2010 Census

We filled out the 2010 Census form a few days ago.

Here is an article from The Source, our on-line newspaper. www.stjohnsource.com.

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Census Day Kicks Off Official 2010 Count
By Ananta Pancham — April 1, 2010

After months of preparation, hundreds of census takers hit V.I. streets Thursday to begin picking up the Census 2010 questionnaires and conduct interviews with local residents.
Thursday was proclaimed "Census Day" by Gov. John deJongh Jr., who urged residents to fill out their forms so that census officials can get an accurate count of just how many people are living in the territory.
The information gathered will determine how much federal funding the territory will receive over the next decade, and help the government see how it can better serve the community.
"This information is used by a multitude of different public agencies," Ayishih Bellew, Census Office manager for St. Thomas-St. John, said Thursday. "It's used to help us plan, to determine which of the services we offer need to be increased or decreased."
And in terms of funding, information—such as the number of children living in the territory or the number of cars per household—helps the federal government factor out things like education dollars or money for roads, Bellew added.
The territory's census questionnaires, which have already been mailed out, are unlike those being sent out across the mainland, and contain more questions than they did before.
For the first time, residents will be asked to fill out questions on their health insurance status, what mode of transportation they use to get to work, or whether they are veterans collecting disability benefits, Bellew explained.
"It's definitely comprehensive," she said.
The official count started around 9 p.m. Wednesday, when census takers began with the territory's homeless population. After wrapping up around midnight, they picked up again around 6 a.m. Thursday, and hit the streets to pick up questionnaires a few hours later.
In the Census Office on St. Thomas, balloons and posters decorated the walls, while the census employees were decked out in red to celebrate the day.
"We've been preparing for this for months," Bellew said. "It's very exciting."
Residents should know that their census information is confidential and will not be given out to any other department, agency or organization, Bellew added.
"We're just trying to make sure that we count everyone," she said. "It doesn't matter your ethnicity, and we're not concerned about undocumented individuals. We just want to count you."
Residents are also being asked not to mail in their questionnaires, but to hold on to them until an official census taker -- who will be dressed in uniform and carrying identification -- comes to their house to pick up the forms. For those who share mailboxes and only get one questionnaire, the census takers will have extra forms, Bellew said.

(Note: this should be written "get only one questionnaire" instead of "only get one" -- GHH)

Census takers (or enumerators as they are officially called) also speak a range of languages, from Creole to Arabic, and will leave a note if they find no one home when they come by.
The collection process will take between eight to 12 weeks, Bellew said. After that, questionnaires will be sent away for processing, with the results being distributed sometime next year.
Noting that the 2000 census counted roughly 108,000 residents, Bellew anticipated that number would "definitely" be higher this time around.

(Note: I doubt someone will actually get to my house. -- GHH)