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The Civic Scene: Accurate census count of utmost importance

By Bob Harris

The U.S. Census 2000 is underway and there is a massive publicity campaign aimed at convincing all families in the United States to complete the form.

The Census Bureau specifically reached out to people from every conceivable minority group to register so that we will have an accurate picture of who and what we are. The Census Bureau hired people from various nationalities to reach out to these specific groups.

It is hoped that all residents know that the census count tells the various governments we live under which services they should provide to the communities in the future.

The federal government provides money to meet the various needs of different communities across our land, so if there is no record of a need there is no need for money for those communities.

My big concern is that the many illegal aliens may not fill out a form because they are fearful of punishment or deportation. New York City is supposed to have about 8 million people.

But the government doesn't know how many people we actually have here because many just don't want to be counted for various reasons. Are there 2 million or a full million illegal immigrants here?

I have read some stories about officials saying that we were undercounted in 1990. As a result, we did not receive enough money for schools, more subway trains, more buses or other services.

Naturally, someone who is here illegally and earning money doesn't want to be identified and possibly deported. This is common sense.

Yes, the Immigration Service has tried to stop illegals from entering the country yet we read about ships going aground full of illegal immigrants huddled below decks.

This smuggling is big business. I have read that people are charged $30,000 to be smuggled into the country. How many people are working as virtual serfs to pay off their debt to the smugglers for them or their family members?

One constantly reads about the lack of classroom seats for children in our schools. How many of these children are here illegally? When allocations for classrooms are prepared by the Board of Education the children of the illegals are not counted as those who will need a seat because they are invisible.

We read about sweat shops full of illegals operating in the garment areas of lower Manhattan. We read of a Mexican day laborer drowning under cement because the contractor did not follow safety standards. If the day laborer is an illegal alien he doesn't dare complain about shoddy working conditions or join a union.

I wonder how many buildings built under these conditions will collapse in the next few years?

It is sad and strange that few political leaders are complaining about the illegal immigrants!

I read somewhere that the Democrats want the immigrants because they traditionally will vote for them and the Republicans want them as a cheap source of labor. I wonder how true this is?

These politicians don't stop the flood of illegal immigrants who, because of their sheer volume, are lowering our quality of life.

At any rate, if the census count is not accurate New York City will be shortchanged again, lose lots of money and probably a member from the House of Representatives. Oh, don't think about an amnesty for illegals because we had one a few years ago and are back to square one – if not worse.

Good and bad news of the week

Recently a bus driver, Rodney Plummer, while on his lunch break in uniform and on the clock, was punched and kicked by two men when he came to the aid of a teenager who was the victim of a racial attack in Times Square.

Besides being injured, Plummer was docked two weeks' pay because he was at lunch and not under direct MTA supervision as required by state worker compensation rules.

Plummer was honored by Mayor Giuliani, received gifts from outraged citizens and I believe did or will receive a reward from the MTA equal to the pay he had been docked.

Thank heavens for newspaper stories!