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Thursday, June 04, 2009 5:46 PM Census counts, officials say By Matt Shaw | Times Staff Writer City and county officials, joined by faith, education and business leaders, began working Thursday to make sure every Wilson resident takes part in the federal 2010 Census. "Fifty thousand," Mayor Bruce Rose said to the 2010 Census Complete Count Committee. "I can't stress that enough, the city needs to be 50,000 residents." Both the city and county have a vested interest in having all their residents counted. As much as $300 billion in federal funds are distributed to local governments each year based on population, federal officials say. That means that every missed resident costs a local government $347 a year until the 2020 Census, said Akilah Ensley, a partnership specialist for the Census Bureau who is assisting 25 N.C. counties. "It's my personal goal to see that eastern North Carolina gets as much money as it's entitled to collect," she said during the meeting at Wilson City Hall. City officials suspect that Wilson has surpassed the 50,000 barrier. That would allow it more access to federal money. "Once you are 50,000 plus, the grants come easier," Rose said. The key message the committee wants to get out is for residents to fill out the census forms that nearly everyone will receive in the mail next spring. Every form will have only 10 questions, as opposed to previous censuses that also had "long forms." Census Day is April 1, 2010, so residence is established where people live on that date. That means Barton College students will be included in Wilson's numbers, as will any homeless people here that day.
But residents should be assured that responses are completely confidential, Ensley said. She cited examples of both the White House and the FBI trying unsuccessfully to access census information. Even if people are in the U.S. illegally, they need to be counted so that the federal, state and local governments know to plan services, she said. The committee plans to begin publicizing the 2010 Census during city and county events this fall. mshaw@wilsontimes.com | 265-7878 |
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Small towns said...
We could use this money to repair old water lines.
Saturday, June 06, 2009 at 10:10 PM
fill out the forms said...We could use this money to repair old water lines.
Saturday, June 06, 2009 at 10:10 PM
let's keep up with the money that is spent in our communities this next 10 years, in 2000 until now did all of our communities get their share
Friday, June 05, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Wilson is going to be so big!
Friday, June 05, 2009 at 5:22 PM
