Local Leaders Again Urge U.S. to Adjust Census Undercount : Population: Political representation of minorities and millions in federal aid are at stake, coalition says.

Saying that the undercount of ethnic minorities will exclude them from “meaningful participation in society,” a coalition of Los Angeles community leaders and city officials Thursday pleaded for an adjustment of the 1990 census.

The plea came at a news conference called less than a month before a court-ordered July 15 deadline for the U. S. secretary of commerce to decide whether to adjust the nation’s head count.

A week ago, the U. S. Census Bureau acknowledged that its post-enumeration survey found a substantial nationwide undercount of about 5 million people, about 60% of whom are urban poor and minorities. The bureau has refused to embrace the newer figures as a more accurate count than the original without more study.

“This is a civil rights issue because the majority of the people missed were Latinos, African-Americans, Asians and Native Americans,” Arturo Vargas, a spokesman for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, told reporters. “Not to conduct an adjustment would mean the secretary of commerce does not believe people of color count as much as other Americans.”

It “would also deny Latinos and other minorities fair representation in Congress and state legislatures,” Vargas said. “Under an adjustment, for example, California would gain an additional congressional seat.”

In California, which accounts for 12% of the U. S. population, the share of the undercount is 21.4%, Vargas said.

In Los Angeles, the Census Bureau reported a population of 3,485,398 as of January, 1991--an undercount of between 5% and 10%, said City Atty. Jim Hahn.

“If you allow this census to remain uncorrected, you permit the systematic undervaluing of blacks, Hispanics, Asians, American Indians and other minorities to continue and you will be committing a grave violation of the civil rights of millions of Americans,” Hahn wrote in a letter also signed by Mayor Tom Bradley and mailed Thursday to Michael R. Darby, commerce undersecretary for economic affairs.

The problem is most severe in Inglewood, where 13,400 people were not found by census takers. That 10.9% undercount is the largest in any city in the nation.

“In my city, we have areas that the Census Bureau said had a 13% vacancy rate,” said Inglewood Councilman Jose Fernandez, the city’s only Latino elected official. “The figures we had showed a vacancy rate of only 5% in these areas.”

Because of the undercount, Inglewood stands to lose at least $10 million in population-based revenues over the next 10 years, Fernandez said. Los Angeles officials estimate a yearly revenue loss of $20 million over the same period.

“There has to be an adjustment made,” Fernandez said. “They should do the just thing, a proper count, not only in Inglewood but in communities across the United States.”

Under a federal court ruling last year on a suit by Los Angeles and other big cities, the Census Bureau is required to adjust undercounts to ensure that the census is as accurate as possible. Today is the deadline for cities and community groups to submit public testimony to the bureau on the need for a recount.

Commerce Secretary Robert A. Mosbacher’s decision will be partly based on the post-enumeration survey data and the recommendation of census officials.

Deputy Los Angeles City Atty. Jessica Heinz said if Mosbacher decides not to adjust the census on July 15, Los Angeles will “be in court the next day” to force the Bush Administration to readjust the data.