Census means $$$ for Globe

By: Dr. Thea Wilshire:  Globe City Council

It only takes a few minutes and could bring $12,000 per person into our community.  What is this cash cow?  It’s the 2010 Census!  In the midst of economic turmoil and deficits across our country, Globe is approaching an amazing opportunity.  The results of the 2010 census will be used to determine the distribution of funding and power to our community.  It is estimated that a community will get about $1200 a year for 10 years for each person identified as living in that city and, conversely, that missing even 100 people could cost a community $1.2million dollars.  We cannot afford to miss even one person during this opportunity!

While the original purpose of the census was for reapportionment, it has grown to be used as the basis for the distribution of over $400 billion in funds from 140 different federal programs and is used to to determine redistricting which can change political representation for a community.   This could specifically effect us in Globe by changing the political power distribution within Southern and Northern Gila County, through the determination of state and federal fund distribution, and by the determination of whether we are a low-to-moderate income community or a high income community.  Based on 2000 census data, Miami was determined to be low-mod and Globe was determined to be high income which means that Globe’s annual CBDG funds cannot be used for community-wide projects (like a library or pool) like low-mod communities can do.  We believe these numbers do not accurately reflect the current economic condition of our community, but we have to have the census numbers to accurately show the federal government that our community should be able to use CBDG funds for community-wide improvement projects.

While many people routinely participate in the census, we need to educate our family, friends and neighbors to try to get participation by those who might be missed.  Groups frequently missed include folks who move a lot, those who are unemployed, those who don’t know they should participate, undocumented family members, and the handicapped and elderly.  Locally, this could also include anyone with a post office box as census surveys are not delivered to P.O. boxes.   Undocumented people, homeless individuals, and prisoners also count toward census numbers.  Further, if you have a trailer in back of a house, the people living in the trailer need to be included in the total count for the front house.

Sometimes people are unsure what census data is used for and, consequently, are nervous to participate.  Please know that census data is not used for border partrol or police work, that census info is so carefully guarded that even the president and Secret Service cannot access individual info, and that your personal information is guarded for 72 years.

The census is fast approaching!  Here’s the timeline…  The census questionnaires will be delivered in March, 2010.  The actual Census Day is 4/1/10.  A person answers the census for the place where they are living on 4/1/10 (not where they pay taxes or where their driver’s license is from), so snowbirds staying in our community on that day will give Globe credit on census information.  The federal government will receive census data until 4/18/10.  The final counts will be delivered to the president on 12/30/10, then redistricting will occur in 2011.

While it costs the government 44 cents to mail census info, it costs over $40 a household for those census surveys not mailed back in because the census bureau has to send out a worker to the home to try to get the completed survey.

In these economically lean times, the 2010 census is an amazing opportunity.  It is imperative that we have an accurate representation of our community.  For residents of Globe, your completed census survey is a gift of power and money back to your community.