WAKE UP AMERICA – Mail Back Census Form!
For every 1 percent increase in the national participation rate by mail, we save ourselves as taxpayers $85 million by not having to send census takers door to door to households that failed to return their census forms. Let me say that again: a savings of $85 million for every 1 percent increase in the number of census forms returned by mail!
Even more staggering is the fact that we could reduce the cost of taking the census by $1.5 billion if every household in the United States completed and mailed back their form. Let me say that again: a savings of $1.5 billion! WAKE UP AMERICA! It costs $.42 for folks to mail back their form, compared to $57 for census takers to visit a non-compliant household.
At the conclusion of the 2000 Census, the Census Bureau was able to return $305 million in savings to the federal Treasury because mail rates exceeded expectations. As of today, the 2010 national return rate is 67% - with just two days remaining. The 2000 Census national return rate was 72%.
So where does Polk County stand? Currently at 69%, Polk is two percentage points above the State’s participation rate, but well below the top five states:
- Wisconsin 77%
- Minnesota 76%
- Iowa 75%
- Nebraska 73%
- Indiana 73%
WAKE UP POLK COUNTY! Let’s see what we can do to save taxpayer dollars. Call your family, friends and neighbors – donate a stamp if needed.
DID YOU KNOW?
You can track Polk County’s 2010 Census Participation Rate by following the links on the Friends of the Parks home page at www.friendsoftheparks.net. Federal tax dollars are returned to our community based on the census – every resident, citizen or not, needs to be counted!
