For one reason or another, many Americans are reluctant to stand up and be counted for the 1990 census. In fact, census officials are worried that they will have to spend millions of dollars extra because people are not sending back the forms they received in the mail. Adding to the problem is the fact that some people never got the forms at all.
So far only 57 percent of the mail forms have been returned, according to Census Bureau Director Barbara Bryant. Officials had hoped and planned for a 70 percent mail return rate. Since it costs about $10 million for each one percent of households that have to be visited by census-takers, we are talking real money here. If the return rate doesn`t improve, the extra cost could run up to $130 million.
The reluctance to fill out and return the forms could be far more costly than that, however. An inaccurate count could result in congressional and state legislative, and local election districts that are incorrectly or unfairly apportioned. It could result in cities, counties, and states losing billions of dollars in federal aid. And the people who most need that aid are the people most likely not to be counted.
In Chicago, the situation is even worse than it is nationally. Only 49.3 percent of Chicagoans have returned the forms. And the lowest returns are in the poorest areas where an accurate count is so important.
The reasons for the low return rate include laziness, fear, confusion and rebellion. For instance, one woman said of her form: ”It`s been sitting on the kitchen table for a month.” Many people are afraid the government won`t keep the forms confidential. Or they just plain fear the government. Some immigrants, often illegal immigrants, have spent their lives distrusting any government. Others find the forms confusing.
And then there is good old American rebelliousness. Even when it`s for our own good, we are sometimes reluctant to do what we are told. In an era when people are testy about lack of government services and incompetent and corrupt officials, they kind of like to stick it to the government.
But the census is too important for petty rebellion. A government of, for, and by the people needs to know how many people there are.
