I received my letter from the U.S. Census Bureau yesterday. They were letting me know that I will be receiving my 2010 Census form in the mail in about a week. I’m sure most people aren’t as excited by this as I am (it’s the first one since I bought my home) but I want to encourage everybody to take the time to fill it out.
I can’t stress enough how important the Census is. The results are used to make sure our community gets its fair share of government funds for highways, schools, health facilities, and much more. And while they don’t mention them explicitly, this would also include sidewalks which we’ve fought so hard for.
From the 2010 Census Site:
- The census helps paint a portrait of America by showing how the country evolved over the past 10 years and what America needs for the next 10 years.
- The 2010 Census is more than just a population count. It’s about the future and well-being of our community and country.
- Census data are used to reapportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and for the subsequent redistricting of state and local governments.
- Census data help to determine how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to tribal, state and local governments for important social services that affect local communities like ours.
- Census data can help fund services for people in poverty, establish facilities for people with disabilities, determine locations for hospitals and senior centers, and forecast transportation needs, such as new roads and public transit options.
Oh, and for those interested… In 2000, a large portion of Pinehurst had a 72% mail participation rate which was on par with the state and national levels. Though north of 125th was higher with 78% and south of 115th was as high as 80%. Hopefully we can beat all those numbers this year. They have a fun interactive map available on the 2010 Census site.
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