Census and local officials are thinking, planning and preparing for the Census of 2010.
The census is an important event every 10 years in the United States. The primary goal is to count the people living in the U.S.
The important fact is that the census numbers determine many things, including the representation in the House of Representatives. The census also plays a role in federal budget allocations for schools, health departments, counties and cities.
The 2010 Census is even more critical to Minnesota as the state is close to losing one congressional seat.
If Minnesota loses that one seat, the Minnesota Legislature will face the daunting test of realigning the remaining seven congressional seats.
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It is imperative that all - city clerks, mayors and county officials - work together to inform citizens about the importance of the census and counting each and every persons - citizen and non-citizen - living in west central Minnesota.
It is also important that local residents living out-of-state next March and April are encouraged to be counted for the census here in Minnesota.
It is also vital that non-citizens living in this country legally or illegally are counted in the census. While undocumented residents cannot legally vote, census rules require that they be counted.
It is critical to each Minnesotan that every person in Minnesota be counted in the 2010 Census.
