Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 13, 1990                   TAG: 9004130344
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

CENSUS SLOWPOKES COST U.S.

"Do it now," she urged those who have put off filling out their forms and sending them back.

Only 57 percent of the approximately 100 million forms delivered to American homes have been returned, she said.

At that rate, Bryant said, the return total would be only 62 percent by the time the bureau starts sending out workers to count those who have not been heard from.

Officials had hoped to get back 70 percent of the forms. Bryant said counting people "on the doorstep" will cost an extra $10 million for each percentage point below that level. Already the census is expected to cost $2.5 billion.

But the problems are not jeopardizing the accuracy of the count, Bryant said.

"When census workers come to your home, you will be counted. . . . What we're talking about is not the count but the cost difference," said Bryant.

Millions of forms were sent out in late March, mostly by mail, designated for response by April 1. But Bryant stressed there was still time to answer.

Concern about lagging response is only the most recent problem facing the nation's 21st national head count.

Addressing trouble meant that 4 million to 4.5 million individuals nationwide failed to get forms at all - a difficulty Bryant said is being handled by hand delivery of forms.

Meanwhile, a group of local governments announced Wednesday that they are filing suit, charging that the results - whatever they are - will be unfair.

Census figures are used to distribute seats in the House of Representatives and to allocate billions of dollars in federal funds.

The cities and other local governments that filed suit contend their residents will not be fully counted, resulting in a loss of representation and money.

Among the problems across the country:

More than 100,000 forms in San Antonio and south Texas could not be delivered because of incorrect addresses, reported Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas.

In communities such as Ross, Calif., that still get their mail in post office boxes, the census forms had only street addresses - so the post office returned them.

In New York City, forms sent to some giant apartment buildings failed to include apartment numbers. Without the numbers, mailmen could not deliver them to the residents. Some forms were reportedly left in lobbies.