Record #: R2011-424   
Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Intro date: 4/13/2011 Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Finance
Final action: 5/4/2011
Title: Call for U.S. Census Bureau to conduct recount of 2010 census for City of Chicago
Sponsors: Fioretti, Bob, Brookins, Jr., Howard, Newsome, Shirley, Moreno, Proco Joe, Dowell, Pat, Lyle, Freddrenna, Graham, Deborah L., Maldonado, Roberto, Burnett, Jr., Walter, Ervin, Jason C., Rice, John, Mell, Richard F., Waguespack, Scott, Mitts, Emma, Munoz, Ricardo, Cullerton, Timothy M., Laurino, Margaret, Daley, Vi, Tunney, Thomas, O'Connor, Patrick, Shiller, Helen, Smith, Mary Ann, Stone, Bernard, Balcer, James, Pope, John, Lane, Lona, Thomas, Latasha R., Thompson, JoAnn, Foulkes, Toni, Olivo, Frank, Harris, Michelle A., Rugai, Virginia, Jackson, Sandi, Burke, Edward M., Colón, Rey, Dixon, Sharon, Solis, Daniel, Suarez, Regner Ray, Hairston, Leslie A., Levar, Patrick, Beale, Anthony, Reboyras, Ariel, Willie B. Cochran, Zalewski, Michael R., Doherty, Brian
Attachments: 1. R2011-424.pdf
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU TO CONDUCT A RECOUNT OF THE 2010 CENSUS OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
WHEREAS, Accurate recording of the population of the City of Chicago by the United States Census Bureau during the process of conducting the 2010 Census is vital to the proper representation of all Chicago citizenry in a representative democracy; and
WHEREAS, Reports in various electronic and print media document the prospect of up to two hundred thousand (200,000) people in the City of Chicago, most of them in the African American community, not being recorded in the 2010 census by the United States Census Bureau; and
WHEREAS, The purported relocation of Chicago citizenry from this city to other Illinois cities and villages has not, according to various state and civic leaders, registered a corresponding increase in those other parts of the state; and
WHEREAS, Ample concern has been raised by state and civic leaders that large numbers of Chicago
citizens were undercounted by census workers failing to go forth into certain communities or improperly recording answers provided by reluctant residents; and
WHEREAS, Such undercounting by the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as improper recording of responses given by the citizenry of Chicago, has multiple adverse consequences to the city and the state, including but not limited to the loss of a congressional seat in the State of Illinois and loss of federal funds providing for services to those citizens; and
WHEREAS, State and civic leaders have urged the United States Census Bureau to provide census takers who are familiar with Chicago's diverse communities and who are willing to devote the energy and time necessary to convince reluctant residents to participate in the vital process of being recorded in the United States Census; and ,.'
WHEREAS, There was documented history of undercounting certain Chicago communities by the 1990, United States Census and, accordingly, recounts were subsequently ordered as the Bureau acknowledged that multiple census workers may have not actually checked residences or did, in fact, make inadvertent mistakes; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Robert W. Fioretti, Alderman of the 2nd Ward, has apprised this august body of the significant impact each concern delineated in the aforesaid recitals shall have upon the citizenry of Chicago; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, assembled this 13th day of April, 2011 A.D., do hereby urge the United States Census Bureau commence a recount of the 2010 census and accurately record the population of the City of Chicago in order to insure the vital and proper representation of all Chicago citizenry thus securing a truly representative democracy.
 
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