The initial numbers are in – and Oakland is way behind.
If residents don’t return their census forms, federal dollars available to the community might disappear. Many I’ve spoken with are on board and have completed their survey. However, the census data tells another story about civic participation.
Just look at the map to see how stark the difference is between census Mail Participation Rates above and below 580. Above 580, the return rate is 73 to 78 percent; below, the rates are in the 50 percent range. This rate is the percentage of forms mailed back by households that received them.
In 2000, Oakland’s participation overall was 65 percent. Surely we can do better now.
Question: Are our city leaders doing enough to get the census participation rates up? It’s time we all pull together as a city to do something that will benefit everyone.
Yesterday, I received a call from an Oakland Rising volunteer, one of many who were feverishly calling local residents to encourage participation in the census. He asked a couple questions to lead the person polled to make connections between the census and the local budget. He first asked what I thought should be done to balance the local budget – cut government spending or increase revenue. Then he asked if I planned to turn in my census form.
The correlation between our flailing city budget and the census is clear. Oakland has typically relied on state and federal funds to augment our tax base, especially with a former congressman at the helm. While some are grants, other sources of money are attached to complex formulas tied to census track data.
So, good job Montclair and Trestle Glen – but let’s go Millsmont and Deep East Oakland. The city needs you – and we cannot rise without all of Oakland being counted.
[...] Local update: Oakland physically divided in Census returns [...]
Haven’t bothered to do mine yet. When are they due?
It is incredibly important that we get an accurate count in the flatlands of Oakland. The population of the flats has grown, by most estimates. This means that city council district lines should be redrawn further downhill than they currently are.
This in turn, means a more centrist city. Contrary to what we might assume, folks in the flatlands are much less likely to be against building and growing Oakland, much less likely to be against strong law enforcement, and much less likely to be against socialist policies such as radical inclusionary zoning or impractical attempts at industrial preservation.
The majority of far left voters in Oakland are in the hills, coming to their conclusions from an academic, ivory tower mode of thinking. Folks in the flats are far more pragmatic. We want law and order, we want construction. An accurate census will thankfully push Oakland local politics out of the hands of out of touch hillside lefties. Fill out your census and create a centrist, pragmatist city council in 2012.
Ken – Oakland is trying to collect the forms by April 22nd. They’ll be sending out census takers next week. For me, Max, the census issue isn’t a simple right-left political debate and it doesn’t necessarily translate into particular local policies. But, the city should prioritize counting everyone – at least to the levels reached in 2000 because it does foster into a level of community engagement that might mean more people voting, going to meetings, being heard. That’s a good thing for Oakland. I’ll be at the press conference tomorrow at city hall at noon. Love to hear the details of the plan the city is taking to get east and west Oakland counted.
I haven’t completed mine yet because I never got one! I got a postcard a while back reminding me to submit it, but not the form itself. Could you post info on how to do what you’re suggesting everyone do? Thanx!