In a year when candidates left, right and from other points are asking you to stand up and be counted with your vote, there is another very important process going on this year.
Every 10 years, the nation’s head count — and the numbers and information go way beyond just how many people live where they live — lets us know how many neighbors we have.
Americans nationwide will begin receiving forms to fill out for the 2020 Census in mid-March.
Why does the census matter? So many things are determined on the number of people who live in a certain area — government grants for schools and roads and bridges, the number of people who represent you at the state and national levels. For a community to be accurately and appropriately represented in the halls of government, a correct tabulation of the population is needed.
There is more than $675 billion paid to state and local governments each year from the federal government. Census results play a part in how that money gets spent.
For what it’s worth, the Census Bureau puts our nation’s population at more than 329 million.
As the Census Bureau states, yes, you are legally obligated to answer the American Community Survey. The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and is mandated by law as well. According to United States Code, Title 13 (Census), Chapter 7 (Offenses and Penalties), persons over 18 can be subject to a $100 fine for refusal to answer all or part of the census.
But there really is no reason to not cooperate. In fact it is a patriotic duty to fill out the form and be proud to do so.
In less than three weeks, forms will be mailed out across the country. Responses can be done by mail, over the phone and, now with the growth of the Internet, online.
The census and its field workers won’t ask for your Social Security number. They won’t ask you anything on behalf of a political party.
The census has been taken every 10 years since 1790 and has provided a wealth of information that has benefited the nation in numerous ways.
Census information is also useful to business owners, teachers, and many others to provide daily services.
The funding based on the census goes to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.
Besides filling out the form and mailing it back, you can also provide the information by phone or online. The bureau will also send out census takers to count people who are experiencing homelessness.
But take the time to answer the questions — how money gets spent in the future and how lines of representation are drawn depend on it.