Census Bureau explains pre-census postal blitz

By Jeremy Redmon

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Some people are scratching their heads over letters the U.S. Census Bureau mailed last week.

The letters, sent to 120 million households, essentially say: Hey, check your mail for a 2010 Census form from us next week, fill it out and return it.

The feds plan to mail follow-up reminders in the form of postcards later this month to communities with lower response rates to the 2000 census.

Total cost to taxpayers to print and mail: $85 million.

Critics say it’s a big waste.

“That’s government bureaucracy and ineptitude at work,” said Lance Lamberton, president of the Cobb County Taxpayers Association. “I don’t understand why you have to have two mailed-out notifications. That’s what I find disturbing.”

But Census Bureau officials say they expect at least a 6 percent increase in returned forms as a result of the letters and postcards.

And for every 1 percent increase in responses, taxpayers save $85 million, according to the Census Bureau.

One reason for that: it costs taxpayers $57 every time federal officials go to the home of someone who hasn’t returned the form, said Census Bureau spokeswoman Shelly Lowe.

“Our research and the testing that we have done show that it will save money,” Lowe said. “There is a great return on investment for that. It all comes down to: Mailing it back is much more efficient and cost-effective then having to send somebody in person.”

The letters that arrived in mailboxes last week say: “About one week from now, you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail. When you receive your form, please fill it out and mail it in promptly.” It goes on for another paragraph before pointing to the federal Web site 2010census.gov and then repeating instructions in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian.

The U. S. Constitution requires a census every 10 years, and the count is used to divvy up political representation and $400 billion in annual federal spending. The federal government is trying to improve on its results from the 2000 census, when 72 percent of households returned forms.

Congress has budgeted $7.2 billion this fiscal year to count every resident. To encourage participation, the Census Bureau is spending $1.2 million of that sponsoring NASCAR driver Greg Biffle’s car for three races. And it spent $2.5 million on Super Bowl ads last month, drawing some criticism for wasteful spending.

Barbara Payne, executive director of the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation, said she received two identical letters from the Census Bureau at her Atlanta area home this week.

“Eighty-five million dollars — when we are in the middle of a recession — certainly raises my eyebrows,” Payne said. “Nobody likes seeing things over and over again, especially knowing that I paid for that.”

Some state lawmakers also weren’t happy when they entered the House chamber Thursday and found several items promoting the census. One gift in particular had some shaking their heads: a red ball cap touting the census with a “Made in China” label. Accompanying the ball cap was a packet of literature and a slogan-covered tote bag.

“Incredible,” Rep. Jill Chambers (R-Atlanta) said as she displayed the cap label.

Staff Writer Nancy Badertscher contributed to this report.