U.S. Census Bureau sends advance letter explaining they will send Census

[Ralph Wiggum]

Probably from the Department of Redundancy Department.

The United States Census Bureau sent out 120 million letters to tell us that the Census will arrive next week. The I-Team's Leisa Zigman checked into the cost of mailing those letters and asks why the government feels the expense was necessary.

Government representatives explained in order to reach more than a hundred million households, the cost of postage and printing for the preliminary letters saves money because it results in a greater return of the questionnaires. That means hourly Census workers don't have to visit as many homes.

Shelia Jones wasn't impressed with that answer.

"I was disappointed and I was wondering why they were sending out this mailing when it wasn't the actual census form?" she said.

At Miso Restaurant in Clayton, Brad Beracha asked, "$85 million for this piece of paper? That is absurd. Why do we need notification the census is coming?"

A Census spokesperson Sydnee Chattin-Reynolds explained, "We have extensive research that shows additional mailings alerting households to the arrival of the census form increase response rates by about six to 12 percentage points. And, every one percent increase saves the taxpayers about $85,000,000 in expensive door-to-door follow up."

"It costs 42 cents to mail back a form. If you compare that to the cost of $57 for someone to go door-to-door, 42 cents versus $57 is a huge savings."

Experts at Conservatree, a nonprofit recycling organization, analyzed the paper reams and calculated the number of trees used to reach 120,000,000 people. Conservatree experts estimate it took 23,906 trees to produce this advance mailing.

While the advance letter costs $85,000,000 no one at the bureau could answer how much it will cost to produce and mail out the actual census. They promised to get back to us.
The entire project is budgeted at $6.7 billion.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/watercooler/story.aspx?storyid=197588&catid=71

[USA4ME]

I got one in the mail yesterday.  Currently it's in line to be shredded when I accumulate enough to make it worth while.

.

[thundley4]

We got ours yesterday.  To be fair, didn't the government send out notices about getting the tax rebate check ,(or whatever they called it), under President Bush?

[Eupher]

Yeah. I got one of those letters on Monday.

It went immediately into the shitcan.    

[IassaFTots]

I got mine last week as well.  What a waste.

And yeah, we got notices about the rebate check too.

Still a waste.  

[Eupher]

The crap about the trees and how many needed to be cut down to produce those letters is a load of shit, though.  Trees are a renewable resource.

If that paper wasn't wasted on that stupid letter, it would've been wasted on the HCR and all its versions.

[Ralph Wiggum]

The crap about the trees and how many needed to be cut down to produce those letters is a load of shit, though.  Trees are a renewable resource.

If that paper wasn't wasted on that stupid letter, it would've been wasted on the HCR and all its versions.

I don't give a damn about the paper & trees either.  I go through at least a ream a day at work.

It's the point of telling us for the umpteenth time that they're doing the census.  There are already commercials, solicitations to be a census worker, etc. to advertise this fact.  And didn't we learn in government or civics or social studies class that they do the damn census every 10 years?

[NHSparky]

We got ours yesterday.  To be fair, didn't the government send out notices about getting the tax rebate check ,(or whatever they called it), under President Bush?

Yes, but that actually served somewhat of a purpose by telling us WHEN we could expect our checks.

ETA: Those who got them, anyway.  I got the first one, but not the one in 2008.

[IassaFTots]

The crap about the trees and how many needed to be cut down to produce those letters is a load of shit, though.  Trees are a renewable resource.

If that paper wasn't wasted on that stupid letter, it would've been wasted on the HCR and all its versions.

Which is also a waste.   See, I have a theme going on.....Wasteful Wednesday.   

[Chris_]

Yeah. I got one of those letters on Monday.

It went immediately into the shitcan.    

Mine too....

doc

[Eupher]

Which is also a waste.   See, I have a theme going on.....Wasteful Wednesday.   

 

[jinxmchue]

I got the letter.  I thought it was interesting that it was addressed from the Commerce Department even though Obama moved control of the census to the White House.

[RightCoast]

Trying to keep the post office in the black...oops too late.

[DefiantSix]

Trying to keep the post office in the black...oops too late.

 

[Thor]

I'm pretty pissed that the Govt is WASTING our money on commercials for the census, sending out advance notices, etc. After all, it IS the law that one answers the census, at least to some extent. Then, the ****ing letter had explanations in several different languages. I guess they want to cater to the hispanic, asiatic, and russians. WTFO?? what about those that speak french or German?? ****ing racist bastard Government!!!

[Eupher]

I'm pretty pissed that the Govt is WASTING our money on commercials for the census, sending out advance notices, etc. After all, it IS the law that one answers the census, at least to some extent. Then, the ****ing letter had explanations in several different languages. I guess they want to cater to the hispanic, asiatic, and russians. WTFO?? what about those that speak french or German?? ****ing racist bastard Government!!!

Don't hold back, Rob. 

Too bad you can't quite ban the gubmint. I'd LOVE to see that avatar.

[insert caveman pic here]
U.S. Government
BANNED