And mailing back the short form saves your tax dollars

By Congresswoman Virginia Foxx

The once-every-ten-years Census is now in full swing and many North Carolina households have already received their brief Census form in the mail. 

The Census is an important and constitutional part of our civic life as Americans.  In 2010 it is also easier and more non-intrusive to participate in than ever before. 

When America’s founders drafted our Constitution, they included a requirement that all Americans be counted.  This count, or census, ensures that each state is given a number of Representatives in the House that is roughly proportional to its population. 

The Census tally also helps the federal government create the detailed formulas for distributing funding in many federal programs.  All told, the Census information determines how more than $400 billion will be allocated to communities across the country each year.

With both the accuracy of our representation and the allocation of federal dollars at stake, it is more important than ever that North Carolinians take a proactive role in the 2010 Census. 

Participating in the Census is simple.  It involves filling out a short, ten question form that is arriving in the mail in March.  The questions are straightforward—asking simply about the number of people in your home and basic information like their age, gender and race. 

Once you’ve filled it out, drop it in the mail using the pre-paid envelope included with the short Census form.  It only takes ten minutes and once you’ve mailed it off you’re done for the next ten years.

Mailing the Census form back is more than just your opportunity to ensure North Carolina is given the right number of Representatives in Congress or its share of federal dollars.  Believe it or not, it also saves your tax payer dollars. 

If you forget to fill out the form and mail it back, the Census has a constitutional obligation to send a census taker to your home to ask you the same questions that are on the form.  This is far more expensive than processing the short form that you fill out and mail back.  In fact, the Census Bureau tells me that for every additional percentage of Americans who mail back the form, taxpayers save more than $85 million.

So when your Census form arrives in the coming days or weeks, please take a few minutes to fill out the ten short questions and mail it back.  It’ll save you time and, ultimately, money.

Of course, many people still have questions about the Census, such as, is my personal information safe? (Yes, it is. By law, no other government agency can access your Census information.) You can get answers to most of your questions at the Census website at www.2010census.gov.  You can also visit my YouTube page at www.youtube.com/repvirginiafoxx where I’ve posted my conversations with a Census expert about concerns you may have with this year’s Census.

If you would like to speak with someone at the Census you can also call the Census regional office in Charlotte at (704) 936-5330.

Participating in the Census is quick, easy and important.  So don’t let this opportunity for your voice to be heard to pass you by.  Take ten minutes to fill it out and mail it back.