Power, money are at stake in census

As the cry of "get out the vote" goes on hiatus, stay tuned for a new one to hit the public consciousness.

"It's in our hands."

That's the slogan for the 2010 census campaign, which will crescendo from now through mid-March when the forms are mailed, into April when they're due back, and afterward as an army of newly hired census workers fans out into neighborhoods.

The once-a-decade head count started officially last week when census workers delivered forms via dog sled to a remote Alaskan village. Not bad for a photo op, but it also symbolizes the importance - and the difficulty - of ensuring every person in America makes the tally sheet.

Closer to home, we're likely to have our own challenges tracking everyone down. Neighborhoods are speckled with foreclosed homes, the ranks of nonnative English speakers have grown, and many immigrants don't trust government.

Officials are expecting a low participation rate even as they tout a form that takes just 10 minutes to complete. (For a preview, see census.gov.) But shorter doesn't mean less significant. There are reasons this census is more important than ever as the grab for federal funds intensifies among our communities.

Census counts help divvy up more than $400 billion each year for such essentials as hospitals, job training centers, schools and bridges. Many of the formulas used to allocate grants - often the make-or-break funding for local projects - rely in part upon population measures.

In addition, without an accurate count, there's no guarantee of fair representation in Congress. Unfortunately for us, it's doubtful the Land of Lincoln will regain the U.S. House seat lost after the 2000 census. In fact, we may drop another congressional seat, from 19 to 18. and it could very well come out of the suburbs. (Midwestern neighbors Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri and Ohio also likely will be down.)

But redistricting goes beyond the federal level. Once we're all counted, redrawing of Illinois' legislative maps will commence. City and county districts also will be reshaped by population. The process creates winners and losers everywhere.

The challenges of the census must be met head on. Suburban communities continue to grow in number and diversity. Everyone counts - even those here illegally, who also stand to benefit from a greater share of government money. While it's natural that such immigrants may be afraid to be counted, they need assurance that by law the Census Bureau keeps their information from the IRS, FBI, CIA and other agencies. All employees take an oath of nondisclosure and face stiff penalties for breaking confidences.

Those who don't participate are cheating themselves and their communities of the advantages. A lot of power and a lot of money are at stake. Take 10 minutes and be counted. Then, if you can, help someone else be counted. As they say, it truly is in our hands.