EDITORIAL: Census is important to South Carolina

Alaska was the only state worse than South Carolina for mailing back U.S. Census forms in 2000. That’s an embarrassing statistic and a daunting challenge as the Florence region office celebrated its grand opening Monday.

The process of counting each and every person in this country is a massive undertaking every 10 years, but it could be as easy as returning a form in the mail.

Unfortunately, only 64 percent of Americans returned the questionnaire in 2000, forcing the federal government to send out temporary workers to find residents and add them to the population count.

The Florence office at 400 E. Southvillage Blvd., Suite E, oversees census operations in five counties: Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Marion and Horry. The low-income populations in those counties will be vital to count, with the stakes high over the results.

At stake for South Carolina: the possibility of adding a seventh Congressional district for the first time since 1930. With the state’s rapid growth, especially in Horry County, South Carolina should pick up clout in the nation’s capital.

“In less than three months, we will deliver a short-form census questionnaire to all households throughout the nation,” Census Regional Director Wayne Hatcher said Monday. “The short form for the 2010 Census will have 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to answer. Those questions will help define America for the next 10 years. Those 10 questions paint a portrait of America.”

The number of temporary jobs being offered by the Census Bureau offers a picture of how difficult it will be to track down everyone. In South Carolina alone, more than 12,500 people will be hired, at about $11.50 an hour, to find residents and fill out the survey.

In the Florence region alone, close to 2,000 will go door-to-door in neighborhoods to ensure a complete and accurate count. The Florence office is hiring more than any of the state’s eight regional office because some of the counties returned less than 50 percent of their surveys in 2000.

“The Census’ overreaching purpose is to equitably redistribute political power,” Hatcher said.

South Carolina needs a seventh representative at the table, fighting for its wants and needs. The federal government distributes more than $400 billion a year in taxpayer dollars. We want our fair share to come to South Carolina.

Every 10 years, census takers run into the same problems. Residents worry about privacy, thinking their information will given to someone else. In fact, the federal government keeps it confidential except to extrapolate demographic and statistical trends.

“The Census Bureau firmly believes everyone counts,” Hatcher said. “And I pledge to you that we will do our best to count everyone.”

But the thousands of workers throughout the state need your help. If you need a job, call (866) 861-2010 or go to www.2010censusjobs.gov and apply.

“We need your help to open doors to census workers,” Hatcher said. “We need your help to reach the populations that historically have proven difficult to count. We need your help in convincing everyone that the 2010 Census is safe and confidential and important.”

Forms for this nation’s 23rd Census will begin to be mailed in March. April 1 is Census Day, highlighting the importance of sending in surveys.

“The city of Florence has established a Complete County Committee,” said Maxwell Biggs, Florence’s local Census office manager. “We are committed to finding everyone and counting everyone. I am looking forward to the challenge.”

The data will reveal thousands of interesting facts. According to estimates, South Carolina should be the 10th-fastest growing state in the country with a population of close to 4.5 million. Charleston might overtake Columbia as the largest city in the state. And close to 100,000 Hispanics have moved to the Palmetto State since 2000.

Nothing, though, is more interesting than seeing the questionnaires flooding back in the mail.

South Carolina has much at stake in 2010. Now, more than ever, it’s important to find and count everyone.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).