PROVIDENCE, RI – Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is urging Rhode Islanders to complete their Census surveys as a way to bring more money into the state to speed its recovery from last week’s devastating floods.
“More than $400 billion is at stake this year. Census officials estimate that every additional completed survey is worth nearly $1,500 in aid,” said Mollis, who serves on the state’s Complete Count Committee.
For Rhode Islanders who misplaced or never received their questionnaire, Mollis has arranged for the Census to set up shop at the State House this Thurs., April 8, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone who has not returned a questionnaire will be able to complete the survey on the spot.
"It may seem like a small thing, but Washington uses Census data to decide where the money goes. Millions of dollars in federal funding to help our state bounce back are at stake," said Mollis.
Census returns determine how much federal funding states, cities and towns receive for everything from municipal construction projects to highway repairs and unemployment insurance.
“I urge Rhode Islanders to mail their surveys and to open their doors to properly-credentialed Census workers. The higher our response rate, the more federal resources our state will receive to help speed our recovery,” said Mollis.
Last month, the Census mailed questionnaires to 461,950 residential households in Rhode Island. With a current 60 percent return rate, Rhode Island has a way to go to match the 70 percent rate achieved in 2000.
The form asks just 10 questions including your name, gender, age and race; the number of people in your household and whether you own or rent your home. The questionnaire takes less than 10 minutes to complete and the information is completely confidential.
The Census Bureau will continue to accept questionnaires by mail through mid-April. Beginning May 1, Census workers will begin going door to door to households that failed to return their forms -- a massive operation that costs taxpayers an average of $57 per household versus the 42 cents it takes to get a response back by mail.
The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The Census has been conducted since 1790.
Secretary of State Mollis is committed to making it easier to vote, helping business grow and making government more open and accessible.