I can only add my amazement that such action is being considered by the US. In Australia, we unfortunately do not have any preserved records like your US censuses. A census is taken in Australia every 5yrs, but does not contain any personal information. The results are used for the future plans for health, housing, population origins etc. The US does not realise who fortunate they are to have access to such a wonderful resource. In Australia, I have to rely upon BDM's to find ancestors (a very hit and miss operations at times). I wish Australia had followed the US lead and kept the original forms which its citizens fill out. Is there a email address that I can contact to plead my case? I hope someone sees reason and retains these wonderful pieces of history so future generations can trace the passage of their ancestors. Jane Sullivan AUSTRALIA -----Original Message----- From: massgencouncil-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:massgencouncil-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of John Lisle Sent: Saturday, 20 February 2010 6:12 AM To: Melinde Sanborn Cc: 'MGC Rootsweb'; 'Michael Brophy' Subject: Re: [MASSGENCOUNCIL] 2010 census Melinde et al, The community needs to act like the Canadian community acted several years ago to preserve their census data. Political action... This is an election year and genealogists need to let their elected leaders be aware that this is an issue of critical import. Go to whitehouse.gov and leave a personal message for President Obama. Contact your Senators and congress members. Make sure they know that this is an issue. I have contacted my members and, of course, none of them are aware of this issue. Individuals need to make them aware. Here is a question that I posed to Pres. Obama: "Do you want to go down in history as the President who erased this whole history from our National Archives?" john. nashua, nh At 11:24 AM 2/19/2010, Melinde Sanborn wrote: >Adding to Michael's posting, I have discussed this matter with the U.S. >Census History staff member Bill Maury, and read both the U.S. Census Bureau >Strategic Plan FY 2007-2012 and the Budget submission for 2009, and there is >no break-out in the budget for preservation. I can track the budget changes >needed when the census bureau decided to go to paper after training staff >and buy hand held computers. There are also provisions for protecting >personal identifying data. > > http://www.census.gov/main/www/strategicplan/strategicplan.html and > >http://www.census.gov/aboutus/FY_2009_Census_Bureau_Budget.pdf > >I have a call in to the Decenniel Management Division to identify any funds >for digitizing or even transporting of the census forms to NARA. This call >has not been returned. I can, however, identify an awarded contract to a >company called Data Killers, who destroy "all kinds of media." > >Melinde ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MASSGENCOUNCIL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message