Why the 2010 Census Is So Important For Poor People

Most Americans will be getting 2010 U.S. Census forms in their mailboxes this week. You've likely seen information pamphlets lying around the post office or the DMV, or maybe you caught the Census commericial during the Super Bowl or you've seen that ridiculous NASCAR stock car plastered in Census advertisements. In any case, the government is doing whatever it can to get the word out about the demographic count that's been held every 10 years since it was included in the Constitution. Not excited? It isn't really all that interesting -- unless you're part of a low-income or minority community.

Census workers attempt to count every American, but they can't do it without the willing participation of each citizen. The mail participation rate was just 72 percent in 2000 (see your area's participation here). According to information from the NAACP, Latinos, African-Americans, Native Americans, low-income people and the homeless are at the greatest risk of being missed. These populations are especially underrepresented, meaning that funding determined by inaccurate Census data is forced to cover more people than it was meant for.

The good news is that shelters, soup kitchens and other service providers will be counted through a "service based enumeration operation." This is like a Census outreach effort, one that aims to account for as many low-income and homeless people as possible. The government also takes into consideration those who are college students, serving in the military or otherwise without a permanent residential address. Clearly, these are good indications of the Census Bureau's efforts to take a "snapshot of America." As Americans, we must also do our part.

The data gathered is used by the government to determine important things such as political representation and federal funding. Private and public institutions also refer to Census data to determine where to invest. Of course, if you don't have much use for public schools, head start programs, senior centers or more political input, the 2010 Census may not have dramatic effects on your situation. However, there are plenty of us out there who have seen much-needed funding for public services vaporizing. This is why filling out the Census is so important!

I know that despite the Census being only 10 questions long, despite the fact that it's being mailed out to homes and community locations (including Census assistance centers), and despite the fact that the census is available in five languages, there will inevitably be people who just won't make the effort to fill it out. I suppose people who don't think they have time for the Census's "10 questions in 10 minutes" don't think they have time to read up on the NAACP's Yes We Count 2010 Census Campaign for statistics, facts and information about how the Census affects them, but they should make time.

It's important to remember that this small form can have a big impact on your community. These questionnaires can make the difference between having enough delegates in the House of Representatives to pass a bill or squash it. The federal government allocates more than $400 billion dollars a year (over $4 trillion a decade) based on the Census -- so if you aren't being counted, you aren't getting your fair share for hospitals, schools or bridges.

The 2010 Census is especially crucial to low-income and minority populations across America. Between the recession, the bailout and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have been suffering cuts and losses for the last 10 years. To have the funding and political influence we need, everyone has to take 10 minutes to mail in his or her family's form. Demographics have changed drastically, and the 2010 Census is our opportunity to tip the scales in our favor.

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