HARTFORD – Gov. M. Jodi Rell today issued reminders to residents about representatives from  U.S. Census who will begin visiting homes and apartments on May 1.

Census workers are expected to visit homes of those who did not mail back  thier 2010 Census forms.

Reponses to the form is required by law and it is essential that Connecticut is accurately counted. “ Billions of dollars in federal aid is tied to our population,”  Rell said. “Unfortunately, this door-to-door canvassing presents a prime opportunity for scam artists to try and steal identities or gain access to homes.

Official Census workers will have IDs and are not permitted to enter a home nor ask for confidential data, such as Social Security Number or bank accounts.

If a census taker visits you, here are some guidelines:

• First ask to see their ID. All census workers carry official government badges marked with just their name; they may also have a “U.S. Census Bureau” bag
• Note that the census taker will never ask to enter your home
• If you are still not certain about their identity, please call the Boston Regional Census Centers to confirm they are employed by the Census Bureau at 617-223-3700.
• Answer the census form questions for your entire household. You must be at least 15 years old to answer questions.

Every household in America received a short, 10-question form this year. Among the basic questions asked were gender, age, ethnic background and whether the respondent rent or owned his or her home.

For residents who speak a language other than English, Census takers will show the resident a card containing a sentence about the 2010 Census written in approximately 50 languages. The Census worker will show the card to the resident to determine his or her specific language and then will assign a Census worker who speaks that language.

Residents can also provide data by phone at: 1-866-872-6868.

More information on the U.S. Census in Connecticut: www.ct.gov/census2010

HARTFORD – As of March 31, only 32 percent of city residents responded to the Census. US Census officials are hoping to push that figure to 70 percent in the next two weeks.

To aid this effort, Census officials have targeted eight areas of the city with particularly low response rates. On Saturday, April 10, “March to the Mailbox Day,” a variety of activities will be held in these neighborhoods to encourage participation in the Census.

Among the activities planned for “March to the Mailbox Day” are:

Adult and Youth Basketball Tournaments where the importance of the Census will be discussed.

Enlisting neighborhood “Ambassadors,” such as Barber Shop Owners and Nail Salon Owners, to encourage their customers to complete the Census Questionnaire.

Distributing 18,000 flyers.

Directing residents to the closest Questionnaire Assistance Center where help can be provided in 60 different languages in a confidential setting.

Strategically locate “Be Counted” Boxes (that contain replacement Census Questionnaires) at some shops and events.

Distribute 800 lawn signs, 1800 hats and T-shirts to participants.

The eight neighborhoods in Hartford being targeted for “March to the Mailbox Day” are the areas around: Edwards, Williams and Chestnut Streets; Pliny, Mather and Bedford Streets; Lincoln, Vernon and Madison Streets; Willard, Huntington Streets and Asylum Avenue; Earle, Risley and Naugatuck Streets; Nelson, Martin and Judson Streets; Greenfield, Deerfield and Lenox Streets; and Cabot, Edgewood and Burton Streets.

Local Census Manager Looking for Over 5,000 Qualified Job Applicants

HARTFORD – Rumors that the federal government will employ a small army to conduct the Census are false – they will employ a large army.

“About 2.5 million people by April, about the same as the number of active duty personnel with the U.S. Army. Maybe more,” said Russel Hicks, Manager of the Local Census Office in Downtown Hartford.

When the Census is in full swing this spring, Hicks said  his office will have approximately 1,500 people working in Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford and Manchester. The bulk of that workforce, about 1,400, will be Field Enumerators who go door-to-door gathering Census information from people who did not mail in their 2010 Census questionnaire. Field Enumerators make $19.75 per hour.

To make sure his office is never short on manpower, Hicks is currently trying to build  up a pool of approximately 5,600 qualified applicants and there’s still plenty of openings.

“We need that many applicants because the attrition rate [people who leave the job before its completed] is so high, about 75 percent on average and even higher in Hartford,” said Hicks.

To work for the U.S. Census Bureau, an applicant must first pass a test (see list of local testing sites at the end of this article) and then a criminal record check. The second step is where Hicks said he is having the most difficulty. Over 800 applications out of approximately 2,375 received by his office are being held up because of the criminal record check.

“The record check is absolutely necessary. We have to do everything we can to ensure the safety of the public,” said Hicks.

If a felony arrest or other irregularity shows up on a person’s record, their application is put on hold and they are sent a letter asking them to clarify or correct the information. For instance, if a person was arrested but the charges were dropped, that person can still be hired by the Census provided they supply the necessary court documentation. Hicks also said that if a person who has committed a felony but has served his or her time, including parole and probation, that person may still be hired after a review of their particular situation.

Hicks thinks many people who get the letter asking them for clarification either don’t open it or decide it’s not worth responding.

Testing for a job with the U.S. Census has been going on for several weeks at sites throughout the city and will continue through April. Although the test can be given in 59 different languages, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English to be hired.

Those hired by the Census as door-to-door enumerators will work from between 20 – 40 hours per week.  Hicks said the goal is to have people work as close to their homes as possible but must also be willing to go wherever they are assigned.

