By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-893835.mp3
Dallas, TX – Today is Census Day: the deadline to return your 2010 Census Form.
Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano is vice-chair of the 2010 Census Advisory Committee. She says about 50% of census forms, nationally, have been returned so far.
Medrano: Dallas right now is running a little behind national average. We're running at about 41 percent response rate. The city that's doing really, really well is Fort Worth. They're at 45%.
Border cities, like Laredo and Brownsville are in the 30's.
Medrano says the census determines where federal funds for education, transportation, and other programs will be spent. It also determines political representation at the State Capitol and in Washington.
Households that do not return the form will get a reminder postcard, then a visit from a census taker.