Since 1902 the U.S. Census Bureau has counted heads in every city, town and burg in America. Pretty easy in 1902 when the population was only 79 million. Now with more than 300 million people, the job of the Census Bureau is much more difficult.
Come April 1 each and every person living in the United States is to be accounted for. All residents, both citizens and non-citizens, are counted. Every home, apartment, dormitory, prison, shelter and the homeless will be counted.
Every 10 years the Census Bureau is called on to provide the most accurate assessment of the U.S. population. Based on the results the federal government provides more than $400 billion in funding to states and communities throughout the country. More importantly, the data also is used to determine boundaries for state and local legislative and congressional districts.
John Sych, planning director for Grand Traverse County, said Michigan will be losing at least one congressional seat because of the state's declining population.
"We need to make sure we count every person here in Michigan to ensure we have adequate representation in Washington," Sych said. "If you know of a snowbird who will not be home April 1, you need to tell them to wait until they return to fill out their form and send it in at that time."
Census questionnaires are mailed to households, not individuals, to be filled out by the person living there at that time. Seasonal residents who fill out a census form in Florida or Arizona will be counted there. That's a concern for those in charge of taking the census in Michigan.
In February and March the forms are mailed out and should be returned by April 1, which is Census Day. "Should be returned" is the active phrase here. Let's face it, not everyone wants to be counted. What about a person who lives in a hut in the forest or those unfortunates living in their cars.
Believe it or not, they will be counted one way or another.
Between May and July census takers will visit households that did not return a questionnaire. They take to the streets and count the homeless. They visit nursing homes and hospitals. They scour the countryside to make sure everyone is part of the final tally.
Is your mail delivered to a post office box? You too will get a knock on the door because they will not deliver the forms to a P.O. Box -- only to a household. So check their IDs and answer their questions.
On Dec. 31 the Census Bureau delivers the population count to the president, and in March 2011 it provides each state with the data to determine the number of congressional seats each state will have.
Nine states are slated to lose congressional seats in the 2010 census. Most of the states slated to lose seats are in the Rust Belt. Those expected to gain are in the Sun Belt.
Michigan's clout in Congress will decrease when we go from the current 16-member delegation to 15. The loss of one seat can translate to millions of federal dollars being sent to Florida instead of Michigan.
I've also been wondering when we lose that one Congressional seat, whose seat will it be? Will it be from a Democratic district or a Republican district? Let the fun begin -- it's redistricting time.
Redistricting is an interesting process where districts are re-evaluated based on census data and those areas with decreased population are absorbed by a neighboring district to meet MCL 3.61, Michigan's Congressional Redistricting Act passed in 1996. The party controlling the state Legislature controls the process, and if it happens to control both the state House and the governor's office it's a foregone conclusion that the seat lost will be that of the opposing party. Just ask John Dingell or Lynn Rivers what the GOP did with the 2001 census. To paraphrase Mr. Rogers, "Can you say gerrymandering, boys and girls? Sure you can."
Putting gerrymandering and partisan politics aside -- we'll look at that in another column -- the census is very important to Michigan's future. When you get your form take the 10 minutes needed, fill it out and return it. Do your part and be counted.
Fred L. Goldenberg is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and the owner of Senior Benefit Solutions LLC, a patient and consumer advocacy and financial services organization in Traverse City. Questions or comments about this column or other senior issues can be directed to 922-1010 or www.srbenefitsolutions.com
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