MichiganRadio

Cities, Towns Counting on The Census ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

Michigan towns and cities are gearing up for the 2010 census.

Those census numbers mean federal dollars to cash-strapped communities.

Preliminary census data shows Michigan losing population as the 2010 Census is about to begin. The state has lost 32 thousand people in just the past year. The results of the US Census will determine how hundreds of billions of dollars of federal aid is distributed. And Michigan towns and cities want their share.

Bob Johnson is the director of planning for the city of Lansing. He's also heading up the city's census campaign.

"Its vitality important that we get an accurate count because of the resource and the implications of having an inaccurate count," says Johnson, "And what that will mean to Lansing...quite frankly to any community that has an inaccurate count that is a number that is below what they actually have."

Johnson says it will be a challenge convincing some people that the personal information collected by the US Census will be kept a confidential. US Census forms will start arriving in Michigan mailboxes in March. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio