NUTTER LAUNCHES “PHILLYCOUNTS!” CAMPAIGN TO BOOST PARTICIPATION IN 2010 CENSUS

NEWS NEWSrnrnMAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONSrnrnMichael A. Nutter, MayorrnDouglas I. Oliver, Press SecretaryrnOffice: 215-686-6210rnCell: 215 439-4655rnRoom 216 – City HallrnPhiladelphia, PA 19107rnPhone: 215. 686.6210 or 6211rnFax: 215.686.2170rnwww.phila.govrnrnTuesday, November 10, 2009 rnrnFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASErnrnNUTTER LAUNCHES “PHILLYCOUNTS!” CAMPAIGN TOrnBOOST PARTICIPATION IN 2010 CENSUSrnrnPHILADELPHIA, November 10 – Today, Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced the kick-off of “PhillyrnCounts!,” the City of Philadelphia’s campaign to raise awareness of and boost participation in the 2010 Census,rnparticularly among the city’s hardest to count residents. Nutter was joined by United States Census officials,rnMembers of Congress, several of the campaign's Honorary Co-Chairs, City Council members, City officials andrncommunity leaders from across Philadelphia for the event which was held in the Mayor’s Reception Room.rnrn“The 2010 Census is our opportunity to show the rest of the country what we already know to be true -rnPhiladelphia is growing,” said Mayor Nutter. “I urge all Philadelphians, regardless of your background, tornstand up and be counted. This Census count will have an impact on our city for years to come so fill out thatrnform…do it for Philly!”rnrnEvery ten years, as required by the United States Constitution, the country undertakes a complete count of allrnthe people residing in the United States and its Territories. Population totals taken from the Census are used torndetermine Congressional representation and inform redistricting decisions. Census data determines howrnhundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds are distributed to state and local governments each year. Thernresults are also used by businesses and city planners to determine where to open new grocery stores, schools,rnshops, hospitals and other facilities.rnrnFernando E. Armstrong, United States Census Bureau Philadelphia Regional Director, said: "We are proud tornpartner with the City of Philadelphia. The ‘Philly Counts!’ campaign brings together a cross-section of therncommunity, who will assist the Census Bureau in conducting the most efficient, complete, and representativerndecennial census.”rnrnNutter, who will serve as Chair of the Philly Counts campaign, was joined by several Philadelphia leaders whornwill serve as Honorary Co-Chairs, lending their expertise and trusted voices to ensure every residentrnunderstands why it is so important to be counted.rnrnHonorary Co-Chairs include: U.S. Representative Robert Brady, U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah, U.S.rnRepresentative Allyson Schwartz, State Senator Shirley M. Kitchen, State Representative Jewell Williams, CityrnCouncil President Anna Verna, School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Dr. Arlene Ackerman, Mayor’srnCommission on Asian American Affairs Chair Dr. Nina Ahmad, Black Clergy of Philadelphia and the VicinityrnPresident Bishop Audrey F. Bronson, Esperanza USA President & CEO Rev. Luis Cortes, Jr., PhiladelphiarnCouncil AFL-CIO President Patrick Eiding, Philadelphia Housing Authority Executive Director Carl Greene,rnLydia Hernandez-Velez, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition President & CEO Sharmain Matlock-rnTurner, Project H.O.M.E. Executive Director Sister Mary Scullion, and Greater Philadelphia Chamber ofrnCommerce President & CEO Robert Wonderling.rnrn“As a student of American history, I know full well what it means to be counted and what it means to be lessthan-rncounted,” said United States Congressman Chaka Fattah. “This is about one person, one vote. The censusrnalso means assuring that the underserved and overlooked and most vulnerable of Philadelphians will be countedrnin for our fair share of federal programs and appropriations.”rnrnUnited States Congressman Bob Brady added: “A lot of my neighbors ask me why they should take the time tornfill out the Census form. Well, if you drive on public roads, you should care about the census. If you have kidsrnor grandkids in public or charter schools, you should care about the census. If you are on Medicaid, or knowrnsomeone who is, you should care about the census. The areas with the greatest numbers and the greatest needrnwill get the most federal funds,” he said. “So, we need to help the federal government to get this count right.”rnRecently, Nutter tapped Tricia Enright to serve as Executive Director of the “Philly Counts!” campaign. Shernwill work with the US Census Bureau Regional Office to plan, promote, and implement its action plan to obtainrna complete and accurate count of the City of Philadelphia’s resident population. She will also spearhead therneffort by municipal agencies and departments to use the full range of resources available to promote the censusrnacross the city.rnrnThe campaign will be supported by volunteer-led Complete Count Committees (CCC) consisting of a networkrnof top leaders and neighborhood stakeholders whose goal is to develop and execute census awareness andrnoutreach strategies that best target their communities. Members will work with other local and grassrootsrnorganizations to increase the response rate for residents and will recruit neighborhood residents for full and partrntime jobs as census takes and other positions. Enright will also oversee and coordinate their work, ensuringrnresources are deployed as efficiently as possible.rnrnThe following committees have been formed so far: African American, African and Caribbean, AsianrnAmerican, Civic Engagement, Corporations and Philanthropy, Education, Elected Officials, Homeless/PublicrnHousing, Immigrant, Interfaith, Labor, Latino, LGBT, Municipal Agencies, Neighborhood Businesses, andrnYoung Professionals.rnrn“As a representative of the Hispanic faith community in our city, I am glad to join Mayor Michael Nutter inrnpromoting a complete and accurate count in the 2010 Census, and to urge all Latinos in the city of Philadelphiarnto take part in the upcoming census count,” said Reverend Luis Cortés, Jr., President of Esperanza. “Wernunderstand that the Census will shape our city’s landscape in terms of political representation and funding forrnpublic services for the coming decade. As Latinos, we cannot afford to allow our communities to bernunderrepresented politically, or lacking in funding and resources to meet their most basic needs. As such, allrnPhiladelphians should proactively support the Census mission by encouraging their families and communities tornparticipate, and by dispelling misunderstandings and misinformation about the purpose of the Census count.rnEsperanza and the Hispanic church in Philadelphia join with Mayor Nutter, the Census Bureau, and many otherrnsupporters around the country in calling on Latinos to participate in the 2010 Census for the benefit of theirrnfamilies and communities.”rnrnDuring the event, Nutter emphasized that every resident should feel safe and secure when interacting with cityrngovernment and returning their census forms. To underscore that sentiment, Nutter signed an Executive Orderrnstating that no municipal employee—including the police—may ask anyone their immigration status. Nutterrnalso announced his intention to form a regional advisory body focused on immigrant integration issues that willrnadvise the Mayor and other leaders from time to time on issues of import to the region's immigrant and ethnicrncommunities.rnrn"Regardless of how you came to this city, we want you to be counted in the Census,” Nutter said. “When thatrnform comes to your home, fill it out. If you see a Census worker on your street, open your door. You havernnothing to fear. You should feel proud to be a Philadelphian and comfortable standing up and being countedrnnext spring."rnrnAdditional Statements from Philly Counts Honorary Co-ChairsrnrnDr. Arlene Ackerman, Superintendent, School District of Philadelphia: “The School District of Philadelphia isrnproud to participate in the Census 2010 program, ‘It’s about us’ …. With lesson plans, maps, teaching guides, andrnall kinds of informational materials provided by the Census Bureau, students will have so many opportunities tornlearn about the importance of the Census and how the system works if everyone is counted.”rnrnDr. Nina Ahmad, Chair, Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs: “I am honored to participate asrnone of the Honorary Co-Chairs of the “Philly Counts” Campaign. Being passionate about the well-being ofrnPhiladelphia and all who live in our city, I want to be effective in communicating the utmost importance of arncomplete 2010 census count. I want to especially appeal to the diverse community of Asian Americans inrnPhiladelphia to complete the census forms to ensure that their neighborhood receive benefits, funding andrnservices as well as feel empowered as a community to ensure that their needs are being met.”rnBishop Audrey Bronson, President, Black Clergy of Philadelphia and the Vicinity: "The most significantrncivic duty and moral responsibility facing the citizens of Philadelphia is to participate in the 2010 Census…it isrnimperative that we as a city understand that …if we aren't counted…we won't count when critical decisions arernmade regarding federal revenues needed for maintaining viable schools and essential public services requiredrnfor the quality of life that we work so hard for. If we as a city fail to fulfill this civic duty…there will be nornjustification for complaints later on."rnrnPat Eiding, President, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO: “We in the labor movement are accustomed to mobilizingrnour members to get out the vote and we will mimic these efforts for the 2010 Census. We need to relay the messagernthat our representation in Congress, some federal funding, and other vital services to Philadelphia rely on anrnaccurate Census count.”rnrnCarl Greene, Executive Director, Philadelphia Housing Authority: “I am honored to be part of thisrnimpressive group of public and private-sector leaders and eager to get started on the critically important workrnahead. I plan to focus my efforts on better communication with hard to reach audiences, who are oftenrnundercounted and thus underserved.”rnrnLydia Hernandez Velez: “I am honored to be asked to be a part of this effort. I am proud to be a resident ofrnthe city that grew recognizing and valuing the differences that made it a vibrant commercial and cultural center.rnThe census is an important tool for clarifying our vision for the future.”rnrnThe Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen, Senator, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Senate: "Filling out therncensus is an easy and safe way to make sure all of our communities are counted. Whether it's opening a newrnschool, shoe store or senior center, being counted in the census helps ensure all of our neighborhoods get theirrnfair share of critical resources."rnrnSharmain Matlock-Turner, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition: “As Presidentrnand CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, I am pleased to serve as an Honorary Co-Chairrnfor the City of Philadelphia's