Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Mamaroneck) joined with community groups and 2010 Census volunteers to encourage all residents to mail back their 2010 Census forms. Marching to the mail box from the Port Chester Public Library, Senator Oppenheimer urged rally participants to fill out and mail in their 2010 Census forms promptly.
“It only takes ten minutes your time to help our communities obtain their fair share of federal funding for schools, health care, transportation and a host of other vital services,” said the Senator. “Census information is completely confidential and may not be used for other purposes or shared with other government agencies.”
The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the United States Constitution. The amount of money available in federal and state aid to local communities depends, in large part, on information that comes from the Census.
“Census data is used to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to states and local communities each year. Completing the Census questionnaire and mailing it back helps to ensure that our communities will have the resources they need for infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges and tunnels, as well as schools, hospitals, and senior centers. These projects enhance our quality of life and create jobs for Westchester residents.”
New York State currently lags behind national response rates for the Census. Residents can keep track their community’s specific response rate by logging onto the 2010 Census website at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/.
“New York stands to lose $3,000 per person, per year in federal funding for every individual who does not complete and mail back a census questionnaire,” observed Senator Oppenheimer. “Over the course of the decade, this represents millions of dollars in lost state and federal resources for our local communities. So please mail back your completed census form and tell your friends and neighbors to do so too.”