WPCNR PEOPLE TO PEOPLE. From Don Hughes. (Edited) April 1,2010: WPCNR is pleased to welcome back Don Hughes, who sends along this reminder. WPCNR also reminds residents of the White Plains metro area, it is important that downtown residents particularly return census forms because of the new influx of population into the new apartments (8 new complexes by WPCNR) that have increased White Plains by at least 4,000 persons since 2000. You need to be counted so White Plains can receive its maximum Community Development Funds, Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel reminds you.
April 1st is census day. If you have not returned your census form,
please do so. If you have not received a form, call (914) 705-5290
to request one, and to insure that your address has not been
overlooked.
The Census Bureau must get a census form to – and a completed form
back from – every residence in the United States. That´s more than
130 million addresses. From April to July 2010, the Census Bureau
will knock on the door of every household that does not mail back a
completed 2010 Census form. It will cost about $25 of your tax money
for each household that they have to visit.
Census information determines the number of seats New York occupies
in the U.S. House of Representatives, the amount of money that White
Plains receives from Albany and Washington, and an accurate count of
the U.S. population forms the basis for many other important, but
often overlooked political, economic, and social decisions that
affect our daily lives.
Census information is protected by Title 13 of the U.S. Code. None
of your personal information can be accessed by any government agency
or court for any purpose. Period. The information is not subject to
Freedom of Information requests, and cannot by obtained by court
order. Census workers cannot pass on any information that they obtain
about any person or activity that they observe to anyone for any
reason. If they do, they will be fined and imprisioned.
Many of us received an e-mail about the 2010 Census, which falsely
claimed to be from the Better Business Bureau. It was inaccurate,
and the Census Bureau, in partnership with the BBB, is advising the
public to get the facts.
Following are the questions that appear on the form and the reasons
for asking them. It was taken directly from the United States
Census 2010 website.
How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or
mobile home on April 1, 2010?
We ask this question to help get an accurate count of the number of
people in the household on Census Day, April 1, 2010. The answer
should be based on the guidelines in the ‘Start here’ section. We use
the information to ensure response accuracy and completeness and to
contact respondents whose forms have incomplete or missing
information.
Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you
did not include in Question 1?
Asked since 1880. We ask this question to help identify people who
may have been excluded in the count provided in Question 1. We use
the information to ensure response accuracy and completeness and to
contact respondents whose forms have incomplete or missing
information.
Is this house, apartment, or mobile home: owned with mortgage, owned
without mortgage, rented, occupied without rent?
Asked since 1890. Homeownership rates serve as an indicator of the
nation’s economy. The data are also used to administer housing
programs and to inform planning decisions.
What is your telephone number?
We ask for a phone number in case we need to contact a respondent
when a form is returned with incomplete or missing information.
Please provide information for each person living here. Start with a
person here who owns or rents this house, apartment, or mobile home.
If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult
living here. This will be Person 1. What is Person 1’s name?
Listing the name of each person in the household helps the respondent
to include all members, particularly in large households where a
respondent may forget who was counted and who was not. Also, names
are needed if additional information about an individual must be
obtained to complete the census form. Federal law protects the
confidentiality of personal information, including names.
What is Person 1’s sex?
Asked since 1790. Census data about sex are important because many
federal programs must differentiate between males and females for
funding, implementing and evaluating their programs. For instance,
laws promoting equal employment opportunity for women require census
data on sex. Also, sociologists, economists, and other researchers
who analyze social and economic trends use the data.
What is Person 1’s age and Date of Birth?
Asked since 1800. Federal, state, and local governments need data
about age to interpret most social and economic characteristics, such
as forecasting the number of people eligible for Social Security or
Medicare benefits. The data are widely used in planning and
evaluating government programs and policies that provide funds or
services for children, working-age adults, women of childbearing age,
or the older population.
Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?
Asked since 1970. The data collected in this question are needed by
federal agencies to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination
provisions, such as under the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights
Act. State and local governments may use the data to help plan and
administer bilingual programs for people of Hispanic origin.
What is Person 1’s race?
Asked since 1790. Race is key to implementing many federal laws and
is needed to monitor compliance with the Voting Rights Act and the
Civil Rights Act. State governments use the data to determine
congressional, state and local voting districts. Race data are also
used to assess fairness of employment practices, to monitor racial
disparities in characteristics such as health and education and to
plan and obtain funds for public services.
Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?
This is another question we ask in order to ensure response accuracy
and completeness and to contact respondents whose forms have
incomplete or missing information.
