individual responses. Census workers are highly motivated to protect your answers – they are subject to a $250,000 fine and/or a five-year prison term for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.

 Census Results Determine Funding for Community Projects

Governments use census data to allocate billions of dollars in funding for education, public safety, housing, roads and bridges, human services and community services. Community organizations use it to develop social service programs for seniors and children, and businesses use it to identify where to locate factories, shopping centers, movie theaters, banks and offices – activities that lead to new jobs! The loss in funding for government services for just one uncounted person in Broward County was estimated at $1,300 by the 2000 Census Monitoring Board. An undercounting of 1,000 residents could mean a loss in funding for Broward County of $1.3 million or more!

 Population Determines Representation

Census data is also used to determine representation in the federal and state legislatures. Undercounting results in under-representation.

Broward County Official Census Web Site

Commissioner Ilene Lieberman

Commissioner Ilene Lieberman has been appointed by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners to serve as Chair of the Census 2010 Complete Count Committee. The mission of this Committee is “to guarantee a fair allocation of federal funding for important local community efforts and maintain accurate legislative representation by ensuring every Broward County resident is counted in the 2010 Census.” Participation of a broad base of community organizations is essential to achieving this goal of an accurate Census count. If your organization would like to help, please e-mail census2010@broward.org for more information. More…