Indianapolis Star article available at http://www.indystar.com/article/20100111/LOCAL/100111027/Ballard-event-to-kick-off-2010-Census-effort
Local Officials:
As I have been promoting in various speeches, presentations, and written communication since mid-June, the 2010 U.S. Census is fast approaching. The 2010 U.S. Census means business – dollars to your community from the state and federal government; representation in Congress and the Indiana General Assembly; and ensuring economic developers and others know just what your community is like. I need you, as a local official, to promote the 2010 U.S. Census in your community to accomplish our mission of ensuring every Hoosier is counted!
The Census counts all people living in the United States – whether citizen or non-citizen, legal or undocumented, homeless or housed. The U.S. Census happens once every 10 years and is required by the U.S. Constitution. It is important that every Hoosier household complete the Census form. The information collected from the Census is used to assist government leaders in making major decisions, such as the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and Indiana General Assembly; and to help distribute $300-$400 billion in federal funds back to state and local governments each year.
Participation in the U.S. Census is required by law. The information provided to the Census is absolutely confidential.
The U.S. Census forms will be mailed in February – March 2010 and must be completed and returned by Census Day – April 1, 2010. From May to July 2010, Census workers will follow up with visits to every address from which they received no response by Census Day. In December 2010, the Census Bureau delivers population counts to the President of the United States for apportionment.
I need your help to promote the 2010 U.S. Census among the residents in your communities. Again, making sure every Hoosier is counted is our mission. Here are some ways that you, as a local official, can promote the 2010 U.S. Census:
- Make use of the attached handouts. Post or make the handouts available in public, high-traffic areas of your agency or public office, so the handouts can be accessed or viewed by members of the general public. (Available from previous post).
- Add a link from your office’s Web site to www.census.indiana.edu.
- Use your office’s “on hold” recording to inform callers about the 2010 U.S. Census.
- Insert 2010 U.S. Census information, which is available at www.census.indiana.edu, in publications, newsletters, presentations, speeches, and mailings.
- Talk to your employees! Make sure they are reminded to fill out the form as April 1, 2010 approaches.
Very Respectfully,
TIMOTHY J. RUSHENBERG
Commissioner
Indiana Department of Local Government Finance
100 North Senate Avenue, IGC-N 1058B
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-232-3777
Fax: 317-232-8779
Taxpayer First. Local Control. Excellence.
Make use of the handouts and information available from the links below to promote the 2010 U.S. Census:
“50 Ways We Rely on the Census” Fact Sheet - 090901- 50 Census Facts
Census Fact Sheet for Elected Officials
Census Talking Points for local government are now available for download.
The following is a message from Gail Krmenec, Assistant Regional Census Manager:
I wanted to make sure you are aware of the Census Bureau’s New Construction Program. New Construction provides local governments the opportunity to provide us new housing units with city-style mailing addresses that may have been constructed after the time we conducted our Address Canvassing field verification operation in the Spring of 2009. Our goal is to ensure that our address list is as complete and accurate as possible by Census Day, April 1, 2010. (Note: the Address Canvassing operation included valid LUCA-provided address updates. If your government participated, you will be provided LUCA Feedback products in the very near future.)
Important points about the New Construction Program.
- The New Construction program is offered only to local jurisdictions that contain census blocks where the Census Bureau plans to mail questionnaires to the housing units. In other areas, the Census Bureau will have enumerators hand deliver questionnaires to all housing units in each block and record addresses for any new housing units.
- Addresses must have basic construction (closing the structure to the elements) completed by Census Day.
- Each invited government designates a New Construction liaison to submit the New Construction addresses for their jurisdiction. The Census Bureau will send the New Construction materials to the designated liaison.
- The New Construction liaison must submit a list of city-style addresses, assigned to the census blocks within its jurisdiction in the Census Bureau’s predefined electronic format. The maps or spatial data provided with the products are for reference use only: to assign Census tract and block codes (geocoding) for each submitted address. No street or boundary updates will be accepted. Address lists submitted without geocoding information will not be accepted.
The deadline for registration is October 8, 2009. The New Construction invitation was recently mailed to the Highest Elected Official of all eligible governments. Additionally, all governments with a designated LUCA liaison received a copy of the invitation letter and a second registration form as a courtesy copy (only one registration form need be returned).
If you are unsure of whether your government was invited to participate, you may want to first contact your Highest Elected Official. Otherwise, please do not hesitate to contact the Regional Census Center Geography staff at chicago.geography@census.gov or at (312) 454-5600 to determine your government’s eligibility.
Letters of support from Governor Mitch Daniels and Mark Everson.
Here is a fact sheet for elected officials about Census 2010.
Access additional promotional materials from the Census Bureau.
