My friend Jesse told me about this website where you can track your area’s census participation rate, that is, what percentage of census forms have been filled out and returned. Lynn neighborhoods are low compared to surrounding towns.
I had to take this screenshot above because WordPress won’t let me publish certain kinds code, or else I would have embedded a widget that allows you to look up your neighborhood’s participation rate. But if you click on the map above, you will be taken to the interactive map where you can zoom in on Lynn and compare it to Swampcott, Revere, Beverly, etc. Just enter your zipcode where prompted. It took a while on my computer with my DSL connection. I don’t know what the issue was, but if you’re patient it will eventually track to Lynn where you can select “local view.”
There you will see our neighborhoods are pretty low on turnout. This is not good as it affects the level of funds we can get from the federal government. Save time and money: Return you census form now! Don’t make those census workers come to your home!
Katerina
April 7, 2010
funny. The census never arrived in our mailbox. We did received 2 post cards to call them if it didn’t arrive after mid April
I noticed a booth in the entry of City Hall to fill out the paperwork.
Katerina
April 9, 2010
it finally came in the mail today!
Jesse
April 11, 2010
Good article Tom. We are likely to have a low turn out unless we get our neighbors to fill out the form. Many of our undocumented neighbors are afraid to fill it out because they think INS will come and scoop them up. However, there are no questions on the form about documentation and the Census will not share individual info with other agencies. We need to be telling our neighbors this and encouraging them to fill it out.
Stacey
April 12, 2010
Great article.
Are we sure that info will not be used against the illegals? Once caught they will sent them back and to prison. I have stories of people who have been here for years being caught arrested and sent back. Productive members of society. (My father arrests/transports them to prisons etc throughout NE and the stories I hear are heart breaking)
I’m legally an American and some of the info they were asking was simply too much!
Can you opt out of some questions? Or must one fill it out completely?
lynnsideedition
April 12, 2010
Curious. What information are they asking for that you think is too much?