Census aims for accuracy

Numbers from nationwide count provide federal funds; city faces potential loss of millions of dollars

Web posted March 12, 2000

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By Matthew Boedy
Staff Writer

Three weeks before the most advertised census in U.S. history, census workers are crossing their fingers and hoping the estimated $167 million campaign to erase undercounts will work.

About 115 million form letters were delivered this past week to homes across the nation to inform people that in the next few days they would receive their forms for Census 2000.

The letters were written in six languages including Korean, Spanish and Tagalog, one of two official languages in the Philippines. Those who received the letter could request a census form in the language they best understood.

``We're trying to make it as consumer-friendly as possible,'' said John Harlan, manager of the Augusta-area Census2000 office.

Census response rates have declined over the past three counts, from a high of 78 percent in 1970 to a low of 65 percent in 1990. Trying to combat an estimated 61 percent response rate expected this year, Census2000 has gone on-line with some forms.

The face-to-face count already has started in rural counties, Mr. Harlan said. Census workers have knocked on doors in Warren, Screven and Emanuel counties and even some parts of south Richmond County.

``We have people that bring the form right to the front door,'' Mr. Harlan said.

Along with the federal advertising dollars, the U.S. Census Bureau has formed partnerships with local governments to aid in keeping any undercount to a minimum.

Richmond County reported a 2.7 percent undercount in 1990, leaving out about 5,000 people. Statewide the count missed about 150,000 people.

``Mayor Young has been in the forefront of all city and county officials in the state,'' Mr. Harlan said. ``He has been the most active in promoting the census.''

The Augusta Complete Count Commission, formed last summer by Mr. Young, has brought together neighborhood volunteers to help ensure forms will be returned and help counters find those who historically are lost in the final tally -- the homeless.

``It is a massive, massive effort,'' said Solomon Walker II, chairman of the commission. ``A lot of the credit goes to volunteers.''

About 30 part-time workers and some 45 volunteers have been putting flyers on buses, shelters and in payroll checks to spread the word of the upcoming head count.

Mr. Harlan said his work force is only 44 percent full. He said the bureau needs about 3,000 more people to meet their need of 7,700.

``We are in competition with other people who want part-time workers. It's tough,'' Mr. Harlan said.

Even with the small number of workers, Mr. Harlan said the job will get done. All-night counts at soup kitchens, homeless shelters and outdoor sleeping spots are planned between March 27-29.

Counting every person is important because federal funds are distributed based on the census count. Since the 1990 census, Richmond County has lost more than $93 million, Mr. Walker said. A report issued by the census bureau this week said Augusta could lose as much as $12.8 million during the next decade because of about 179,000 people in Georgia who will fail to return their forms.

Across the river in Aiken County, schools are getting involved to encourage parents to return their census forms. Estimates vary, but the county lost somewhere between $37 million and $62 million over the last decade.

Aiken County elementary school children can win a $25 gift certificate to Wal-Mart, said Joan Wilson, chairwoman of Aiken County's Complete Count Commission.

Each student whose parents sign a letter saying they returned their census forms will receive a pencil and a sticker and will be entered into the Wal-Mart drawing.

Also Ms. Wilson said local high school students helped post 2,000 census posters and the National Census Bus will visit the county April 12. All the hard work should reduce the 2 percent undercount the county had in 1990, she said.

``I think it is impossible to erase the undercount,'' Ms. Wilson said. ``What we are trying to do is minimize it.''