Count off: Base officials to decide on 2010 census impact

Story by Lance Cpl. Austin Hazard

Station officials will meet with U.S. Census Bureau officials in February, 2010, to determine how the upcoming census will be held here.

Every decade, the bureau takes inventory of the country's population in order to adjust the number of representatives each state rates in Congress and determine aspects of state and city budgets, among other things.

However, station residents may experience a different census process than residents off base, since the base can opt to conduct its own count.

"Most of the time, military bases elect to self-enumerate," said Rosie Cordova, Yuma census office manager. "If that's the case, we can provide training on that for the base."

During the 2000 census, the station chose to perform the count itself, employing unit chains of command to gather the information on its Marines.

"We turned the paperwork and information over to the unit sergeants major, who passed it down to their Marines to fill out," said Paula Backs, station community planning technician who was involved with the last census on base.

Based on the process from 2000, dependents in on- and off-base housing may experience very similar methods to those of the rest of Yuma.

"For the housing areas, they actually went to each house," said Kathy Hernandez, station administration officer, who served as the Census Bureau field operations manager for Yuma County during the 2000 census. "That's probably how it'll happen this time for the people who don't mail the questionnaire back soon enough."

The questionnaire, which is 10 questions long, will be mailed to the majority of Yuma residents and must be completed by each resident.

"If they do not want to speak to or see anyone in person for this, they can fill out the questionnaire and mail it back," said Cordova. "It's easy to fill out and just takes a few minutes."

If residents do not respond to the questionnaire, the bureau will attempt to contact them first by phone and then in person.

The census, which ends May 14, will count the number of residents in each household and gather basic information on each, such as sex, age and ethnicity.

Station personnel should be wary of the census period, as con artists and identity thieves can use the census as a cover to try to obtain personal information, such as Social Security numbers, or enter homes to scope out potential burglaries.

"All of us would have our badges as Census Bureau representatives, and we won't ask for money or Social Security numbers," said Cordova. "In-person surveys will also be done at the door. There's no reason for them to ask to come inside."

All personal information collected by the bureau is confidential and not accessible to other government agencies.

Residents are encouraged to respond and cooperate with the census as quickly and accurately as possible.

In the 2000 census, the population for Yuma County was totaled at approximately 160,000. This year, the Census Bureau estimates it will be more than 190,000.