It's in our hands

USA Today reported that the U.S. Census Bureau has launched a $340 million media blitz to promote the 2010 census.  Now I know the census is actually in the constitution, but the purpose of the census seems to have taken on a new purpose.  The point of counting everyone every 10 years was to ensure the proper number or representatives in congress.  As areas grow or shrink so would the number of representatives in that district. However, some of the ads I have heard suggest that it is about getting money for buses, schools, and traffic lights.  All the ads suggest that if a town grows no one will know if we did not fill out the census.  Schools cannot determine that their student body is growing without the census?  Bus companies cannot determine that their ridership is growing without the census?  Really?  How do private businesses realize that the demand for their products are increasing?  This idea that we need to get our "fair share" of the tax money to keep our communities running seems a little misguided from the idea of ensuring proper representation in congress.