Viewpoint - The Importance of Filling Out the Census - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

You should have received a census form in the mail.  You've also, no doubt gotten at least one reminder about filling it out and sending it in.  Well, consider this another reminder.  There has been a growing problem over the last several census periods of people neglecting to send in their census forms.  What people often see as either too much trouble…or even an intrusion of their privacy…actually serves a very important function.  Every 10 years the U.S. Census Bureau is charged with counting our population and gathering demographic information.  This information is used to determine many things that impact our daily lives and the functioning of our cities, counties, and states.  Federal funding is often determined by population or demographic numbers and percentages.  Congressional districts and corresponding electoral votes are dependant of census population numbers.  School and voting districts of various types are broken down by these same numbers.  Statistical Metropolitan status is either achieved or lost by census figures.

We could go on and on…but suffice it to say—this is a form you really can't afford to ignore.  It is especially important in a state like Mississippi with relatively low population numbers to begin with.  So we strongly urge you to be a responsible citizen and take the short time necessary to fill out your census form and send it in.  The benefits are many.  I'm Jim Cameron and that's today's Viewpoint.  Let us hear from you.