If you haven’t mailed in your 2010 Census form yet, you’re in the minority in Maple Leaf.
As of today, about 70% to 80% of Maple Leaf residents had filled out and mailed in the forms, which must be postmarked by today if you don’t want census takers knocking on your door. Nationally, the participation rate was 68%, and it was 69% for all of Seattle. You can compare participation rates nationwide here.
But it’s also important to fill out the Census for the benefit of our community. From Mayor Mike McGinn:
A complete count of all Washingtonians helps ensure that we receive our fair share of federal funding – money we need for important services, such as neighborhood improvements, housing, transportation, schools and many other programs that matter to our community. Every year $400 billion is divided by the federal government among local governments based on the information collected by the census. That money represents crucial funding for vital community services such as transportation, health clinics, education programs, job training, child care, and more. But how much we get depends on how many people the federal government knows are here.
