GUY CARROZZO -- MAYOR’S COLUMN

WHY SHOULD YOU ANSWER THE CENSUS?Answering the census is important

for your community because census numbers help local planners pick the

best locations for schools, roads, hospitals, clinics, libraries,

day-care and senior citizen centers, playgrounds, bus routes, job

training programs and much more. Every year, more than $100 billion in

federal funding (your money) and even more in state funds (your money)

are awarded to local governments based on census numbers.Answering the

census creates jobs and ensures the delivery of goods and services.

Businesses use census numbers to locate supermarkets and shopping

centers, new housing, new factories and offices, and facilities like

movie theaters and restaurants. Because census numbers help industry

reduce financial risk and locate potential markets, businesses are able

to produce the products you want.Answering can save your life. Many 911

emergency systems are based on maps developed from the last census. When

floods, tornadoes or earthquakes hit, the census tells rescuers how many

people will need their help. After Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida in

1991, census information aided the rescue efforts by providing estimates

of the total number of people on each block.Answering the census is safe.

By law, the Census Bureau cannot share your individual records with any

other government agency, including the Immigration and Naturalization

Service, the Internal Revenue Service, courts, police and the military.If

you would like additional information about Census 2000, you can visit

the Census Bureau’s Web site at https://www.census.gov or call our

Regional Census Center in Los Angeles at (818) 904-6522.

* GUY CARROZZO is mayor of Fountain Valley. CHRIS CORBIN is the city’s

housing coordinator.