Posted on 05/08/2009 8:06:03 PM PDT by Libloather
Census workers going door to door
By TOM MOOR, Tribune Staff Writer
Story Updated: May 8, 2009 at 6:43 PM EDT
Sharon Sheely said she received quite the scare earlier this week.
When Sheely answered a knock on her door and asked who was there, an unknown man replied only by saying, “Census.”
Believing the man appeared “questionable,” Sheely told him to leave and closed the door.
Aside from the bad manners Sheely said the man had, what she experienced is happening everywhere.
Every residence in this region will receive a visit from the U.S. Census Bureau in the next two months as census workers prepare to verify more than 145 million addresses nationwide.
While some people may already know this, it certainly came as a surprise for Sheely.
“I wasn’t aware anything like this was going on,” said Sheely, of Lakeville.
Sheely contacted The Tribune because she’s worried many people don’t know that census workers are already canvassing neighborhoods.
The effort is part of a nationwide operation to verify, update and inquire about additional living quarters on the premises of residences nationwide — the first step in assuring every housing unit receives a questionnaire in March 2010.
“In our region, they have been instructed to knock on every door,” said Muriel Jackson, spokesman for the Chicago Regional Census Center. “There may have been some instances they didn’t, but as far as I know it’s a procedure.”
South Bend has a census office, but all media inquiries were directed to the Chicago office.
Sheely was concerned because her home had recently been burglarized and she didn’t feel she could trust a stranger at her door. Sheely also mentioned the potential dangers of elderly people being targeted by people posing as census workers.
Workers can be identified by the official Census Bureau badge they carry, Jackson said. The employees will ask only to verify a housing unit’s address and whether there are additional living quarters on the property. Workers will never ask for any bank or Social Security information.
For more information about the 2010 Census, call the Census Bureau’s Partnership and Data Services Division at (312) 454-2770.
The Census Bureau is currently recruiting managers for its new offices to open this fall in each congressional district. For more information, go to www.census.gov.
If they get to my door my Rott’s have been shot or already ate 4 of the census takers and have been poisoned !
Knocked on my door twice in the last two weeks. When questioned, the 2nd “visitor” said the first visit made a mistake and the hand held computer wasn’t working. I told him to get lost and the dogs wanted to get out...
Our address is plainly posted at the street. There’s no need to knock on our door.
No Soliciting
No Witnessing
No Canvassing
No Kidding
Came to my door. I asked if they were ACORN. They said no. I said goodbye.
We were away today but when we got home our neighbor said that the ACORN guy was around with his GPS. He confronted the guy on his property, told him that he was well aware through the web and radio of their unsavory connections and then told him to finish his business and get out.
We are on a rather bumpy road in rural Maine so these guys are thorough.
Oh yeah, he was in his late 50s and was driving a fairly nice car.
I’ve got a fenced in yard. I think I’ll get a “Beware of Dog” sign to hang on it. My two Yorkies couldn’t scare a flea but we keep them inside most of the time anyway, so that would keep any visitors guessing. Like everything else this administration is doing, this census is going to be a sham.
Actually the ACORN statement above is an assumption. Are these guys ACORN? If not how did the gov’t get thousands of workers so quickly?
I’ll be locking the outside porch door and if I see someone coming just close the inside door. Viola` no one home. :)
Get a GUARD CAT sign. I find most people are more scared of crazy cats than dogs.
Take pictures of these ‘Census’ workers
Isn’t this 2009?
The census does not take place until 2010
LOL......:o)
All these people want is the GPS coordinates of your house. The easier way to find weapon locations.
I live in a very liberal district, so when they come, I will report one resident. -_-
With the millions of census workers, the odds that any of them also are with ACORN are infintesimal. The accumulation of odd fantasies around the Census is amazing.
You seriously believe a man in his 50s in rural Maine is with ACORN?
Wouldn't they simply know everything they need to know by your federal tax return? (Yorkies exempted, of course...)
“Beware of Dog” how about adding “Trespassers will be Eaten”. That should get their attention.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.