The 2010 census is here! Please do your part by filling out and returning the 2010 census form as soon as you receive it. It only takes 10 minutes, and your information is kept confidential.
The census is a count of everyone living in the United States. The first census was taken in 1790, and has been taken every 10 years since as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. The decennial count is required to designate congressional districts, and to distribute Electoral College votes among the states. Congress uses the count to distribute more than $400 billion dollars each year in federal aid to state, local and tribal governments for things like new roads, schools, hospitals and services including job training centers, senior centers and emergency services. Spread the word about census participation and remind your neighbors, family and friends to make themselves count!
Participation in the census is required by law. The U.S. Census Bureau is working hard to make participation as easy and quick as possible. A simple questionnaire was mailed to every household in the Village in mid-March. Households that have not received a questionnaire should contact the local census office, located at 1208 W. Northwest Highway, Palatine, IL 60067, 847-221-1250, to receive one. The Village Hall (1900 Hassell Road) has a limited number of forms located at the front counter. Forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese. The Hoffman Estates Branch Library (1550 Hassell Road) also has a limited number of forms.
Residents who do not return their postage-paid form will get a reminder postcard to ensure compliance. If they still do not respond, the household will be visited by a census taker. Census forms are not available online; therefore, paper copies must be completed and mailed back. The U.S. Census Bureau suggests setting a goal to mail your form back by April 1.
Households who do not mail back their census forms will most likely receive a visit from a local census taker by early May. Census takers will stop by local homes several times to ensure resident information is captured. Visits can be scheduled, and they will leave contact information if you are away from home. The census taker will ask the same 10 questions that are on the mailed questionnaire form.
The questionnaire will ask 10 basic questions intended to clearly tally and categorize each person who lives in the household. Information including age, gender, race, country of origin and relationship to others in the household will need to be provided for every person in the home, including children. In past years, individuals were asked to complete a longer form; however, the newly introduced American Community Survey, which surveys a sample of residents annually about household income, employment and other demographic information, has removed the need to ask an extensive list of questions for the decennial census. A sample questionnaire form and other census information can be viewed on the 2010 census Web site at www.2010.census.gov.
The U.S. Census Bureau depends on your cooperation and trust, and promises to protect the confidentiality of your information. Title 13 of the U.S. Code, Confidential Statistical Efficiency Act and the Privacy Act, along with other federal laws protect the confidentiality of all your information. Census information is protected under federal law, and census employees are prohibited from releasing personal information to anyone -- even other federal agencies.
For more information on the 2010 census, contact Jim Donahue by phone at 847-781-2666, or by e-mail at james.donahue@hoffmanestates.org.
Click here (PDF) for the press release.