Answer the census

The Founding Fathers knew that having an accurate head count of their fledgling nation was critical to administering the nation. That’s one of the mandates held in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2 calls for a national head count every 10 years.

Since the first national Census in 1790, the poll has taken on additional responsibilities: First, in determining the nation’s manufacturing base, then to social issues such as taxation, poverty and crime. Today, the Census reveals much about America, from family size to HIV infection rates, durable goods sales to apartment-building occupancy rates.

Some question why the Census must be so expansive. Others feel providing the detailed information used to come up with such numbers is overly intrusive. And yet more people — the vast majority of Census nonrespondents — simply can’t be bothered to take the time to fill out the forms.

Almost every citizen who receives a Census questionnaire will only have to answer seven questions, a process less lengthy or intrusive than filling out a job application (although the Census is allowed to ask questions about age, race, relationships and sex that many employers cannot). One in seven will be asked to answer a total of 34 questions.

Why bother? Because helping the nation get an accurate count of who lives where helps the federal government ensure that public resources are distributed fairly. True, the original purpose of the Census — to apportion seats in the House of Representatives — may no longer be the central point. But making sure the poor get heating oil during the winter, schools receive adequate funding and development assistance is apportioned fairly ought to be worth a little time and a little trouble.

Maine, by the way, generally benefits from the federal count. It not only receives back from Washington substantially more than its citizens and businesses send, but its traditionally robust return rate for the Census means that a higher percentage of its citizens are counted than in other states.

So when census forms start showing up in the mail over the next few weeks, it will be worth the time and effort to fill them out.