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Midvale Mayor urges residents to answer census questions

Mar 23, 2020 02:31PM ● By Erin Dixon

Midvale Census: Midvale Mayor Robert Hale is hoping for a count of every person living in Midvale during the census this year. (Photo/pixabay)

By Erin Dixon | [email protected]

“We need a count of every living person from age one day to 110,” Midvale Mayor Robert Hale said in a city council meeting late February.

The national census is well under way, and Midvale’s mayor has been urging the community for months to answer the census questions. Nine questions answered by every household can bring millions of federal dollars to the city.

“The census asks questions of people in homes and group living situations, including how many people live or stay in each home, and the sex, age and race of each person,” according to the website, www.census.gov

“[Answering] brings approximately $1,100 for every man, woman and child in our city to us every year over the next 10 years. So, it amounts to tens of millions of dollars and we use that to pave our streets, provide healthcare, senior citizen center next door (to city hall), childcare services, immigrant services,” Hale said.

Though the United States Census Bureau is a federal organization, the information is used only for statistical purposes.

“The Census Bureau is legally bound to strict confidentiality requirements. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone—not the IRS, not the FBI, not the CIA, and not with any other government agency,” according to the website, www.census.gov

Census questions never include: asking for social security numbers, asking for money/donations, asking for anything on behalf of a political party, and will not ask for bank and credit card numbers. Additionally, there is no citizenship question on the 2020 Census.