Accurate Census In 2000 Crucial To Region, Says UB Institute

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Without a strong response to the decennial census, both New York State and the Buffalo-Niagara region stand to lose federal funds and potentially Congressional representation, the director of the University at Buffalo Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth warns.

John B. Sheffer, II cites concern over potential census undercounts as the impetus behind a statewide initiative -- "Census 2000 Complete Count" -- to encourage census participation.

"The institute is among a group of organizations -- local, state and federal -- encouraging businesses and community organizations to help get word out about the importance of the census," Sheffer says. "Projections show that with an undercount as small as 50,000 people, New York State could lose another seat in Congress.

"Census data also drive much federal funding for transportation projects, workforce training, transitional employment, community economic development, programs for the disadvantaged and a range of other programs. The federal government allocates such funds based on a census-driven understanding of the region's population. So if we have an undercount, we stand to lose some share of essential support," Sheffer adds.

The statewide initiative, spearheaded by the Empire State Development Corporation, is being conducted by the New York State Association of Regional Councils, which includes such organizations as the Southern Tier West Planning and Development Council in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Allegany counties. For Erie and Niagara counties, which have no regional council, the group has contracted with the UB institute to help facilitate Census Complete Count efforts in the Buffalo-Niagara region.

The New York State group also is working with affiliates of the Census Partnership Program, a Census Bureau group focused on promoting Complete Count initiatives.

"The Complete Count program covers a range of issues," Sheffer notes. "In some cases, the census needs local assistance in identifying places where the population may be hard to count, such as shelters. In other cases, community groups can help open doors to census workers in neighborhoods and communities where residents historically have been uncomfortable responding to census questions."

The national and statewide Complete Count initiatives include a number of opportunities for participation by educators, community groups and businesses. The Census Bureau, in conjunction with Scholastic, Inc., is offering a "Census in the Schools" kit to help teachers include census information in curricula.

Organizations may include announcements about the census in newsletters, invite census speakers to meetings, help recruit census workers or offer sites for questionnaire assistance centers where respondents can seek help in completing census forms.

"New York State's undercount in 1990 was on the order of 272,000 people, with Erie and Niagara counties accounting for more than 6,000 of those people," Sheffer says. "We think this program can help ensure that our region and state are fully counted in Census 2000, positioning us to receive an accurate share of representation and funding."

For more information on how to participate in Complete Count initiatives, contact the institute at 829-3777 or via email at regional-institute@acsu.buffalo.edu.