Philly Counts Campaign and to stand with Mayor Nutter and other concernedrnPhiladelphians to make sure that every resident is counted in the 2010 Census. At GPUAC we fight every dayrnfor resources to bring about change in our communities. Yet too often we forget that government resources,rnwhich are critical to low income communities, are often determined by the census. We as a city need to insurernthat we have an accurate count so that we can continue to build wealth in our poorest communities and insurernthat young people have the opportunity for a successful life.”rnrnThe Honorable Allyson Schwartz, Congresswoman, United States House of Representatives: “An accuraternand full accounting of southeastern Pennsylvania’s population via Census 2010 is vital to both ensuringrnrepresentative government and to ensuring that the City and the region’s needs are understood by the federalrngovernment.”rnrnSister Mary Scullion, Executive Director & President, Project H.O.M.E.: "With Philly Counts, we have arnmeaningful intergovernmental and cross-sector effort to ensure that all Philadelphians — even those mostrnvulnerable or at-risk — are counted. And this is critical because unless we count every single Philadelphiarnresident, we will not receive all of the resources we deserve to meet residents' needs."rnrnThe Honorable Anna C. Verna, President, Philadelphia City Council: "I am pleased to serve as the honorary cochairrnfor the Philly Counts campaign. An accurate census count is critical to Philadelphia's future as it impactsrneverything from council redistricting to formulas for state and federal funding."rnrnThe Honorable Jewell Williams, Representative, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania House of Representatives:rn“The census helps elected officials like me fight for our fair share of government resources that can be put tornwork on the things that matter in our neighborhoods. That's why we must do all we can to make sure everyonernis counted.”rnrnRob Wonderling, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce: “I am honored that MayorrnNutter asked me to serve the city and join this extremely important effort to raise awareness of the 2010 Census.rnAs the premier advocate for free enterprise in Greater Philadelphia, we at the Chamber understand just howrnimportant accurate census figures are. The census is a major source of federal funding for vital regional servicesrnand I look forward to helping mobilize business community leaders to the cause.”rnrn“Philly Counts!” CommitteesrnrnAfrican American CommitteernThis committee will promote census participation within the Philadelphia African American communities – andrnespecially among younger African Americans.rnrnAfrican & Caribbean CommitteernThis committee will promote census participation within the City’s diverse African and Caribbean communitiesrnby creating partnerships with neighborhood businesses and community organizations, and building trust andrnunderstanding that the census is safe and confidential.rnrnAsian American CommitteernThis committee will promote census participation within the City’s Asian American communities. Therncommittee will ensure all materials are provided in appropriate languages and that all residents understand whyrnCensus participation is important to them and their neighborhoods.rnrnCivic Engagement CommitteernThis committee will help organize volunteers as needed by other committees to help distribute informationrnabout the census in targeted neighborhoods.rnrnCorporations & Philanthropy CommitteernThis committee will be responsible for providing advice and outreach on fundraising efforts to ensure PhillyrnCounts has the resources it needs. Members of the committee will work to ensure large corporations are talkingrnto their employees on the importance of completing their census forms.rnrnElected Officials CommitteernThis committee will be made up of liaisons to all of the City’s elected officials at the Federal, State and localrnlevel. It will coordinate awareness activities aimed at the hardest to reach populations in each district andrnleverage opportunities to build census awareness into all speeches, events and communications by our electedrnrepresentatives.rnrnEducation CommitteernThis committee will facilitate census awareness in local schools encouraging school administrators, teachers,rnand students–particularly those in targeted neighborhoods–to use Census In Schools materials. The committeernwill also work with local colleges and universities, reminding students that they must be counted here inrnPhiladelphia and not in their home communities.rnrnHomeless and Public Housing CommitteernThis committee will help inform the city’s homeless population, letting them know that they too will berncounted. It will also work with the regional Census Bureau to coordinate an accurate street and shelterrnpopulation count, as well as residents living in public housing.rnrnImmigrant & Limited English Proficient CommitteernThis committee will create and coordinate activities and materials that can be used by any local immigrantservingrninstitutions in the promotion of the 2010 Census awareness and participation. It will specifically workrnto educate residents about the purpose of the Census, its importance to them and the confidentiality of theirrninformation.rnrnInterfaith CommitteernThis committee has been meeting since the summer, and will continue to create and coordinate activities andrnmaterials that can be used by any local faith-based institution in the promotion of the 2010 Census awarenessrnand participation.rnrnLabor CommitteernThis committee will create and coordinate activities