The City of Coatesville was undercounted by nearly ½ in the 2000 Census.

During the time I lived in Western Montgomery County we had some problems with the raw sewage effluent coming from Graterford Prison. That problem was solved several years ago. I asked about how the people in Skippack Township where the prison is located felt about a prison in their township. The people of Skippack Township were very grateful Graterford Prison was there. The prison population was counted in Skippack Township’s Census and enormously increased the Federal and Commonwealth Dollars they received.

According to Richard Sumter, partnership specialist for the Philadelphia Regional Census Center; only 54% of the residents of the City of Coatesville were counted in the last Census.

“The Census is conducted for 2 reasons and only 2 reasons:

The 1st reason is apportioning.

435 Congressional seats are divided among the 50 states based on population counts. The more people in a particular geographical area the more Representatives they have. Over the last 15 or 20 years Pennsylvania has lost approximately 12 Congressional Representatives. We were at 31, I think we are at 19 now and we are cited to lose another Congressional Representative as a result of the 2010 Census count. Of course it has a big impact on state upper and lower chambers. So, that is the number one reason why we do the Census. So that Pennsylvania can have the type of Congressional Representation we need to move important legislation forward on a National level that has a direct impact on the City of Coatesville and of course the State of Pennsylvania.

Second reason that’s very important to you is appropriations.

President Barack Obama has increased the appropriation funding from 300 Billion to over 435 Billion Dollars as a result of the 2010 Census. And again the money the particular cities, townships and the states receive is based on population count. So when you juximpose 54 percent of what Coatesville probably would have received if it had a better count; it translates into the City of Coatesville losing Billions of Dollars. And this is over a 10 year period. After 2010 we can’t go back in 2011 and say uh-oh we made a mistake; our people are really galvanized, energized and we have some additional numbers. Those numbers are in place for the next decade.

This money we’re talking about, this 435 Billion Dollars is taxpayer’s money; money that you pay as individual workers. It comes directly out of your money. So, when we talk about 54 percent of the City being counted and how that has an effect on the Federal dollars that the City of Coatesville could receive; it’s almost like going into a diner ordering some ham and eggs that costs 5 Dollars and leaving 10 Dollars on the counter; you walk away and leave the change there."

Because of undercounting some of the money we pay in Federal taxes that should come back to Coatesville residents is being used in another city or state.

Mr. Sumter’s entire talk is here:



More Federal Dollars could give the revitalization of Coatesville a large boost. More money for education, retirees, police, and fire protection… the list is very long.

UNITED STATES CENSUS 2010, IT’S IN OUR HANDS:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/

Chester County Reporter
Coatesville lost big in 2000 census count
by Allen Davis
Staff Writer
Posted: Monday, 26 January. 2010; 10:30 a.m.
http://chestercountyreporter.com/110censuscount.html

Daily Local News Blogs-Coatesville Roundtable
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Trouble with the Census
http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/dailylocal/coatesville/2010/01/trouble-with-census.html