When residents are not counted in the Census, the district does not get federal funds for them. Every resident should be counted. Schools and all services need the money and every dollar counts. - - Donna Poisl
Written by DESONTA HOLDER
State Rep. Hazelle Rogers wants everyone in South Florida, legally documented or not, to be counted in the 2010 Census.
“I’m willing to put my name on the line to assure our immigrant population that they will not be targeted,’’ Rogers told members of the media during a July 29 press conference on the steps of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center near Fort Lauderdale.
During the 2000 Census count, fewer than 40 percent of questionnaires mailed to areas with high immigrant populations were returned.
In Florida, an estimated 190,000 people were not counted. If fear prevents people from filling out the questionnaires, which will be mailed in March 2010, communities could lose their fair share of more than $300 billion for schools, hospitals, senior citizen centers and other community services.
“Every 1,000 people that’s undercounted is equivalent to $1.2 million that’s lost in federal dollars,’’ said Hulbert James, chair of the South Florida Caribbean American Complete Count Committee.
“When cities are hurting for dollars, every dollar counts.’’
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