|
Census Participation Vital
Posted 3-30-2000
As we close in on April, no one single event this year, and I'll include the
Presidential Election, is as important to participate in than the census. It
is imperative that each and every citizen participates or our county (and
region) will show worse results than expected.
In the best case scenario,
things aren't exactly rosy for western Pennsylvania or the commonwealth. But
if we are unresponsive or uncooperative about this small effort, we only
stand to suffer for another decade.
Possibly as many as 750,000
people in the 1990 census were not counted in Pennsylvania. That meant
millions of dollars that didn't come to Pennsylvania during the 1990s. If we
are undercounted again, we will continue to lose money and representation in
Washington.
The U.S. Census Bureau put
out another estimate recently and the figures aren't particularly favorable.
Why they continue to put out
estimates in the year of the census puzzles me.
It almost seems like they
want to spread discouraging news before the actual census, or prepare us for
a less-than-favorable result.
But irrespective of the
estimates, we must actively participate. The reason is, during each census
the Census Bureau does estimates also.
When that happened in 1990,
the results of their estimate were 2,000 people less than the actual census.
If we missed people in the census, the real number of people living in our
county was higher than the 370,000 shown in that census. It was even higher
than the 368,000 the Census Bureau estimated.
The most troubling data from
this most recent report was that deaths outpaced births in Westmoreland
County during 1999.
The margin was close (3,797
births to 4,398 deaths), but to not have births greater than deaths leaves
it only to people moving into our county to increase our population.
The birth and death
statistics aren't estimates, but actual figures, so unless we create
opportunity for people to stay here, plus have people relocate here, we
can't experience much population increase.
That challenge brings the
focus back to the county's economy. Unless we are creating considerably more
jobs than we are losing there's no way to increase our population.
Recognizing people may live in other counties but work here, only more good
jobs will keep our residents here and attract new people.
According to the Pennsylvania
Department of Labor and Industry, we saw a plus 5,906 in total employment in
our county in the period of 1996-1998. A portion of that number can be
attributed to SONY but not the whole number. For the period from 1990-1998,
the percentage change in total employment in Westmoreland County was 11.7
percent. If these statistics continue to show a positive trend, maybe
employment can help drive our census numbers up.
If for no reason other than
responsible citizenship, please participate in the census. Our nation has
been conducting a census since 1790, when it had to be very hard to conduct.
Now when it simply requires us to answer some questions, let's act in a
positive manner and respond to either the mailed questionnaire or a visit by
a Census Bureau employee. |
