On March 1, the 2010 Census will begin. Short forms will arrive at your doorstep for the head of household to complete. These forms will be accompanied by a pre-paid envelope so that you mail them in at no personal cost. IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU PARTICIPATE BY MAILING YOUR SHORT FORM BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
This year MTO is participating as a partner in the 2010 Complete Committees for the Census. We’re encouraging everyone we meet to fill in their short form and return it. Why? Well, here are just a few reasons:
The 2010 Census will help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for things like:
- Hospitals
- Job training centers
- Schools
- Senior centers
- Bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects
- Emergency services
The data collected by the census also helps determine the number of seats your state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It is also important to note that the information you share on your short form is completely confidential. “In simple terms, this means NO IRS, NO IMMIGRATION, NO CIA, NO FBI, NO POLICE, NO WELFARE, NO COURT, NO HOMELAND SECURITY, NO FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES can access and identify any individual and the responses provided.
MTO will be conducting a raffle during the month of March. Every person who attends an MTO sponsored meeting and completes their census form will receive a ticket to win a prize! Look for your form in the mail to participate! For more information regarding the 2010 U.S. Census, contact www.census.gov.