by the members of the City’s myriad labor unions tornpromote 2010 Census awareness and participation, especially in hard to reach neighborhoods.rnrnLatino CommitteernThis committee will promote census participation within the Latino community by ensuring census informationrnis distributed in both English and Spanish, creating partnerships with neighborhood businesses and communityrnorganizations, and building trust and understanding that the census is safe and confidential.rnrnLGBT CommitteernThis committee is already promoting census participation within the LGBT community by hosting educationalrnseminars, creating and distributing promotional materials and coordinating activities throughout the City.rnrnMunicipal Departments CommitteernThis committee will facilitate Census outreach and publicity activities to be performed by the City ofrnPhiladelphia’s departments and agencies.rnrnNeighborhood Businesses CommitteernThis committee will work with small business owners located in neighborhood business corridors and ask themrnto help communicate the importance of participating in the 2010 Census to their customers.rnrnYoung Professionals CommitteernThis committee will be responsible for ensuring that young professionals are educated about the importance ofrnthe census especially those segments of the population living in roommate situations, recent housingrnconversions and those who are transient.rnrnMayor Nutter Signed the Following Executive OrderrnrnPOLICY CONCERNING ACCESS OF IMMIGRANTS TO CITY SERVICESrnrnWHEREAS, immigrants make significant contributions to every facet of The City of Philadelphia’srneconomic, educational and cultural life;rnrnWHEREAS, immigrants are critical to the economic, cultural and social fabric of not only The Cityrnof Philadelphia, but also the greater Philadelphia region;rnrnWHEREAS, the City’s policy is to promote the utilization of its services by all City residents andrnvisitors who are entitled to and in need of them, including immigrants;rnrnWHEREAS, all individuals should know that they may seek and obtain the assistance of Cityrndepartments and agencies regardless of their personal status, without negative consequences to theirrnpersonal lives;rnrnWHEREAS, meeting the needs of the City’s immigrant population is important to maintainingrnpublic trust and confidence in City government; andrnrnWHEREAS, the City’s ability to obtain pertinent information, which may be essential to thernperformance of governmental functions, is sometimes made difficult or even impossible if some expectationrnof confidentiality is not preserved;rnrnNOW, THEREFORE, I, Michael A. Nutter, Mayor of The City of Philadelphia, by the powers vestedrnin me by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, do hereby order as follows:rnrnSection 1. Access to City Services.rnrnAll City services, including but not limited to the following listed services, shall be made availablernto all City of Philadelphia residents, consistent with applicable law, regardless of the person’s citizenship orrnlegal immigration status:rn• Police and Fire services;rn• Medical services, such as emergency medical services, general medical care atrnCommunity Health Centers and immunization, testing and treatment with respect torncommunicable diseases;rn• Mental health services;rn• Children’s protective services; andrn• Access to City facilities, such as libraries and recreation centers.rnrnSection 2. Inquiries Regarding Immigration StatusrnrnA. No City officer or employee, other than law enforcement officers, shall inquire about arnperson’s immigration status unless:rnrn(1) documentation of such person’s immigration status is legally required for therndetermination of program, service or benefit eligibility or the provision of services; orrnrn(2) such officer or employee is required by law to inquire about such person’srnimmigration status.rnrnB. Law enforcement officers shall not:rnrn(1) stop, question, arrest or detain an individual solely because of the individual’srnethnicity, national origin, or perceived immigration status;rnrn(2) inquire about a person’s immigration status, unless the status itself is a necessaryrnpredicate of a crime the officer is investigating or unless the status is relevant to identification of arnperson who is suspected of committing a crime, other than mere status as an undocumented alien;rnrn(3) inquire about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses, or others who call orrnapproach the police seeking help; orrnrn(4) inquire regarding immigration status for the purpose of enforcing immigration laws.rnrnC. Law enforcement officers shall continue to cooperate with state and federal authorities inrninvestigating and apprehending individuals who are suspected of criminal activity.rnSection 3. Confidentiality of InformationrnrnA. As used herein, “confidential information” means any information obtained and maintainedrnby a City agency relating to an individual’s immigration status.rnrnB. No City officer or employee shall disclose confidential information unless:rnrn(1) such disclosure has been authorized in writing by the individual to whom suchrninformation pertains, in a language that he or she understands or, if such individual is a minor or isrnotherwise not legally competent, by such individual’s parent or legal guardian;rnrn(2) such disclosure is required by law; orrnrn(3) the individual to whom such information pertains is suspected by such officer orrnemployee or such officer’s or employee’s agency of engaging in criminal activityrn(other than mere status as an undocumented alien).rnrnSection 4. EFFECTIVE DATErnrnThis Order shall take effect immediately.rn###