Friday, March 19, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Census 2010
Yesterday was a big day in our house: the day our Census came. This is what I believe to be the biggest thing that Mike works toward in his job -- conducting an accurate Census. That is why we (I?) get so excited about promoting the Census.
It is a funny thing, really. Working for the Census Bureau for one year, more than 10 years ago, really impacted my life. So does having a husband that still works there.
The decennial census is a critical part of our national economy and directly affects state and local funding for the next decade. The results of the Census help direct funding for critical components of our society, including schools, hospitals, and emergency responders.
The data are also used by business to analyze potential markets, by organizations whose aim is to help those in need, and by legislators to redraw district lines for fair democratic representation. My company contracted with the Census Bureau to create a custom GIS application for 40,000 local entities to use in updating geography used for Census programs. We also bundle Census data with their corresponding geographic features.
Every person I know benefits from answering the Census every day of their lives. Funding for your local and interstate highways come as a result of the Census. Small businesses funding and programs are affected by the Census. Economic indicators are based on Census data. The list goes on and on.
And because of that, I am excited that we got to fill out our Census and return it! I've assembled a little slideshow below of my co-workers enthusiastically showing me their completed forms, of the yard sign we have in front of our house, and of us participating directly. I hope you enjoy it!
It is a funny thing, really. Working for the Census Bureau for one year, more than 10 years ago, really impacted my life. So does having a husband that still works there.
The decennial census is a critical part of our national economy and directly affects state and local funding for the next decade. The results of the Census help direct funding for critical components of our society, including schools, hospitals, and emergency responders.
The data are also used by business to analyze potential markets, by organizations whose aim is to help those in need, and by legislators to redraw district lines for fair democratic representation. My company contracted with the Census Bureau to create a custom GIS application for 40,000 local entities to use in updating geography used for Census programs. We also bundle Census data with their corresponding geographic features.
Every person I know benefits from answering the Census every day of their lives. Funding for your local and interstate highways come as a result of the Census. Small businesses funding and programs are affected by the Census. Economic indicators are based on Census data. The list goes on and on.
And because of that, I am excited that we got to fill out our Census and return it! I've assembled a little slideshow below of my co-workers enthusiastically showing me their completed forms, of the yard sign we have in front of our house, and of us participating directly. I hope you enjoy it!
One last thing: Your answers are held in the strictest privacy and fall under Title 13 of the United States Code. Title 13 protects your confidential information and maintains your individual privacy. Census survey data, containing responses like you are submitting for the 2010 Census, are held for 72 years before they are released to the public.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)