Council ActionCommittee on Law and Government
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WHEREAS
, The United States Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years that counts every citizen and non citizen residing in the United States and based on the count, the Census affects political representation including the number of seats each state has in the United States House of Representatives; and
WHEREAS
, The Census data is used to direct the allocation of over $300 billion dollars in government funding every year to determine the most need for additional social services including who receives community development block grants and other grants, while serving as a planning tool for the development of new hospitals and schools; and
WHEREAS
, According to a October 13, 2009 article in
The Philadelphia Daily News
and a October 13, 2009 article in
The Philadelphia Inquirer
based on a report released by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the City of Philadelphia is lagging behind other major cities in mounting the kind of local outreach and awareness campaign for the 2010 Census that many experts consider important for achieving a full count; and
WHEREAS
, According to the Pew Charitable Trusts report, Preparing for the 2010 Census: How Philadelphia and Other Cities Are Struggling and Why It Matters, the year 2000 Census probably undercounted Philadelphia's population by about 8,000 people; and
WHEREAS
, Households and neighborhoods that typically do not complete Census questionnaires are in poor African American, Hispanic and other ethnic and immigrant communities where lack of trust and confidence in Government is prevalent; and
WHEREAS
, By being informed about the Census and better understanding of the Census process, residents are more likely to respond to the Census questionnaire; and
WHEREAS
, Council takes this opportunity to solicit collaborative efforts in forming complete count committees throughout the City of Philadelphia that incorporate local knowledge, influence and possible resources to educate residents and promote the census through a locally based, targeted outreach and promotion effort; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,
That City Council's Committee on Law and Government hold public hearings on citizen outreach regarding the United States Census 2010 in Philadelphia and investigate options of outreach to avoid an undercount of Philadelphia Citizens in the upcoming United States Census 2010 Count results.
End