LAUDERHILL – At a recent news conference on the Census, State Representative Hazelle Rogers (D-Lauderhill) addressed a group of concerned residents, including mayors and vice mayors representing 7 of the 8 cities from District 94 on the 2010 Census Complete Count Committee.
As part of an ongoing effort to ensure Florida receives its fair share of federal funding, Governor Charlie Crist signed Executive Order 09-41, creating the statewide 2010 Sunshine Census Complete Count Committee. 45 Floridians to serve on the committee 5 State Legislators were appointed as delegates to that committee; Representative Rogers is one of them.
“One of the most important partners of the Census is the media. Those of us standing here recognize that the media is also diverse; it is broadcast (radio and television), print, and electronic. Our community is also diverse and our media should reflect that diversity when promoting and trying to reach our community during this Census process.” said Rogers.
Broward County ranks twenty-eight on the U.S Census Bureau’s list of 50 counties with the largest number of people living in “hard-to-count” areas. The Census Bureau uses a range of correlated demographics and socio-economic factors correlated factors such as low mail response, poverty, and high unemployment and crowded housing to designate a community as “hard to count”.
State Representative Hazelle Rogers
Our goal is to count every man, woman and child who lives in the eight cities that have historically had a low response rates, including African-Americans, laborers, Hispanics, immigrants, children, and young adult males. In addition to the mayors, over the past 2 years, I have been working with members representing a wide array of community-based and faith-based organizations to include the ICS who has partnered with the coalition to work with the immigrant/Caribbean population.
“We are asking the US Census Bureau to include the local residents in their employment at every level and would like to assure our community that information obtained by the Census Bureau employees is kept with strict confidence and employees take an oath and are subject to jail time”; Rogers emphasized.
By our active participation we will save needed funds by not having to challenge the Census to guarantee our fair share of federal dollars that is critical to our communities’ viability in these financially challenging times.
The leaders standing here will share with you their plan for achieving a complete count for their municipalities. This collaboration will ensure an accurate count of the people who reside in Broward County in 2010. Thank you for joining us today and for being a partner in this important process.
You can contact Rep. Rogers by E-mail: @ [email protected]
