WDET News
- Census to Seek "Snowbirds"
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Nov 9, 2009General
Census officials say the 2010 questionnaire will be seeking Michiganders who go south for the winter.
With the start of the census about six months from now, Federal and state officials say they want to make sure Michigan has an accurate count of its population.
Dennis Hightower is Deputy Secretary of Commerce. He says the final question on the census form should help.
“And finally, do you sometimes stay or live somewhere other than the residence you listed? This is the attempt to cover as many of the possibilities as we can of different migration patterns, different snowbird patterns.”
Michigan officials say the state has lost over $200 million a year over the last decade in federal aid because so-called “snowbirds” have not claimed Michigan as their official residence.
The 2010 census starts April 1st.