Duncan Urges County Residents to Fill Out and Return Census 2000 Forms

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Contact: Scott Reilly, 240-777-2593
For Immediate Release (March 30, 2000)

Duncan Urges County Residents to
Fill Out and Return Census 2000 Forms

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today joined representatives of the U.S. Census Bureau to urge County residents to fill out and return their Census 2000 forms.

"Few of our planning efforts are as critical to the future of Montgomery County as developing a complete count of all of our residents," said Duncan. "More than $4 billion in federal funding is allocated to states and localities based on Census results."

The results of the census will be used to describe the United States and local communities such as Montgomery County in a number of ways, including how many people live here, where we live, how we are housed, what our social needs are and other information regarding our education, employment and income. For the past year, the County's efforts have been focused on reaching those groups that have historically been undercounted in the census.

The U.S. Census Bureau has designated April 1 as "Census Day," and is asking all residents to return their forms by this date. Census enumerators will be going door-to-door, beginning April 12, to the homes of those residents who have not returned their census form.

The County established a Complete Count Steering Committee in October 1998 to coordinate the County's census promotion efforts and to develop ways to reach out to the target communities. The committee represents all sectors of life in the County including businesses, employers, labor, the religious community, service providers, ethnic communities and advocates for the disadvantaged. In the last census, 76 percent of Montgomery County households mailed back their questionnaires, one of the highest rates in Maryland. This year, the County has established a mailback goal of 80 percent. To help reach this goal, Duncan has been instrumental in setting up more Questionnaire Assistance Centers in Montgomery County, where census workers are assigned to help the minority community fill out their census forms.

Census information is used to provide population counts needed to apportion seats in the House of Representatives, determine state legislative district boundaries and provide other statistical data over the next 10 years. Census figures can also be used to determine where to locate schools, day care centers, senior centers, hospitals and other facilities. Businesses also use census data to make decisions concerning jobs, marketing and expansion. Some of the federal programs that are based on population counts include Community Development Block Grant funding, HOME funds and Mortgage Revenue Bond authorization.

For more information on the Census in Montgomery County, and for Census job information, call the local Census Office at 301-413-1050.

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