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With a week to go before Census forms begin to arrive in mailboxes throughout Tompkins County, County officials and community partners gathered this noon to celebrate the 2010 Census and to urge everyone to participate.

At the event, held at the Tompkins County Public Library, speakers reminded the community how the Census is important to our community and urged that everyone watch for their Census form to arrive in the next few days, to fill it out, and to send it back.  The event was sponsored by the county’s 2010 Census Complete Count Committee and the many local partners in the community Census campaign.

Legislator Pam Mackesey, who chairs the county’s Complete Count Committee, called this “an incredibly important time” in Tompkins County and reminded everyone that we all need to be counted, for the benefit of our community.

Through the U.S. Census, conducted every 10 years, as directed by the U.S. Constitution, the United States counts everyone living throughout the United States.  This year’s form, speakers noted, is simple—just 10 questions which should take only about 10 minutes to complete—and is secure and confidential:  your responses cannot be shared with anyone.  The Census provides a population count, a count that affects our government representation, and how federal and state dollars are allocated—funding that supports our roads, transportation system, human needs, and many other local services.

City of Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson noted that her city, with its large number of students is a “challenging city” which is part of a “challenging county” for getting a complete count.  She pointed out that everyone who is living here should be counted here, and said the City “is making an extra effort to pull out all the stops” working to make that happen.  She said reaching the 30,000 population number is crucial for the City, in qualifying for certain types of funding and being eligible for membership in the national Conference of Mayors.

County Legislator Frank Proto, who also chairs the board of Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, said an accurate Census count is crucial to maintain the state transportation operating assistance that supports our local transit system.  And he noted that, through participating in the Census, the county can “get its fair share” of state and federal funding to support local human services and environmental programs.

County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson noted that the Census provides the basis for the funding that helps our communities work.  “We all need the funding…,” she said, “and this is how we get our fair share.”

Dan Lamb, representing Congressman Maurice Hinchey, urged everyone to “participate in this constitutional process” that is key to the distribution of $400 billion in federal and state aid.  And he predicted that this year will be the easiest Census ever.

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