McALLEN, Oct. 30 - To the chagrin of South Texas elected officials, Gov. Rick Perry has yet to respond to calls for the setting up of a statewide Complete Count Committee to ensure maximum participation in the 2010 Census.

 

The idea was first proposed by state Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, in a letter sent to Perry on Oct. 13. Villarreal told the Guardian he has yet to hear back from the Governor’s office.

 

“I was hoping Texas would follow the lead of other states in setting up a Complete Count Committee but I have not even received an acknowledgement of the letter. I hope to hear from Governor’s office soon but that is not going to hold me back from encouraging our mayors and county judges across the state to form Complete Count Committees at the local level,” Villarreal said.

 

Soon after Villarreal’s letter was sent to Perry, Texas Tribune reporter Brandi Grissom asked Perry spokesman Chris Cutrone for a response. “We understand this is an important issue, and we're looking into how best to serve the state on this issue,” Cutrone told Grissom.

 

On Tuesday, Cutrone told the Guardian: “My comment from a few weeks ago still stands, and there hasn’t been any follow up moves by the Governor.”

 

Getting a complete census count is crucial for two major reasons. The formulas for the awarding of billions of dollars in federal grants are based on population. And, congressional districts are redrawn every ten years based on population. Because of its growth, Texas could gain three or four extra congressional seats, if the census count is thorough.

 

The Census Bureau will send out questionnaires to every household in the nation in March 2010. The following month, census workers will begin visiting households that did not respond to the questionnaire.

 

Villarreal got his idea for a Complete Count Committee after hearing a presentation by Census Bureau officials at a House Committee on Redistricting hearing in Austin on Sept. 30. Villarreal, who is vice chair of the panel, heard that about 18 other states have set up Complete Count Committees.

“As the 2010 census draws near, I urge you to ensure that our state government is taking every appropriate step to ensure the highest possible level of participation by Texas residents,” Villarreal wrote.

 

“The stakes are high. Promoting participation in the census will improve our state’s chances of attaining the federal funding and political representation that our growing population deserves. If we succeed, we will receive more of our own tax dollars back from the federal government, easing our ability to meet our needs in transportation, education, health and human services and other ideas.”

 

As well as proposing a Complete Count Committee to develop a coordinated statewide effort, Villarreal encouraged Perry to call on state agencies to use their existing lines of communication to inform the public about the census.

 

“In particular, state agencies should capitalize on existing communications with the “hard to count” populations identified by the U.S. Census Bureau, including the elderly, children, minorities, renters and low-income individuals,” Villarreal wrote. “For example, census information could be included with materials that the Health and Human Services Commission already mails to participants in public assistance programs.”

 

Villarreal said the Census Bureau’s Texas Outreach Director, Marisela Rosales, was ready to work with the state to help coordinate a statewide plan. Rosales did not return the Guardian’s call for comment at press time.

 

Potentially, the largest “undercount” could take place along the border and in inner cities. Villarreal told the Guardian that it was important for South Texas cities and counties to go ahead and form their own Complete Count Committees and not wait for the state to help.

“Don’t wait for the state, form your own Complete Count Committees at the local level. The Census Bureau will help you establish them and provide information, materials to help you communicate to your residents,” he said.

 

Villarreal said the benefits of a complete count are huge for South Texas. “In the end, we are expected to have three extra congressional seats in Texas but are in reach of four. If we do a good job of making sure everybody is counted we could get that fourth extra seat. If we get four it improves the chances of having another congressional district in South Texas,” Villarreal said.

 

The importance the McAllen Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) places on a complete census count can be seen by viewing the organization’s Web site. On the home page is a countdown clock showing how many days, hours, minutes and seconds remain to Census 2010.

“The census count has everything to do with economic development,” said MEDC President and CEO Keith Patridge. “It has everything to do with companies looking at the growth of a region. Population size impacts investment decisions.”

 

Patridge co-chairs the business and industry subcommittee of the City of McAllen’s Complete Count Committee. He said the group meets every month to strategize on how best to get a complete count.

 

“Over $300 billion in federal funds are based on Census numbers so this issue is huge for us. That is why I am supportive of a statewide Complete Count Committee,” Patridge said. “If we do not count everyone that is here all we are doing is adding to the cost of those that were counted. For example, if there is an undercount of 10,000, we are going to end up paying for the services of those 10,000 at the local level but not get the money for it at the federal level.”

 

Edinburg Mayor Richard Garcia and McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez both told the Guardian that they would be asking their respective city commissions to write a letter to Perry urging the establishment of a statewide Complete Count Committee. Both have set up citywide Complete Count Committees.

 

“We certainly support a statewide Complete Count Committee,” Garcia said. “It is extremely important to us that we get every dollar we can to our area. Our growth demands it.”

 

Garcia said his “big fear” is that many people in the Valley will not understand that the information obtained by census workers will not be shared with federal agencies like Immigration Customs and Enforcement. “We need to get that word out, that everybody stands up and is counted,” Garcia said.

Cortez agreed. “I am very much in favor of our Governor making sure we have an accurate count. “We want to be rewarded with the necessary representation and funding our population growth deserves.”

 

State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said he, too, supports a statewide Complete Count Committee.

 

“It is an excellent idea. We need to count every single person that resides in the state of Texas. Federal monies are allocated on a population basis. If we do not count every single person that resides in the state of Texas we will end up losing money. That money will have to be made up by the state,” Hinojosa said.

 

Rene Ramirez said he would be making a complete census count one of his top issues when he is sworn in as Hidalgo County’s interim county judge. Former County Judge J.D. Salinas set up a Complete Count Committee.

 

“This is a huge issue for Hidalgo County because of all the federal dollars at stake. With the Commissioners Court’s support I am going to do everything I can, whether that is PSAs or education, to get an accurate count,” Ramirez said.

 

“How do you reach out to people? Do you communicate through the media, through door-to-door canvassing? Whatever it takes, we will do it. We have got to get every single person in this county to be part of the census.”