Cost of US census taking.

[Silver Fox]

I read in the local paper today that the Govt. statistical people are getting prepared to take the 2010 census. It seems they've come up with a new electronical system that will add 2 billion dollars to the overall costs.
IMO, if they screw up like they have in the past when counting the number of people in this country it would be a bigger waste of the taxpayers money than protecting endangered spotted crickets living on the borders of the Okeefenokee swamp.
Every state, county, city and village has a good estimate of how many people living in their areas and it would be a lot simpler and cheaper for the census people to go through them when taking a census.

[Silver Fox]

Oops!! This thread should've been placed in Gen. Topics 2 the next one down. Sorry about that.

[Mr. Peanut]

Every state, county, city and village has a good estimate of how many people living in their areas and it would be a lot simpler and cheaper for the census people to go through them when taking a census.

Where exactly do you think they get those estimates? I'll give you a hint: it's from the US Census Bureau. These numbers don't just magically appear. Somebody has to do the counting, and the Constitution says the job goes to the federal government.

[Silver Fox]

Where exactly do you think they get those estimates? I'll give you a hint: it's from the US Census Bureau. These numbers don't just magically appear. Somebody has to do the counting, and the Constitution says the job goes to the federal government.

Your hint is way off base Mr. Peanut...the results of a census are used to allocate congressional seats, congressional apportionment, electoral votes, and government program funding.
When they want an accurate head count around here they don't go running to the census bureau for an estimate as to how many people are in the city or county and how fast they're growing. They go to the state department of health for the number of recorded births; the gas, electric and water utility companies; the city and county health departments, etc. They keep track and know how many move in and out of this county on a regular basis.
It's anyone's guess as to how many people were double counted, miscounted or not counted at all during the last census, which took several months to complete. Where you have people counting, there are going to be errors. I wonder how many bag people there are in the US and do you think they were all counted?:D;)
It's true our founding forefathers started the census when there were 13 colonies and never thought in their wildest dreams they would grow into 300,000,000 people.
The census is a needed program for political purposes, state fundings, etc. but IMHO, it it could be done just as effectively for a lot less money.

[RO56]

The census is a needed program for political purposes, state fundings, etc. but IMHO, it it could be done just as effectively for a lot less money.

So you're trying to say that the ONLY reason the census is taken is to determine the number of Congresspersons and the number of electoral votes are given to each state?

Wrong.

If all they wanted was a head count, the packet that the US Census bureau sends out would have nothing more than a couple questions asking for the number of people in your home.

Have you actually seen a census packet? They ask for a WHOLE LOT MORE than just a head count.

I know because I have one on the counter at home right now.

[gringoscott]

My mom worked as a census taker in '00 (she's retired and has nothing better to do). Her and her partner went to every slum, back alley, crack house, migrant labor camp, backwoods hovel, and tent city. They were tenacious. The Census gets its count.

And it's not just about population. It's about demographics, salary, education, employment. Someone posted the link to zipskinny.com on here a few days back. ALL of the information on that site is collected by the US Census. I have my gripes with just about every federal organization that sucks away my money, but I can't really find much to complain about in the census.

[Silver Fox]

[QUOTE=RO56;901761]So you're trying to say that the ONLY reason the census is taken is to determine the number of Congresspersons and the number of electoral votes are given to each state?

I'm not trying to say, I'm telling you the bureau of census is and has been wasting the taxpayers money.
Furthermore you omitted the last part of my statement, government program funding, where the lion's share of the monies go, to federal and state agencies for various programs related to the CB's findings during a census.
Yes, I have actually seen census forms, and have seen and filled out more of these forms than you have, since I'm a lot older than you.:D

This excerpt from the NY Times..

CENSUS INVESTIGATION.; A MAJORITY AND MINORITY REPORT UPON THE CHARGES.

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Mr. Bynum, (Dem. Ind.,) submitted to the House to-day the report of the Census Committee on the investigation into the Census Bureau. The resolution directing the inquiry charged that the bureau had been mismanaged, and that funds appropriated for census work had been wantonly wasted.

This from federal financial Mgt. government information..

$4.9 billion wasted – the inexplicable increase in “cost” to the taxpayer to fund the 2010 Census which is estimated to cost over $11 billion. This estimate is an increase of 80% from the 2000 budget, and 350% over the 1990 census budget.
• The Census Bureau is threatening that costs may increase by an additional $1 billion if the Congress does not restore $53 million to its FY2007 budget, cut out by the House of Representatives.
• GAO is considering putting it on its “High Risk” list due to its inability to contain costs
• The Census Bureau has invested $600 million to purchase 500,000 wireless handheld devices for census-takers to use in going door-to-door. Although these are intended to achieve cost savings, GAO is concerned that the devices may not work properly, if at all.

[Creeker]

During the 2000 census, I told the census bureau that I had 9 Mexicans living in my home... I figured that SOMEBODY should make at least some attempt at leveling the playing field.... :rolleyes:

Then a month ago I got a warning that it was coming,and a few days later I got another packet from them, wanting to know how many kitchen sinks I had, if I had hot & cold running water, the middle name of my mothers Aunt, how many bowel movements I had per week, how many nails were in my roof... and demanded answers under penalty of Federal Law. Then 2 days later I got another warning that I was required to fill it in and return it.

It took me around an hour to fill that thing out and now I want to know who is going to re-imburse my valuable time... :rolleyes:

In 2010, I think I'm going to tell them I have 20 Mexicans living here. Lets see if they fix a fence THEN...

[MP_Steve]

I have my gripes with just about every federal organization that sucks away my money

Hey, people like you make sure I have money to put into my savings because the feds already pay for my food and housing. ;)

[Silver Fox]

During the 2000 census, I told the census bureau that I had 9 Mexicans living in my home... I figured that SOMEBODY should make at least some attempt at leveling the playing field.... :rolleyes:

Then a month ago I got a warning that it was coming,and a few days later I got another packet from them, wanting to know how many kitchen sinks I had, if I had hot & cold running water, the middle name of my mothers Aunt, how many bowel movements I had per week, how many nails were in my roof... and demanded answers under penalty of Federal Law. Then 2 days later I got another warning that I was required to fill it in and return it.

It took me around an hour to fill that thing out and now I want to know who is going to re-imburse my valuable time... :rolleyes:

In 2010, I think I'm going to tell them I have 20 Mexicans living here. Lets see if they fix a fence THEN...

+-1
Then, if I report the 30-50 Mexicans living in my sheds and shacks out back
Jimmy Carter will probably want to build them new houses.:rolleyes:
McCain will be the next president, so maybe he'll get things straightened out.:D;)
IMO, the census questionaire is irrelevant and somewhat stupid.

[Hockey9019]

Since I have never seen a Census, what do they look like?

I know they ask generally, how many people live in your household, income, type of education. But what other types of questions?

Is it a mandatory thing?

Curious about ti

[Creeker]

Since I have never seen a Census, what do they look like?

I know they ask generally, how many people live in your household, income, type of education. But what other types of questions?

Is it a mandatory thing?

Curious about ti

The decade census is mandatory and not nearly as detailed as the one I recently recieved and returned. If I recall correctly, the only information specified on that one was how many, what nationality and gender. There may have been a bit more, but not much... an easy 5 minute survey.

They also go to great pains to say that none of the information contained in it can be revealed or used to prosecute anyone, under penalty of prison for the person of public office using or revealing the info.