Area residents sought for coming mid-decade census

Are you a U.S. citizen interested in earning extra money and helping your community at the same time? The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting workers for an upcoming survey of all of Maricopa County.

Members of the Maricopa Association of Governments recently approved the 2005 Census effort. The large, mid-decade survey will be conducted throughout Maricopa County and will be used to update the population count of individual cities and towns, as well as the rest of the county. 

The Census Bureau will hire approximately 400 workers to begin work in May in preparation for a survey start date of Sept. 1. 

Arizona allocates about $1 billion of state-shared revenue to cities and towns each year based on the 2000 census population figures. Because of the rapidly growing population in the county, the mid-decade population count will be used to redistribute state-shared revenues more equitably to communities in Maricopa County, as provided for by state law.

Approximately 114,000 addresses will be selected to complete and mail back a questionnaire, which is scheduled to arrive on or around Sept. 1. Those who don’t respond by mail will be contacted by telephone or personal visit from October through December. Another 400 persons will be hired to conduct these personal visits.

Information: (602) 256-3225.

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