Las Vegas NowCensus Bureau Teaming with Minority Groups to Inform Residents

Census Bureau Teaming with Minority Groups to Inform Residents

Federal dollars help Nevada pay for many social services, but those funds depend on the current census. The funds could be inadequate if some people avoid being counted.

Many people do not understand the census. They see the form as a trick to get personal information, like citizenship status or an addresses for people wanted by police. Community leaders hope they can calm fears before it costs the state funding.

Ten questions in 10 minutes is the new slogan for the 2010 census. The Census Bureau is hoping simplicity will make forms more inviting. Some community leaders worry it will take more than just a shorter form to get people to respond.

"We have undocumented people and they are afraid to complete any kind of information and even if it is in Spanish, there may be some literacy issues," said Teri De La Torre with the Nevada Association of Latin Americans.

De La Torre says many in her community are either unable or unwilling to fill out the forms. "We can go into the barrios. We can go into the little communities. The problem is if you look official or you are not recognizable to them in the community, then they will not respond," she said.

The Census Bureau hopes by having local community leaders lead the push to fill out the forms, it will lessen fears. The more people willing to fill out the form, the better. "If you are missed, you are costing your community federal funds that can be used for improved services, for schools, hospitals and so on," said Thomas Mesenbourg, Deputy Director with the Census Bureau.

"The things they need depend on how many there are and if they do not sign up for the census, then it is as if they are not there," said Dorothy Height with the National Council of Negro Women.

For the first time, the Census Bureau is working along side groups like the Conference of Black Mayors to help people understand the importance of the census. "They do not understand that this is simply counting the number of people in each state in each community," said Height.

Numbers collected by the census will determine how $400 billion in federal funding will be allocated every year to states, local governments, and tribal governments.