Story Published:
Oct 8, 2009 at 11:53 AM PDT
Story Updated:
Oct 8, 2009 at 11:53 AM PDT
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Cardinal Roger Mahony and other community leaders are urging Southland Latinos to take part in the 2010 census and ignore calls for a boycott.
“Ensuring our nation’s second-largest population group is fully counted is critical to recognizing our nation's diversity and to building future political strength,” Arturo Vargas of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund said at a news conference at City Hall Oct. 1.
“The census ... not only depicts the story we tell about our demographic makeup, but it also determines the allocation of federal funds and the seats of political power,” he said.
Some nationwide Latino groups have called for a boycott of the census until Congress enacts immigration legislation. But Villaraigosa dismissed those calls as ridiculous and “absolutely senseless.”
“For a community that’s been silenced for too long, it makes no sense to silence ourselves,” he said.
Mahony downplayed concerns that the census would be used as a tool for weeding out and deporting illegal immigrants.
“The census is confidential,” he said. “By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s answers with anyone, including welfare and immigration agencies.”
Latino elected officials, union leaders and Spanish-language media have joined forces to mount a campaign called “Ya es hora, hagase contar!” (It’s Time, Make Yourself Count!), aimed at ensuring all of the estimated 50 million Latinos in the country take part in the 2010 census.
NALEO estimated the 2000 Census failed to count about 3 percent of Latinos — equivalent to about 1 million people — leading to billions in lost federal funding.
“Don’t be afraid to be counted,” Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes said. “Be afraid not to be counted.”
Mahony said census data “will determine the allocation of up to $3 trillion in federal funds for essential programs such as public transportation, road construction, schools, child care and hospitals.”
“Latinos in the United States alone could see up to an additional $100 million in funding for their communities if the 2010 census can produce an accurate count,” he added.
The data is also used to determine congressional reapportionment and political representation in state and local legislative bodies.
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