2010 Census Kickoff: Why Are We Doing This Now?

Photo by Sharan London

This past Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Montgomery County kicked off the 2010 Census at a big rally in Rockville Town Square. Although I couldn’t go, Sharan London, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless and one of more than 150 members of the County’s Complete Count Committee, did attend. She was kind enough to snap some pictures for me. A highlight of the rally was the Beall Elementary School Chorus singing God Bless America for the crowd of elected officials, civic, business and community representatives.

Beall Chorus photo by Sharan London

Some of you might be wondering why so many people are making a fuss about the census when all we have to do is answer a survey on April 1, 2010. As we know, people are busy and might overlook the questionaire. Others may be afraid to answer the survey because they think the information will be shared with other government agencies. However, the census information is confidential and required by law. The Census Bureau cannot share responses with anyone including welfare, law enforcement, and immigration agencies. Montgomery County cares about the survey because the federal government allocates more than $400 billion to communities based in large part on its results. They need every single household to expect delivery of the survey and answer it in order to get an accurate count of residents. They also want to be sure to count all populations, including those experiencing homelessness. So they’ve kicked off the campaign now.

County Executive Ike Leggett said:

If we fail to count all of our residents, we could lose millions of dollars in funding for important County programs and services. Those least likely to respond may have the most to lose.

Take a moment to visit the brand new 2010 Census website. An interactive picture answers questions. It’s not your usual government website. I started to follow the 2010 Census on Twitter! As we know, I signed Rockville Central up as a Census Media Partner, so you’ll be hearing much more in the coming months.

If you need a job, they are starting to accept applications NOW for temporary census taker positions. These positions pay fairly well and could be perfect for someone wanting to do something different and earn a salary.

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