Census Determines How Much Federal Funding New York Will Receive; Congressman Warns Residents of Fake Census Scams

Washington, DC - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today urged all residents in the congressional district he represents to fill out their 2010 Census form, which will be distributed in the coming days. The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years to count the population and determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The information the U.S. Census Bureau collects on the U.S. population also helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars in federal funding is spent each year on infrastructure and services such as hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, and emergency services, as well as bridges, roads and other-public works projects. According to a recent PriceWaterhouseCoopers report, areas most affected by Census undercounting lose about $2,913 in federal funding per uncounted person.

"A full participation in the 2010 Census among local residents will help ensure that New York gets it fair share of federal resources," Hinchey said. "It's extremely important that everyone living in the area fills out the surveys they will receive this month so that our area, and the state overall, is not shortchanged and receives the full level of federal funding it needs and deserves. Our local communities cannot afford to lose out on crucial federal funds and programs, and every single resident can ensure that doesn't happen by filling out their Census form. By having every New Yorker participate in the 2010 Census, our schools, health centers, libraries, community centers, and other community initiatives will receive their fair share of federal funding since the formulas for many federal programs rely on Census results."

More than 130 million addresses throughout the U.S. will receive a census form in March 2010 either by mail or in person from a census worker. Households should complete and return their forms upon receipt. Addresses that do not respond will be visited in person by a census worker beginning in late April through July. With only 10 questions, the 2010 Census questionnaire takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Households are asked to provide key demographic information, including: whether a housing unit is rented or owned; the address of the residence; and the names, genders, ages, and races of others living in the household. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.

As with other public efforts, New York residents should be wary of fake Census scams that attempt to collect personal information. The Census Bureau has received complaints about deceptive mailings that include envelops marked “Census” and include a “census tracking code.” People should review all mailings carefully to ensure that they are indeed from the Census Bureau. Official Census Bureau documents will never ask for a full Social Security number, money or a donation, PIN codes, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts. Also, the Bureau never sends requests on behalf of a political party. If residents are suspicious of a mailing, they can contact Hinchey’s office, the Census Bureau, or the Postmaster General’s office.

This week, Hinchey helped the House pass the Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act, which prohibits non-governmental mailings from using labels that may mislead the recipient into thinking it is from the U.S. Census Bureau. Specifically, the bill prohibits non-governmental mailings from using phrases such as "Congressional Direct Census", "Official Documents" and "Do Not Destroy". In addition, if the word "Census" appears on the mailing, the mailing must also include a disclaimer that it is not the U.S. Census form and must be clearly marked as being sent from a non-governmental agency.

The 2010 Census is one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of only ten questions. The Census contains questions about the number of people living at a residence and some demographic information about them. The form only takes a few minutes to fill out.

For additional information about the Census, please call one of Hinchey’s district offices at 845-331-4466 (Ulster and Dutchess Counties), 607-773-2768 (Broome and Delaware Counties), 607-273-1388 (Tompkins and Tioga Counties), 845-344-3211 (Orange and Sullivan Counties), or visit http://2010.census.gov.