celebratingour 2 0 thyear - The Parklander Magazine

COMMUNITY NEWSTop Five Reasons To FillOut Your Census FormBy Parkland’s Mayor Michael UdineNow that most people in Parkland have receivedtheir 2010 Census form in the mail, it is time tofill it out and send it back. As of April 1, 2010 (Census Day), the City ofParkland had one of the highest participation rates in Broward County.However, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 10 percent ofU.S. residents said they weren’t sure if they would fill out their census form.According to the poll, the main reason respondents gave for not returning theform was that they saw little personal gain from answering the questionnaire.They also expressed uncertainty as to whether the government was asking formore information than it really needed, and many said they weren’t confidentthat census information would be kept confidential. Others simply said theydid not have the time to fill it out.There are some myths floating around that the census is inconvenient orunsafe, but the opposite is true.The census is completely confidential and takesjust 10 minutes to fill out 10 basic questions. The information obtained fromthe census forms is vital because governments use the data to determine whereto allocate hundreds of billions of dollars in funding. According to a recentBrookings Institution study, an accurate census count can increase the flow offederal money to states and localities from more than 200 governmentprograms, including healthcare for the poor, highways, public safety,transportation and schools.It is especially significant this year because the various economic stimulusprograms will pump even more money into states and communities based oncensus results, boosting the total to be distributed from $400 billion to morethan $500 billion. It will be important that Parkland gets its share.The loss in funding for government services for just one uncounted person inBroward County was estimated at $1,300 by the 2000 Census MonitoringBoard. Almost 20,000 Broward County residents were uncounted in 2000,resulting in an estimated loss in funding of $26 million.To help dispel some myths surrounding the census, here are five reasons whyeveryone should participate:1) It’s safe. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents’ answerswith anyone, including the IRS, FBI, CIA, INS or any other governmentagency. All Census Bureau employees are sworn for life to protect theconfidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of upto $250,000 and/or five years in prison.2) It’s easy. The mail-in census form has only 10 questions and should takeabout 10 minutes to answer. Those who don’t return the form will be visitedby a census taker. Avoid the hassle and fill out the form.3) It helps you and your community. The information the census collectshelps determine how more than $500 billion dollars of annual federalfunding will be spent on services that benefit the public including hospitals,job training centers, schools, bridges and roads.4) It saves tax money. For every 1 percent increase in mail response, thegovernment, and ultimately taxpayers, save $80 to $90 million. In the longrun, that could amount to $1.5 billion.5) It helps your voice be heard. Census data are also used to determinerepresentation in the federal and state legislatures. Under-counting leads tounder-representation.As always, I value your questions or comments. Reach out and “friend me”if you want to follow me on Facebook or look me up on Twitter(www.twitter.com/michaeludine) if you want to follow my updates. As always, ifyou have any questions or concerns, e-mail me at MUdine@cityofparkland.org.the PARKLANDER9