Census count affects Nevada

Genaro C. Armas

Wednesday, March 28, 2001 | 10:50 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Greater proportions of Americans were missed by the census in states with booming minority populations or large urban centers, say Democrats who want to adjust the tally used to redistrict legislative seats.

The report from Democratic members to a bipartisan board overseeing the census said Nevada had the highest net undercount among states, at 2 percent of its population. The state experienced tremendous population growth in the 1990s, including a 217 percent increase in its Hispanic population.

The estimates were the latest development in a fight between Democrats and Republicans over whether data adjusted using statistical sampling provide the most accurate count of America.

The report was based on an analysis of 2000 Census data, but was not sanctioned by the Census Bureau or by members of the U.S. Census Monitoring Board appointed by the GOP-controlled Congress.

It was immediately criticized by Republicans as "inaccurate and irresponsible," while bureau officials questioned its accuracy after appearing at a hearing today before the Senate Commerce Committee.

Nevada's delegation also split on partisan lines over the issue. Democrats supported using the sampling to improve accuracy.

"We are basically being penalized because so many people want to move to the state," Nathan Naylor, a spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said. "We need to look at sampling. There is no way of counting everyone without using it."

Republicans generally disagreed, calling the 2000 count the most accurate in history. Rep. Jim Gibbons, who has in the past rejected sampling for redistricting, said he still believes the actual count is the most accurate.

But according to Gibbons' spokesman Mike Dayton, the congressman also wants to know if Nevada suffered from an undercount.

"This inequity must be addressed, and I plan to contact (Commerce Secretary Don) Evans immediately to ensure that the methodology of Nevada's count is as accurate as possible," Dayton quoted Gibbons as saying.

Overall, the Census Bureau has estimated a net national undercount in 2000 of 1.2 percent, or 3.2 million of the country's 281 million people. That is lower than the net national undercount of 1.6 percent in 1990, or 4 million people.

State lawmakers will use the figures to redraw congressional, state and local legislative district lines. The census also is used to distribute over $185 billion annually in federal funds among the states and local governments.

Nevada State Demographer Jeff Hardcastle said he believes the 2 percent undercount number cited for Nevada is "potentially high."

"The adjusted data hasn't been publicly released, so I'm not quite sure what they're basing their comments on," said Hardcastle, who was in Washington attending a state-federal meeting on census estimates and projections.

Appearing before the Senate committee today, Evans said much more analysis is needed before the Census Bureau can determine if adjusted data would released for purposes other than redistricting -- if it were to be released at all.

Sun reporters

Launce Rake and Benjamin Grove contributed to this report.