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In addition to ‘missing out,’ Census slackers
Some sections of Allegany County more difficult to reach than others
CUMBERLAND — Elizabeth Stahlman has calculated that for every head of household in Allegany County with a spouse and three children who didn’t fill out a 2000 Census questionnaire, local government lost nearly $64,000 over the last decade.
Multiply that by the number of households that did not complete the forms, and that amounts to some real money, said Stahlman, chairwoman of Allegany County’s Local Complete Count Committee for Census 2010.
Stahlman oversaw the group’s second meeting on Tuesday at the County Office Complex on Kelly Road. Nearly 20 members representing the Allegany County Library System, higher education, correctional institutions and faith-based organizations — all stakeholders in the next headcount — discussed with U.S. Census Bureau officials Patricia Watkins and Dennis Rooney why certain areas of the county are harder to reach than others.
“If you completely go uncounted in your community, you’ll be missing out,” Stahlman said.
Data taken from each count helps determine the allocations of some $400 billion for the next decade, Stahlman said, and is the catalyst for legislative redistricting, based on population, when appropriate. In Allegany County, it amounted to more than $93 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2007 alone. Services funded range from public health and education — such as medical assistance, head start and community development block grants and Title I grants — to public transportation and judicial programs, such as highway planning and construction and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
“That’s a pretty big number,” Stahlman said.
Initially, all residents are mailed a questionnaire. In 2010, that process begins on or about April 1. Those who do not mail in the questionnaire are visited by Census workers, usually local residents hired by the federal government on a temporary basis.
The final response rate for Maryland was 69 percent, which tied for 15th in the national and bettered the national average of 67 percent. Pennsylvania had a 70 percent final response rate. West Virginia was tied for 33rd at 64 percent. In Allegany and Garrett counties, the response rates weren’t as high.
Grantsville had a final response rate of 70 percent, followed by Friendsville at 69 percent. Cumberland, Frostburg and Midland each had a 63 percent response rate. Westernport’s response rate was 61 percent. Luke (53 percent) and Lonaconing (52 percent) rounded out the bottom of the figures available.
Allegany County’s overall final response rate was 66 percent. Garrett County stood at 55 percent while Washington County reached the 70 percent response rate.
“Part of our goal is to reduce undercounted, or hard to count, areas,” Stahlman said.
In Allegany County, that means putting a special emphasis on the U.S. Route 220 corridor south of Bel Air, the Lower Georges Creek area and eastern Allegany County communities.
Members stressed that part of the problem could be an aging population that is distrusting of any documents, especially those purporting to be from a government agency. Stahlman said a respondent’s information is kept confidential for 72 years, during which time no government office or outside agency or individual other than the U.S. Census Bureau has access to the information.
Linda Burkey, a public relations coordinator for the county library system, said it was difficult reaching residents via the Internet in eastern Allegany County due to lack of infrastructure. The only Internet service available there is by way of satellite dish, a costly alternative, she said.
David Umling, Cumberland city planner, asked if there might be a disconnect between those whose mail is picked up at post office boxes and the physical addresses made available to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“That’s a good question,” Watkins said.
Umling said if that’s the case, the problem could be two-fold. First, mail addressed to the physical address could be returned to sender. Second, there could be a problem with Census workers linking post office box numbers with physical addresses.
The college campus population is an important contributor toward an accurate Census count, Watkins said.
“We need to make sure college students know we don’t want a double count,” she said. “If they live here to go to school, we want them counted here.”
That’s not necessarily an issue with local prisons, with some members lightheartedly noting inmates don’t have a choice in residency and are required to fill out a questionnaire. But Rev. Alfred Deas Jr., of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, said it’s important for inmates released during that time to not go home and fill out a second questionnaire.
For Census 2010 information or on past years’ information, log on to www.census.maryland.gov
Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.
