Census Forms Arrive In The Mail This Week

By Editor | March 17, 2010 |

Average cost per person for the Census since 1790.

Estimated Cost Is $48 Per Person

By Jack Gurner
Reporter

One little, two little, three little Water Valley citizens,
Four little, five little, six little Coffeeville citizens,
Seven little, eight little, nine little Oakland citizens,
Ten little Yalobushians counted.

Census forms are beginning to arrive in Yalobusha County mailboxes this week as the U. S. Census Bureau begins its decennial headcount of America.

The 2010 form is the shortest in modern history with only ten questions and local officials are hoping for a better response than in 2000.

The Yalobusha County mail participation rate in the 2000 Census was less than the 66 percent average for the state. Figures from the Census Bureau show that Coffeeville had the highest rate of 62 percent while Water Valley had 57 percent and Oakland 56 percent.

The Yalobusha County Complete Count Committee (YCCCC) is kicking off their “It’s In Our Hands” Census drive at the Circuit Clerk’s offices in the courthouses in Water Valley and Coffeeville.

The drive will begin Monday, March 22 and continue through Friday, March 26, with free T-shirts, hats and other items, according to Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney, YCCCC chairman.

The YCCCC was organized to help promote Census awareness in the community and to provide information to the citizens of the county of the importance of completing the Census forms. The group is one of 200,000 organizations and companies that have partnered with the Census Bureau to promote Census 2010.

At stake is about $400 billion in federal funds that will be distributed to communities as well as the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

It costs the government 42 cents for a postage paid envelope when a household mails back the form. It costs the Census Bureau $57 to send a census taker door-to-door to follow up with each household that fails to respond. In 2000, the nation reversed a three-decade decline in mail rates, achieving a participation rate of 72 percent.

“Every one percent improvement in the 2010 rate is expected to save taxpayers about $85 million,” said Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves.

The cost of the 2010 Census is $15 billion and rising. That’s $48 for every person counted. Compare that with the $16 per person it cost in 2000 (about $20 adjusted for inflation) and about a penny per in 1790 (24 cents after 220 years of inflation).

Two years ago federal auditors designated the 2010 Census as a “high-risk area” of federal spending because of poor management of purchases and inaccurate costs estimates by the Census Bureau.

Adding to that expense, according to a report by The Kansas City Star, are 28 million Census mailings that bureau officials and the U.S. Postal Service have agreed will simply be thrown away.

Just last week the Census Bureau send out 120 million letters just to tell citizens to be on the lookout this week for the Census forms. Even at the lowest rate for pre-sorted first class mail, the postage costs alone run over $40 million.

Census officials have said that their total outreach program, including $140 million for advertising, will cost $340 million.

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The ten-question Census 2010 form should taken the average household ten minutes to fill out, according to officials. But, the ten questions are just for the first person. There are seven more questions for each additional person, up to 12 people on one form.

1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment or mobile home on April 1, 2010?

2. Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1?

Children, such as newborn babies or foster children
Relatives, such as adult children, cousins, or in-laws
Nonrelatives, such as roommates or live-in baby sitters
People staying here temporarily
No additional people

3. Is this house, apartment or mobile home –

Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?
Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
Rented?
Occupied without payment of rent?

4. What is your telephone number?

Please provide information for each person living here. Start with a person living here who owns or rents this house, apartment, or mobile home. If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult living here.

5. What is Person 1’s name?

6. What is Person 1’s sex?

7. What is Person 1’s age and what is Person 1’s date of birth?

8. Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?

9. What is Person 1’s race?

10. Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?