Save your tax dollars for more important costs—fill out the 2010 Census

As Count Centre County approaches its half way point to its 2010 Census campaign, it occurred to us that people aren’t taking the 2010 Census seriously. This motivated me to think more abstractly about census facts.

Since the U.S. Census is federally mandated and mentioned in the constitution (as well as part of the Department of Commerce”) I realized that my tax dollars will go towards paying U.S. census workers. I thought about the cost benefit analysis of the 2010 Census and realized that we have the power to save our tax dollars.

Many people don’t realize that their tax dollars will be used to pay employees to go from house to house to every single residence that did not return the census form. In Centre County, Census Takers are paid $11.75 per hour to go door to door after people neglect to fill out the census. However, we can do something to help minimize cost so our tax dollars can be used towards necessary funds (i.e. schools, roads, hospitals, etc.) All you have to do is fill out the census form and return it by April 1. It doesn’t cost anything to return the census on time.

In addition, many people would like to have a better say in where their personal tax dollars are allocated. As a result of the 2000 Census, Pennsylvania lost two House of Representatives in Congress. This will allow Pennsylvania to be a more powerful state in presidential elections, as well as bring better representation to the state.

To sum this up, your tax dollars are being used to pay census works. It costs nothing to send your census form back, but if you don’t that’s 10-20 minutes of a Census Taker’s salary you are paying with your tax dollars. In addition, you will have more control over where your money is allocated if you fill out the census because it could bring more congressional representation to Pennsylvania. So, don’t forget to participate in the 2010 Census and tell all of your friends. You have the power to make the change and save tax dollars. What’s your choice?

It’s a Community Thing…

Our team works very hard on the census and informing students about the importance of filling it out, but in reality, students are just a very small population of the entire Centre County region. Another thing is that it is important to get to know your audience before you can effectively reach your audience. As many of you may or may not know, our primary target market is college students, but our secondary market is low income rural residence.

Today, four of us had the eye opening experience of volunteering at the State College Area Food Bank. As we toured the facility, we learned many heart wrenching facts about the increasing numbers of residence and the harsh realities of poverty. Each year, clients are allocated eight visits to the food bank. If you’re doing the math like we were, that’s approximately once every six weeks.

The Volunteer Coordinator was kind enough to give us a tour and describe the process to us. After she was finished, it was time for us to get hands on. We wanted to interact with the clients and let them know the importance of filling out the census form. We emphasized that filling out the form can directly benefit the food bank and give them more money to operate.

At the launch of our campaign, we decided that the census is about a community coming together to work towards a common goal. No matter how big, small, rich or poor someone is, everyone counts in the census and everyone deserves the benefits. It’s experiences like today that can take you out of your world and back to reality.

Count Centre County