0001|                          SENATE MEMORIAL 25
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                        PAULINE B. EISENSTADT
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                              A MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO DELEGATION TO THE UNITED STATES
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0012|     CONGRESS TO SUPPORT STATISTICAL SAMPLING IN THE 2000 CENSUS IN
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0013|     ORDER NOT TO UNDERCOUNT NEW MEXICO'S POPULATION.
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0014|     
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0015|          WHEREAS, the United States census bureau estimates that
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0016|     forty-eight thousand fifty-four New Mexicans went uncounted in
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0017|     the 1990 census or about three and seven hundredths percent of
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0018|     New Mexico's population; and
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0019|          WHEREAS, the United States census bureau estimates that
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0020|     American Indians on reservations were undercounted by twelve
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0021|     and two-tenths percent and Hispanics by five percent; and
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0022|          WHEREAS, this represents the highest undercount
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0023|     percentage of any state and compares with a one and six-tenths
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0024|     percent national average; and
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0025|          WHEREAS, based on 1996 figures, the state loses about one
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0001|     hundred fifty dollars ($150) a year in federal funds for every
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0002|     uncounted person; and
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0003|          WHEREAS, this represents more than seventy-two million
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0004|     dollars ($72,000,000) over the last decade in lost federal
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0005|     funds for police, water works, sewers, roads and schools; and
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0006|          WHEREAS, if New Mexico experienced the same undercount in
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0007|     2000, fifty-seven thousand two hundred seven people would be
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0008|     undercounted, which would amount to eighty-five million
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0009|     dollars ($85,000,000) in lost federal funds in the following
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0010|     decade; and
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0011|          WHEREAS, the census bureau this year proposed to use
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0012|     scientific sampling in the 2000 census in order to give a more
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0013|     accurate count of those living in rural areas and better
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0014|     represent American Indians living on reservations and
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0015|     Hispanics that the bureau says are the two most undercounted
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0016|     ethnic groups; and
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0017|          WHEREAS, scientific sampling could save federal taxpayers
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0018|     up to eight hundred million dollars ($800,000,000) on the next
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0019|     census; and
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0020|          WHEREAS, scientific sampling has been endorsed by the
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0021|     national academy of sciences, the last four census directors,
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0022|     the general accounting office and the United States conference
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0023|     of mayors; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, the United States justice department in the
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0025|     Carter, Bush and Clinton administrations concluded that the
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0001|     constitution and relevant laws permit the use of scientific
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0002|     sampling in the decennial census;
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0003|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE
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0004|     OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico delegation to United States
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0005|     congress support all efforts to use scientific sampling in the
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0006|     2000 census; and
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0007|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0008|     transmitted to the New Mexico congressional delegation,
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0009|     Secretary Daley of the United States department of commerce
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0010|     and President Clinton.
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0011|                              
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