 
The countdown to the 2010 Census, which will
define who we are as a nation, has begun. The U.S.
Census Bureau is depending on local officials and community
leaders to ensure an accurate count. With
Census Day less than a year
away (April 1, 2010) the
Census Bureau has already
launched a critical national
awareness campaign called,
IT’S IN OUR HANDS.
The need for such a
campaign emphasizes the
impact and importance an
accurate census has in shaping
our community. Every year, more than $400 billion in
state and federal funds is awarded to states and communities
based on census data ~ data which lives with
the community for a full ten years until the next census
is taken. Therefore, an accurate count is vital to our community’s
and residents’ well-being from a fiscal standpoint.
But that’s not all. Census data guides local decision-
makers in important community planning efforts
such as where to build new roads and schools; and planning
for future water and sewer utility improvements.
Census data also affects your voice in Congress by determining
how many seats each state will have in the U.S.
House of Representatives.
The City of West Chicago has begun preparing for
the 2010 census by forming a Complete Count
Committee (CCC), which will bring together a cross-section
of community members to ensure resident awareness
of the importance of an accurate census count.
Members will represent other local government agencies,
media, education, business, and religious organizations.
These key communicators will speak the unique
language of their own community, while conveying the
singular message to “be counted”.
The 2010 census will have one of the shortest census
questionnaires since the inception of a national census
in 1790. It will ask for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity,
relationship and whether the householder owns
or rents their home. The form should take only about 10
minutes on average to complete, and the responses are
protected by law and are strictly confidential.
The months ahead should bring a census “buzz” in
West Chicago, as our local complete
count committee begins the job of
reaching out into the community to
spread the word, “it’s in our hands”.
Respectfully,
Michael B. Kwasman, Mayor
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