COM 0852.000 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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API:-30-98 THU 1:44 PH KAUAI COUNTY CLERK PAX NO. 1 808 2416349 P,11 NACo General Session March 1. 1998 Page 3 During this entire process, the focus should be on providing a good job, good home, good health care, and safe neighborhoods for people of all ethnic groups. Address on the Year 2000 Census Mr. Mallard, U.S. Department of Commerce - Economic Development Administration -(EDA)-representative, thanked NACo for its 1997 resolution supporting the upcoming.---- Year 2000 U.S. Census. Since 1970, when Census return was primarily by mad, respondent numbers have been declining. He further asked NACo members' assistance to help address the EDA's "Ilst review program." The U.S. Census is critical because It Is the base used to measure and distribute political capability and funds to address population growth problems. The 1990 Census was simply not accurate; it missed 8 million while over-counting by 4 million; those who were missed were-i-gplyvulnerable.-marginalized populations of the poor and renters. There is a need to use all technology and means available to address this problem, such as: (1) partnerships with State and local governments; (2) "simple" mall-out and return solutions; (3) advertising and toll-free Census "hot lines;" and (4) scientifically valid sampling- Problems with the Census are caused by population mobility, irregular and complex living arrangements, irregular housing units, respondent ambivalence towards the - - Census,-Ifmited ability-to, understand-the-english language, and no usual. addresses. Mallard stressed the need to make certain that special efforts be made to count those who have been previously missed and/or ignored, particularly because those missed are those who would most benefit from programs based on Census data. He added that children's programs are most affected by an inaccurate Census count. Mr. Hoffman, assistant to Chairman Miller of the Congressional Subcommittee on the .-Yeai-2000 Census, stated that-ta=disagrees with the Federal Administration's solutions to inaccuracies contained In the 1990 U.S. Census. He noted that while 98.4% of the population was counted in 1990, the process may not have been executed correctly by the EDA. He further noted that Congress is not "sold" on the Federal Administration's proposed use of scientific sampling for the Year 2000 Census, as by the U.S. Constitution Congress is required to enumerate, not sample, the population. Further, the EDA is proposing to deliberately not count 12% of the population and fill this area In with "statistically-drawn" people. Therefore, use of statistical analysis may not be constitutional and cannot be used as the basis for representative district re- apportionment Hoffman fools that the focus should be on improving upon the Census field operations, which will consist of 250,000 census workers. There Is also an Issue with the tabulation of late returns, and a "second adjustment" by which late returns are