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Cities challenge census undercount By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Eagle Point City Administrator David Hussell has mixed emotions about challenging U.S. census results. "It's an irritant and it's a huge time-consuming project," said Hussell, who thinks the city's census population of 4,797 is short by at least 1,000 people, "but it would have a big impact on our community." Eagle Point is one of four Rogue Valley cities challenging the results of the 2000 census. Gold Hill, Rogue River, and Shady Cove are also examining the bureau's outcome. With census numbers determining congressional districting as well as state and federal tax distribution, cities could benefit from correcting an undercount, said Dick Converse of Rogue Valley Council of Governments. Converse is coordinating efforts between the bureau and local communities. The responsibility to compare census maps with actual dwellings falls on the city. The only city that has turned in its results is Rogue River. "The census showed 949 (homes), and in the recount they came up with 1,125," he said. While he doesn't know how the census bureau translates number of housing units into population, he does anticipate that this will mean more funding for Rogue River. Gold Hill also may have been undercounted. "According to (water) billing, we have 1,200 people. The census bureau put us at 1,075," said Tony Paxton, city recorder. "We've identified a couple areas where we think there were errors," he said, adding that there is a mobile home park that the census listed one dwelling where there actually are 80. The census listed Shady Cove's population at 2,307, but Gretchen Meloth, city planner, thinks that number is under by about 100. "We are going to be pursuing that," she said. "I do have the (census) map," she said. "I will be seeing if there's anything glaring." She said looking at records of sewer connections will help determine the count's accuracy. Meloth estimates that state funding may be around $39 per capita, which could mean an extra $3,900 for Shady Cove, a significant amount in a small community's budget. "Federal programs, housing programs, all of those things are based on those numbers," she said. Meloth said she heard from residents who said they never were contacted. Many of those people have post office boxes instead of street addresses. Hussell said they're having similar findings in Eagle Point. ''We found that there were a lot of people who never were contacted and a lot of them were post office box people," he said. Eagle Point has the additional challenge of making sure they don't include the nearly 400 new homes that have been built since the April 2000 census count. A spokesperson for the Census Bureau said the count's question resolution program is handling census challenges. The bureau will not be collecting new information, but will investigate each challenge, he said. "We examine what we have and examine (each city's) records," he said. The deadline for census 2000 challenges is Sept. 30, 2003, he said, adding that he's already seen some challenges come in. They have not been noticing any trends, such as undercounts in rural communities. In fact, he thinks that overall, the numbers are accurate. "This was a good census," he said. "I worked on the 1990 census and this one was so much better operationally." For information on the Census Bureau, check out www.census.gov on the Web. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.