KARIM CAMARA
Assemblyman 43rd District
Kings County
Assemblyman 43rd District
Kings County
In just a few days, more than 130 million addresses across the nation will receive a census form. One of the shortest census forms in history, the 2010 Census form asks 10 questions and takes only 10 minutes to complete. Your participation is essential to ensuring a brighter tomorrow for the entire 43rd District.
In the 2000 Census, only 40 percent of Kings County residents returned questionnaires, one of the lowest rates statewide. The poor response led to Central Brooklyn not receiving its fair share of more that $400 billion in federal funds that are awarded annually to states and communities.
Required once every 10 years by the U.S Constitution, the census counts everyone living in the United States, both citizens and non-citizens. Kings County, along with New York State’s poor performance in 2000, costs us opportunities to improve education, health care, emergency services, public transportation and so much more in underserved communities across the state.
It is now up to you to determine how much money will be available for state aid, what neighborhoods need a school, a local health clinic or a bus line, even where to open a new grocery store. Help me assist you and our community by counting everyone in your household on your Census form when it arrives in mid-March.
Sincerely,
KARIM CAMARA
Is Census Data Really Confidential?
ABSOLUTELY!
Your answers are protected by law (Title 13 of the U.S. Code, Section 9) and are strictly confidential. It is illegal for the Census Bureau, or its employees, to share your personal information with any other government agency – not law enforcement, IRS, Welfare, FBI, ICE Immigration, etc.
No court of law, not even the President of the United States, can access your individual responses.
Census workers must pass security and employment reference checks and are highly motivated to protect your answers, and are subject to a $250,000 FINE AND/OR PRISON TERM for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.
How Is the Census Data Used?
Census data is widely used.
Determining congressional seats and federal funding is just a hint of the many important uses of Census data.
The data helps the private sector as well as state and federal governments determine where jobs and job programs are needed.
Census data helps potential homeowners to research property values, median income, and other demographic information about a particular community.
Corporations use population data for market research to determine locations for commercial enterprise, such as food stores, pharmacies, and other essential services.
How You Benefit FromThe Census
The federal government uses Census data to allocatefunds in a number of areas:
Title 1 grants to educationalagencies (school districtsacross the nation)
Head Start programs
Women, infants, and Children (WIC) (food grants)
Public transportation (MTA)
Road rehabilitation andconstruction
Programs for the elderly
Emergency food and shelter
Empowerment zones
The Census benefits all of us. Not filling it out and mailing it back hurts more than just you!
