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2010 census plans begin

Posted Monday, November 17, 2008

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Preparations for the 2010 U.S. Census are already beginning, to make certain that every resident of Brazoria County is counted, Ida Love, partnership specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau, told Commissioners Court.

This census will determine the distribution of $300 billion annually of government funding for critical community services and will generate thousands of jobs across the country, she said.

In addition, data from the census guides local decision-makers in community planning. This includes everything from the need for new schools to data for locating supermarkets, shopping centers, housing, and other facilities.

It also provides information vital to decisions about various services, such as community development block grants, and helps in estimating both potential volunteers and the number of residents who need services, as well as providing help in writing grant proposals.

Pointing out that the 2010 Census will ask only a few questions of each person – name, relationship, gender, age and date of birth, race, and whether the respondent owns or rents his or her home.

In the last census, one in six households received a long questionnaire asking for detailed information, but the 2010 questionnaire is "simple and fast to complete and return," Love said.

She asked that Commissioners Court appoint "a team of community leaders to develop and implement a 2010 Census Awareness campaign," which will be responsible for influencing all residents of the county to complete the 2010 Census questionnaire in a timely, accurate manner.

"Although the census forms will not be delivered to households until mid March of 2010, the awareness campaign must start today," she said.

The Complete Count Committee (CCC) will ensure that local residents are kept abreast of the various census operations before the information is nationally circulated.

"The more informed residents are about the 2010 Census operations, the better understanding of the census process becomes, thus increasing their willingness to be a part of the successful enumeration, Love said.

During 2009, CCC members will participate in training, meet to report on tasks and subcommittee activities, and inform the public about the coming census and encourage their participation.

The committee's activities will increase in the first two months of 2010, in preparation for the March countdown to Census Day on April 1.

Recruitment for local jobs for early census operations will begin this year. In the spring of 2009, census employees will go door-to-door to update the national address list.

Recruitment for census takers is scheduled for the fall of 2009. Census forms will be mailed or delivered to households in February and March of 2010.

From April through July of 2010, census takers will visit households that did not return a questionnaire by mail.

The population counts will be delivered to the President for apportionment in December of 2010; and in March of 2011, the Census Bureau will complete delivery of redistricting data to states.

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