April 15, 2010

It is Census 2010 time, as of April 1.  Census forms went out during March.  The enumerators are now on South Boston’s streets, counting those who didn’t send their forms back.

Frankly, Boston’s returns have been disappointing.  The most recent return data that we’ve seen at South Boston Online show that Boston has returned only 47% of its forms.  Other parts of the nation have done much better than we did.  Some areas of the Midwest turned in over 80%, making the rest of their Census count much easier and much less wasteful of tax dollars.

The U.S. Census is nothing new.  A requirement for taking a Census every ten years is an original part of our Constitution (Article I, Section 2), dating back to 1787.  But the Census is important for more than historical purposes.  It determines how much of the Federal Government’s spending is to be allocated – one major reason that the late Congressman Joe Moakley was so insistent that the last Census in 2000 be conducted accurately.

In addition, Massachusetts may lose a seat in its Congressional delegation, because our population is shrinking and the Southwest’s is growing.  It would be terrible if we lost that seat by allowing ourselves to be undercounted.

Stand up and be counted.  It’s just as important as voting.