With the state and our local areas in virtual economic free fall, the 2010 census is perhaps the single most important population count in the history of California. There is almost nothing that will ensure our continued decline or alternatively provide the resources to help build a prosperous future than the census.
In Los Angeles and across the state, community organizers are mobilizing and strategizing the outreach to various constituencies in an attempt to avoid a catastrophic undercount. But at a time when census resources are needed more than ever, California has precipitously reduced funding for the outreach.
The state has cut the outreach funding from $26 million in the 2000 census to a mere $2.5 million for 2010 – a 90 percent reduction. How can California be so shortsighted as to virtually eliminate funding now? Equally important, considering the significance of the count, why is the public debate on the subject so muted? As bad as the reduction decision is, the lack of any real outcry – from elected officials and the public – may be even more disconcerting.
It could be because most citizens do not really know what happens when there is an undercount. Funding to reach the populace and provide this knowledge is critical. For every undercounted person, California will lose more than $11,000 in federal revenues.
California is one of the hardest populations to count in the census as a result of its large immigrant and low-income populations. The state’s population has grown significantly since the 2000 census, with the immigrant population increasing by more than 13 percent. The massive economic downturn has made matters significantly worse. An example: Foreclosures have pushed many people from homeowners (who are easy to count) to transitory renters (who are harder to count).
Loss of funds
Los Angeles has been identified as the single hardest city to count in America. If Los Angeles, with a population of 10 million, has only a 1 percent undercount, more than $1 billion in federal funds over the next 10 years will be lost. What that means is funding for local schools will be cut. Public hospitals will have to close. Roads and bridges will deteriorate and collapse. And community centers and health clinics will no longer able to operate.
Additionally, since the census is the basis for determining congressional representation, an undercount means that California and Los Angeles will lose representation and political voting power in Washington at a time when the need for increased effective representation is demanded for the state’s estimated population of 37 million.
Despite the legal guaranty of confidentiality for census data, historical fear and misunderstanding about the count are still deep-rooted in low income communities and communities of color. These fears are fueled by both the economic climate and by the concerns of providing personal information in a post-9/11 era. Raising awareness about the census’ implications and overcoming the trepidation associated with the census can only be remedied by aggressive and effective outreach campaigns. And these campaigns and efforts cost money. A $50 million outlay for census outreach (or a two-fold increase over the 2000 expenditure levels) would be only a minor “blip” in the state’s budget, especially when juxtaposed against an undercount impact of lost revenue and political clout.
The future of this region is quite literally being defined as we all sleep. The clock is ticking and the time is now for the people of Los Angeles – the nation’s most likely undercounted city – and the state of California to wake up and get directly involved before it is too late.
Blair H. Taylor is president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Urban League. He also is an appointed member to the state’s Census Committee.
