Requesting that the City of Philadelphia, in conjunction with the appropriate agencies and unions, distribute a reminder to all City employees to complete the 2000 Census forms, coinciding with distribution of the City payroll checks.

WHEREAS, As of 1999, county by county Census estimates, Philadelphia lost more than 17,367 people; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has lost more residents than any other municipality over the last decade; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has also lost over one million residents since 1960; and

WHEREAS, Millions of dollars in state and federal funds are dependent upon the number of residents that are reported on the Census forms; and

WHEREAS, State and federal representation in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives is based upon population; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has lost millions of dollars in federal and state aid because of a decline in population; and

WHEREAS, Many experts and studies have indicated that Philadelphia has been historically undercounted in the decennial the Census reports; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia one of, if not the, largest employer of Philadelphians; now therefore

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Request that the City of Philadelphia, in conjunction with the appropriate agencies and unions, distribute a reminder to all City employees to complete the 2000 Census forms, coinciding with distribution of the City payroll check.

End