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Some estimate these phone calls may be costing American taxpayers millions of dollars

U.S. Census Bureau Finds New Ways To Waste Taxpayer Dollars



RFFM.org Staff Writer RFFM.org is reporting the United States Census Bureau is making phone calls, contacting households which have already returned their 2010 census forms.

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Some accused the U.S. Census Bureau of wasting taxpayer dollars when letters were sent out in advance informing every U.S. household that they would soon be receiving a census form in the mail. A week later, the forms arrived. The next week, a follow-up letter was issued which said, in essence, by now you should have received your form and sent it back to comply with federal law. It is not known how much these extra mailings cost American taxpayers. But more taxpayer dollars may be wasted because the United State Census Bureau is contacting households--who have already returned their census surveys--to confirm information submitted on the original U.S. Census Bureau document. "I was shocked," said a central Illinois resident who requested anonymity. "I received a phone call on June 15th from a census worker who was essentially reviewing with me the information I had already mailed in. My wife and I are in our late 50's and this worker was asking me if we had any newborn children since submitting the original document. I questioned the caller why the Census Bureau was wasting taxpayer dollars with such a redundant phone call. I also became concerned that the caller might not have been connected with the Census Bureau because I know of no one who had ever received such a phone call during past or current census taking periods." When asked, the Census worker provided this individual with a toll-free number [1-866-851-2010] to call the Census Bureau, in order to confirm the call was legitimate. The individual was also provided an eight digit case number to refer to regarding their census form. "The very next day, June 16th, I received another phone call from a different census worker. I told him I had received a call the previous day and would not answer his questions and promptly hung up. These phone calls were a clear waste of my taxpayer dollars," said the irate central Illinois resident. The Census Bureau has always hired workers to visit households who did not return their surveys and this procedure is still a part of the census taking process. However, RFFM.org is not aware of any time in the past when a phone bank system has been used to contact those who have complied with federal law. From April 25th through May 1st, 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau website reported 575,700 temporary workers were employed for the 12 Regional Census Centers which cover the entire U.S. The website does not provide a break down of how many of these temporary workers are participating in the phone bank system. Some estimate these phone calls may be costing American taxpayers millions of dollars. RFFM.org is reporting possibly thousands of similiar follow-up phone calls are being made by Census Bureau employees. The U.S. Census Bureau could not be reached for comment regarding the issue.


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Daniel T. Zanoza -- Bio and Archives

Daniel T. Zanoza of Lincoln, IL, formerly of Chicago, was born into life November 27, 1953, and born into eternity January 6, 2011.
He is survived by his wife, Julie, of Lincoln, IL.

Dan was a pro-life/pro-family activist, as well as chairman of the Springfield Nativity Scene Committee in Springfield, IL. He was also a journalist and freelance writer.


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