The U. S. Constitution requires that every ten years a count be taken of every single person, citizen and non-citizen, living in the United States. The first Census count was taken in 1790. Though the population has grown and the method has changed, 220 years later the goal remains the same: to gain a clear picture of just who lives in our country.

Preparations have long been underway for the Census 2010. Starting in March, Census questionnaires will be mailed to residents across the country, including here in Arkansas. This year, the Census questionnaire is shorter than ever - just ten basic questions to be sent back in the provided postage-paid envelope. “It’s going to take ten minutes to answer ten questions and the information will be good for ten years,”said Lou Anderson, Director of U. S. Census Operations in Arkansas.

In the past, the process has been met with resistance by some residents who, for various reasons, do not participate. Some say they do not have time to send back their forms (past questionnaires have been lengthy). Others have told Census takers the questions are too invasive, or they withhold information as a way to boycott the government. The fact remains, when people in our communities do not take part in the Census everyone loses.

The government uses Census data to determine how much representation each state receives in Congress. Representation in the state legislature is also reapportioned based on information from the Census. In addition, the U. S. government uses Census population numbers to distribute more than $400 billion in federal money to states, counties and cities.

“It’s absolutely critical.We have to count everybody once and in the right place. There’s an untold number of people who don’t get counted, and when we apply for federal money and it’s based on population, if we don’t have accurate counts we don’t get as much as we should get,” said Anderson.

This is money used for vital community services, like hospitals, schools, emergency services and senior centers. It is estimated that states and communities are eligible for $1,400 in federal funding per person, per year.

In 2000, an estimated 1.3% of Arkansans, or 34,000 people, did not participate in the Census process. That means the state missed out on $476 million in potential federal funding over the course of the decade!

Some non-documented residents worry their participation in the Census process could have legal repercussions. That is not the case. All information gathered is kept confidential and it is against federal law for the data to be shared with any other government agency.

This spring, as you go to your mailbox and find the Census 2010 questionnaire, I urge you to take a few minutes to fill it out and return it. Your friends, neighbors and fellow Arkansans are counting on you to be counted, Anderson emphaszed.

News, Pages 7 on 02/10/2010