Census forms ready to be filled out

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - You've heard the saying, "the bigger the better". When it comes to the 2010 census count, a bigger population means more money for your city.

"The census goes a long way towards the redistricting of Congressional seats in America but also goes a long way toward federal funding," said city representative Adam Buck.

A week before you receive your 2010 census form, you'll receive a letter in the mail telling you what the census count will be used for.

"If we have more people living in the City of Mobile, there's a greater likelihood that we'll have a chance to get federal funding. Things like federal grants, money for schools, money for infrastructure projects, and so obviously we want to have an accurate picture of how many citizens live here so we get our fair share," said Buck.

There are ten questions on the census form that you will need to answer, including how many people are living at your current address. You'll also need to provide some information on each resident, like ethnicity, sex, and age.

"Lets say the census finds out that there's a high elderly population in Mobile. Maybe that will give us a better chance for funding for a senior program, so that's the kind of things they're looking for as far as counting people," he said.

More than $400-billion will be allocated to communities across the country after the census count is completed.

You should receive your census form by the end of March.

Census money is also used to fund hospitals, job training centers, and emergency services.

City representative Adam Buck said when the last census was taken in 2000, there were approximately 200,000 citizens in Mobile. Buck believes that number may be higher after this census count.