For more information on U.S. Census jobs, call 1-866-861-2010 or go to the website: www.2010censusjobs.gov.

By Andy Hart

About the Census

The U.S. Census has been taken every 10 years since 1790. All residents of the United States, citizens as well as non-citizens, are counted. The Census is designed to be a complete count of every person, regardless of citizenship status, residing in the United States on April 1, 2010.

According to U.S. Census Bureau officials, only 46 percent of city residents responded by mail to the last census. Hicks said that Hartford’s response rate was significantly lower than both Connecticut’s overall response rate of about 63 percent and the national average of approximately 61 percent.

Persons who don’t respond by mail are then contacted by U.S. Census workers who go door-to-door with the census questionnaires, said Hicks. Even then, some people can’t be found or refuse to give information to the census takers.  A formula is then used to estimate the number of people who were not counted for one reason or another, said Hicks.

To increase response, the census form has been reduced to only 10 questions this year.

By law, the U.S. Census Bureau cannot share the information it obtains on individuals with any other government agency, including the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Immigration and Naturalization. Census information is even exempt from the Patriot Act.

Hartford U.S. Census Employment Testing Sites

For more information, call 1-866-861-2010 or go to the website: www.2010censusjobs.gov.

Asylum Hill Cong. Church, 814 Asylum Ave. 10:00 amFeb. 2, 9, 16, 23

Addiction Recovery Ctr., 198 Wethersfield Ave. 4:00 pm, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22; March 1, 8, 15, 22

Albany Library Branch, 1250 Albany Ave. 1:00 pm, Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27

March 6, 13, 20, 27  5:00 pm Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4, 11, 18, 25

Campfield Library, 30 Campfield Ave. 1:00 pm Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27

March 6, 13, 20 27   5:00 pm Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4, 11, 18, 25.

Park Street Library, 744 Park St.9:30 am Feb. 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24.

Library, Main Branch, 500 Main St. 10:30 am Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27; March 6, 13, 20, 27

Mary Shepherd Place, 15 Pavilion St. 10:30 am Feb. 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17,19, 22, 24, 26; March 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17,19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31.

Our Lady of Sorrows, 79 New Park Ave. 9:30 a, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; 2:30 pm Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30.

Pope Park Center, 30 Pope Park Dr. 12 noon,Feb. 4, 9, 13, 16, 18, 27; March 4, 6, 11, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30.

Rawson School, 260 Holcomb St. 4:30 pm  Feb. 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17, 19,22, 24, 26;

March 1,3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17,19, 22, 24, 26.

Redeemed Church of God, 400 Park St. 5:00 pm, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26; March 5, 12, 19, 26

St. Lawrence Church, 494 New Britain Ave.            1:00 pm            Feb.1

Ukrainian Home, 961 Wethersfield Ave.   6:00 pm            Feb. 3

Urban League, 140 Woodland St. 5:30 pm Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24; March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

West End Comm. Center, 461 Farmington Ave. 5:30 pm; Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

HARTFORD — In order to make sure Hartford has a stronger voice in the 2010 U.S. Census, Mayor Eddie A. Perez today announced the formation of the Complete Count Committee — a group of volunteers who will play a vital role in achieving accuracy in Hartford’s census count as well increase the amount of residents who complete an mail back the Census questionnaire that’s due to come out in March 2010.

 ”Our goal is to increase our response rate.  With the trusted community voices that we have on this committee, I am sure that we can do it.  I want to commend the members for their commitment to making sure all of Hartford’s diverse voices are counted,” Perez said.

Hartford’s CCC members are Perez, Lillian I. Ruiz, Chair, Elda Sinani, Vice-Chair, Alexander Nardone,  Cornell Lewis, Andy Hart , Ashley Rogers, Bethany Silver, Councilwomen rJo Winch and Veronica Airey-Wilson, Cheryl Zeiner, David Medina, Eloy Toppin, Eric L. Jackson, Evelyn Mantilla, Glendowlyn L. Hall, Homa Naficy , Janet C. Wallans, Kerry E. Martin, Miguel Matos, Maritza Agosto, Marilyn Rossetti, Marta Bentham , Dr. Felix Gonzalez, Richard Freider, Roger J. O’Brien, Sharon Narcisse, Tony Bernardo, Yasha Escalera, Yolanda Rivera and Regina Dyton.

At today’s news conference, speakers emphasized that the Census process is safe, confidential, easy, and important.  All information is protected by law which means it cannot be shared with any other government agency.  The goal is to diversify and reach out to traditionally underrepresented portions of the population including recent immigrants, non-English speaking residents, religious groups and people living in higher crime areas.

The form is only 10 questions, but the answers affect federal funding and Congressional representation for the City of Hartford and the State of Connecticut.  Approximately $300 billion dollars in federal funding is distributed to communities each year in regards to education, food assistance, public transportation, programs for seniors, and road repair.

The theme for the 2010 Census (which is mandated by the U.S. Constitution) is “It’s in Our Hands.”