Mayor Kicks Off Census Campaign

If you don't like people knocking on your door, you should send out your census form. That's the message Mayor Dawn Zimmer tried to send out Tuesday afternoon, in a kick-off effort to raise awareness for the Census Campaign. 

Census representatives will start knocking on doors on April 17. 

"We cannot be undercounted again," Zimmer said. The number of people counted in the census will determine federal funding for the coming decade. 

Zimmer, who said she sent in her form yesterday, said that the next ten years basically depend on people filling out these forms, and sending them. 

As of Tuesday afternoon Hoboken had a 55 percent response rate, according to Geraldine Clark, the partnership and data services coordinator for the U.S. Census 2010. Hoboken has the second highest response rate, righ behind Secaucus. 

The national rate was 60 percent on Tuesday, Hudson County had a 51 percent response rate and 56 percent for the state of New Jersey. 

The Census representatives had a table set up at the PATH station, where they gave out tote bags and flyers, among other free paraphernalia. 

Also present in front of City Hall was Hoboken native Douglas Santiago—best known for his role in the movie GirlFight. Santiago manned the table in front of City Hall and chatted with Hobokenites who walked by as well as elected officials who attended the kick-off event. 

Executive Director of the Housing Authority Carmelo Garcia, Councilmen Nino Giacchi, Michael Lenz and Ravinder Bhalla were there. Also present was Hudson County Freeholder Anthony "Stick" Romano.

"We need all the money we can get," said Romano.

Since the last census was held in 2000, Hoboken has acquired many high rises—filled with residents—such as the Tea Building and Maxwell Place. Zimmer said also that she wants to see students at the Stevens Institute of Technology send in their forms.