COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohioans: Uncle Sam wants you … to participate in the 2010 Census.

“Ten questions, it’ll take 10 minutes, but the input will last you for the next decade,” said Ohio Treasurer Kevin Boyce, who co-chairs the Complete Count Ohio committee.

That was the message at a sparsely attended kickoff rally held Monday at the Statehouse, where state and local officials emphasized the special importance of the 10-year population count in Ohio and handed out Census pens, pencils, refrigerator magnets, bookmarks and tote bags. About 50 people attended.

There is much at stake when the U.S. Census Bureau takes the official count of residents on April 15. That includes the amount of federal aid that will come to Ohio and how many representatives the state will have in Congress.

Ohio is the only state that could lose two seats when Census results are used to redraw congressional districts, according to projections by the nonpartisan data analysis firm Polidata. Nine states are projected to lose one seat; 33 to keep the same number; seven to gain a seat; and one, Texas, to gain four seats.

Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said updated population data has the potential to significantly affect city life.

Census results will determine how much urban centers including Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati will get in federal grants to support hospitals, police and fire, sewer and water systems, and programs for the poor and the homeless, he said.

“In doing this, you can keep your taxes down and you may save someone’s life,” Coleman said.

John O’Grady, chairman of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, said he hopes central Ohio’s growing Latino and Somali populations participate in strong numbers as well, because it will help steer more federal resources to their communities.

Boyce said Ohio estimates between 20,000 and 40,000 people went uncounted when the last Census was taken in 2000 and the state doesn’t want that to happen this time. The2000 Census tallied roughly 11.4 million people in Ohio.

According to estimates and projections analyzed by Polidata, Ohio has seen just 1.8 percent population growth since 2000 — the fourth slowest in the nation after manufacturing neighbor Michigan; hurricane-wracked Louisiana; and North Dakota, where young residents in particular are leaving rural areas. North Dakota has no districts to lose, however; it already sends the minimum one representative to Congress.

U.S. Department of Commerce spokeswoman Carol Hector-Harris said Ohio’s census committee has been ranked first in the nation, based on the creativity and extent of its strategy to foster participation. That includes putting a Census chairperson in place in all 88 counties and holding events such as Monday’s rally.

____

On The Net:

www.census.ohio.gov.

Comments

comments