Posted on 03/10/2010 8:17:07 AM PST by CodeJockey
I open my mailbox yesterday and I have a letter from the Census Bureau. I'm thinking it's the short form because it's in a regular envelope.
So I open it up and it's a letter stating that the actual Census form will be mailed in about a week. I guess that means I need to cancel my vacation so I can be home to respond to the census.
Talk about a waste of taxpayer dollars. Maybe they were figuring this would give the US Postal Service something to do?
I got one yesterday too, talk about a waste of taxpayer money. I guess they think it’s an unending pool they can just keep dipping into.
About one week from now, you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail. When you receive your form, please fill it out and mail it in promptly. Your response is important. Results from the 2010 Census will be used to help each community get its fair share of government funds for highways, schools, health facilities, and many other programs you and your neighbors need. Without a complete, accurate census, your community may not receive its fair share.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely, Robert M. Groves
Director, U.S. Census Bureau
Go to <2010census.gov> for help completing your 2010 Census form when it arrives. [Note: this sentence is repeated in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian]
My emphasis added...
If he knowingly pays money into my account, it’s MINE.
So I open it up and it's a letter stating that the actual Census form will be mailed in about a week. I guess that means I need to cancel my vacation so I can be home to respond to the census.
Talk about a waste of taxpayer dollars. Maybe they were figuring this would give the US Postal Service something to do?
We got our "census letter" yesterday as well (we're in Connecticut). The only bigger waste of taxpayer dollars on this stupid census is that awful television ad starring a bunch of leftist Hollyweird elites. That ad was first run during the $uperbowl, btw.
Question: I've heard there are lots of questions on the 2010 Census. Does anyone know LEGALLY what question(s) we have to answer in order to avoid a "visit" by census workers? I think we just fill out how many people are in the household?
I don't want to give them ANY information I don't absolutely have to give them. The less info the better, IMO...
If you got one months ago, it was probably the American Community Survey. The Census Bureau took so much heat from the long form last year that they decided to spread it out over ten years with a couple hundred thousand every month. Thus the ACS was born.
Now to play devil's advocate: what if the two letter system increases response rate by a few percent? Thus they have to do fewer personal visits and spend a lower total amount. Would it then be a good idea to "wastefully" send the pre-census letter?
I got one of those this week.
Oh, you KNOW that'll be coming!
I got my letter that a letter was coming several weeks ago. Nothing else. I have a friend who is doing “census work” whatever that means. I have not asked what he is doing. He did not go out a couple days ago because this was a country thing and the roads were muddy from all the rain we have had. I know the gubmint is coming at it from all sides, spending as much money as possible (helping the economy dontcha know) because they have advertised for census workers and have been having training sessions here.
Then you obviously missed the pre-meeting about the pre-letters. The actual meeting will be held when the actual form comes out and then of course there is always the post-meeting.
See you there...
Thanks for the ping!
ditto.
Why did we get a census form months ago and now we have to do it again? Our government at its best!
$55M to mail a letter telling us that we will soon get a census form... in the mail. I really hope someone is keeping track of the daily insanity/stupidity of this administration.
Putting this one in perspective and making it personal - all the taxes I’ll pay for the rest of my life will go to something foolish as this, and barely make a dent in the total. I’ll work hard for the next 25-30 years to help pay off some dumb%&@ decision.
An interesting youtube news article re your question on answering questions on the Census form.
Probably, the only question, we are required to answer by law and probably by the constitution: “How many people live at this address?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZz8KSkN1NQ
The one I got months ago had lots of financial questions as well as how many bathrooms were in my house, etc...
http://censusfacts.info/index.html
From what I can gather- we are legally obligated to answer ONLY how many people live in our house.
>>So I open it up and it’s a letter stating that the actual Census form will be mailed in about a week.
I work for postal service at a mail sorting ctr north of Boston. Not only will you get that letter, then the form, but you will also get a postcard reminding you to send the form in (we were told about the various mailings, etc.) The govt is spending all kinds of money on census stuff including those TV ads.
(Post office don’t forget is a quasi-governmental agency funded by postage, not tax dollars, though we have had to have federal bailouts due to deficits in funding retirements, health care, etc. The P.O. is closing some small offices, getting early retirements,
curtailing some projects, and will stop Sat delivery, etc.
My union, APWU, was reminding its members that the huge Postal Strike of 1970 happened 40 yrs ago this month.
Out of that came the Post Office Department being transformed into USPS, and the creation of some unions.
For a brief time Natl Guard had to be brought in to sort mail and they couldn’t keep up. Anyway my employer is going through some problems, incl. having to fund many retirements and getting less mail thanks to internet, etc.
But the fed gov is relying on us for that all important census...)
Race:
HUMAN
(or “American”)
Exactly my comments when the useless waste of money arrived yesterday.
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