Census, not senseless
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
By Ronnie Marley
EP Staff Reporter
The 2010 census forms will be mailed to more than 130 million addresses across the United States beginning in March of 2010, and census officials are looking to hire employees to help count the forms when they are returned.
"The census is the actual count of residents who live in the United States," said Charlotte McBride, with the Midland-Odessa census office. The census will cover everyone from citizens living in typical living situations to foreign citizens living in the United States.
"But if we don't receive a good count, then we're going to be short-changed, and in 2011, there will be over $400 billion in funding available for states," McBride said.
"Everyone will get a census form. The census goes to the household. A lot of people think we're sending the form to the individual in the household, we're not. It is actually going to the structure," McBride said.
"Everyone should receive a little postcard telling them to be on the lookout. It's going to be in your mailbox pretty soon. Around March 15, everyone should receive their questionnaire by then," McBride said.
The count will include students who live in college dorms as well as all the correctional facilities, jails, nursing homes, the homeless and some hospitals across the 25 counties that the Midland-Odessa local census office covers.
The area includes the West Texas area all the way to Lubbock, south to Terrell County, west to Reeves County and east toward Howard County, McBride said.
The questionnaire, which has only 10 questions, will be available in both English and Spanish, and is the shortest ever in census history, according to McBride. The questionnaire includes questions about oneself and any dependents/family members living a household.
"We store the questionnaires under lock and vault for 70 years. On the 70th year, they are released. And what happens is you'll be surprised as to how many people actually use census, call census or get online to request information to get birth certificates, VISAs or passports," McBride said.
EP Staff Reporter
The 2010 census forms will be mailed to more than 130 million addresses across the United States beginning in March of 2010, and census officials are looking to hire employees to help count the forms when they are returned.
"The census is the actual count of residents who live in the United States," said Charlotte McBride, with the Midland-Odessa census office. The census will cover everyone from citizens living in typical living situations to foreign citizens living in the United States.
"But if we don't receive a good count, then we're going to be short-changed, and in 2011, there will be over $400 billion in funding available for states," McBride said.
"Everyone will get a census form. The census goes to the household. A lot of people think we're sending the form to the individual in the household, we're not. It is actually going to the structure," McBride said.
"Everyone should receive a little postcard telling them to be on the lookout. It's going to be in your mailbox pretty soon. Around March 15, everyone should receive their questionnaire by then," McBride said.
The count will include students who live in college dorms as well as all the correctional facilities, jails, nursing homes, the homeless and some hospitals across the 25 counties that the Midland-Odessa local census office covers.
The area includes the West Texas area all the way to Lubbock, south to Terrell County, west to Reeves County and east toward Howard County, McBride said.
The questionnaire, which has only 10 questions, will be available in both English and Spanish, and is the shortest ever in census history, according to McBride. The questionnaire includes questions about oneself and any dependents/family members living a household.
"We store the questionnaires under lock and vault for 70 years. On the 70th year, they are released. And what happens is you'll be surprised as to how many people actually use census, call census or get online to request information to get birth certificates, VISAs or passports," McBride said.
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