We’ve all heard the commercials, “Stand up and be counted…”, “It’s in our hands…”, “Ten questions, ten minutes…”
During the months of February and March 2010, all Glendale households (homes, apartments, condominiums, rental properties, etc.) will receive a questionnaire from the U.S. Census Bureau which will ask 10 simple questions: number of persons in the household on April 1, 2010, who is the head of the household, names of persons residing in the household, relationships of those residing in the household (parent, child, parent of parent, step-child, foster-child, etc.), ownership of the household (owned free and clear, owned with mortgage, rented, etc.), gender of each resident, age of each resident and race of each resident, telephone number, any part-time residents (college students, etc.). The census counts all individuals living at a household at the time the form is completed. In other words, if a resident has an extended family member or friend living at the home, that person or persons should be counted as part of that household. Strict laws protect the confidentiality of respondents and the information provided in the census questionnaire. The deadline for completing and submitting the questionnaire is April 1, 2010. Following the April 1, 2010 deadline, Census enumerators will be sent out to individual households which did not participate in the census.
Some may ask, “Why is this information helpful?," or "Why do you need this information? I’ve already provided it to you when I applied for my Occupancy Permit?” Communities such as Glendale get valuable information on how to make many planning decisions on issues including neighborhood improvements, emergency preparedness, public health, education, transportation, senior services and more. Most importantly, Glendale gets vital tax dollars based on that information. “It is important for Glendale residents to accurately complete the 2010 census because several taxes (sales, cigarette, capital improvement sales and gasoline taxes) that the City of Glendale receives are based on population,” said City Administrator Frank Myers. “These taxes make up approximately 25% of the City’s annual budget. With an annual budget of approximately $7 million dollars, the City receives approximately $1.3 million dollars in tax revenue, which is based on the census information. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to complete the 2010 Census Forms and return them as soon as possible,” and “What this really boils down to is the more tax dollars we can collect through accurate census figures, the greater likelihood of keeping other City taxes at a more manageable amount. No one wants to pay more in taxes if they can help it,” Myers added.
According to City figures, there are 2,246 single family households and approximately 60 multi-family dwellings (apartment buildings, condominiums, duplexes, etc.) in Glendale. At last count, there are over 40 vacant households in Glendale. Some are under renovation and are due to be re-occupied soon, some have pending occupancy permits, however, this larger than normal number of vacant properties will likely have an adverse effect on our population count for the 2010 Census, thereby reducing Glendale’s “fair share” of the “tax dollar pie”.
Based on the 2000 Census, the City of Glendale presently collects $1,345,000 from per capita sources. With a present population of 5,767 (2000 Census), the City receives approximately $233.22 per individual who resides in the City. In addition, the Census Bureau has estimated that each person not counted in the Census costs $13,000 in federal revenue over 10 years, the period of time between each census.
The City of Glendale has placed various census information on its website and in its latest newsletter. The City will also be placing automated calls to all City residents encouraging their participation in the 2010 Census.
For more information on the 2010 Census, visit the U.S. Census Bureau website at
www.census.gov.
