Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : Census Bureau Seeks Accord With Minorities

City officials and community leaders met with a U.S. Census Bureau representative Tuesday to get ideas for reaching out to minority communities to ensure a more accurate count in the 1990 census, especially among Latino and Asian residents.

Peter Bounpane, assistant director of the U.S. Census Bureau, made the one-day visit at the request of Santa Ana City Councilman Miguel A. Pulido, who said the city’s population has changed since 1980.

Pulido said Santa Ana’s 1980 census figure of 225,000 is believed to be about 50,000 to 75,000 short of the city’s actual population. Although there is no official evidence supporting this view, Pulido said the estimates have come mostly through police observations.

Census figures are used in determining federal and state funding and the number of legislative representatives. According to Pulido, an additional 50,000 people in the 1990 census could mean an increase of as much as $5 million annually in revenues for the city.

But Jill Arthur, a legislative aide for the city, said many people, especially illegal aliens, are afraid to fill out the census questionnaire, fearing trouble with other government agencies.

Through census fairs and public service announcements, Arthur said, the city wants to teach the growing Latino and Asian communities the benefits of an accurate census and to assure people that any information given to the Census Bureau is confidential.