European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday september 25, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 7 census figures being challenged cities states say they were under counted t a 4-it a ,. T Washington apr from the great cities to the Small towns americans municipalities Are telling the Federal government they can to possibly be As Small As census takers say. By the thousands local officials Are demanding that something be done about the 1990 census. Even states Are contesting the preliminary figures aware that the More residents they Are credited with the More Federal Aid they will get and the greater their representation in Congress will be. Some voices from the nationwide chorus a unadulterated nonsense. Statistical grand larceny a Newyork mayor David n. Dinkins. A there Are errors everywhere a Detroit research director Juliette Kotie Eboh. A it really stretches credibility to the breaking Point a Hartford conn., mayor Carrie Saxon Perry. A they missed our farthest South Street a Hays Iowa City clerk Judy Grothe. A All were reacting to the preliminary results of the census bureaus april 15 head count. The preliminary reports were sent out in late August and Early this month to give officials a Chance to file challenges in time for the Bureau to double Check its numbers before announcing its final count on dec. 31. Census director Barbara Everitt Bryant has already told Congress there will be big changes Between the initial numbers and the final report. Census count will increase in practically every jurisdiction throughout the county because of ongoing improvement programs a she said. Even some states that posted gains in the preliminary figures Are upset. Despite recording significantly More people Texas state officials say the count is not High enough. A your conservative estimate puts the states population at about 17 million. If the census final count stays with 16.8 million Texas will definitely be shortchanged a the states comptroller Bob Bullock said. But it is from the jurisdictions that showed losses that the loudest complaints Are coming. Such As West Virginia which had the largest population drop of any state. A Many West virginians live up dirt roads and hollows and proving their existence has been As difficult As it has been for the census Bureau to find them a said Bob Brunner spokesman for gov. Gaston Caperton. Pennsylvania where Vincent Carocci spokesman for gov. Robert p. Casey said the preliminary count underestimated the population by 200,000 to 300,000. He said census takers under counted the states cities because people there Are a just harder to  tiny Jacksonburg Ohio which the census Bureau said has 14 residents. Last week 39 Jacksonburg residents appeared at a protest of the count. Denver where mayor pc Scrico Pena said he was  new York state where gov. Mario Cuomo exclaimed a i done to believe  Atlanta whose mayor Maynard Jackson said if errors Arentt corrected a a we la see them in  Iowa where officials say As Many As 75,000 residents were missed. Louisiana where a representative of Avo Yelles Parish said a we know for sure that a not right. Several types of errors were made but i done to know what kind. Something went wrong but i guarantee that we will get to the Bottom of  in the Wake of such complaints the census Bureau is having workers recheck some neighbourhoods add late reports and Factor in military personnel overseas. Why Are the numbers so important simple. After the nations population is counted every 10 years the House of representatives is re apportioned and Federal and state Aid formulas Are adjusted. Losing people or not growing As fast As other places can mean a loss of political Power and Federal Aid until the next census. Farmer s almanac brr rings frigid forecast Dublin . Up the 1991 old Farmers almanac hit the Newsstands monday predicting a Winter a cold As the Dickens and featuring stories on glow in the dark condoms and a method of forecasting earthquakes by counting missing cats and dogs. The familiar yellow Booklet of weather forecasts observations of absurd consumer trends and other oddities is in its 199th year of publication with very few changes in its appearance since it was first edited by Robert b. Thomas. Judson Hale the almanacs 12th editor said weather forecasts for the coming year remain its most popular feature. A a we re predicting a very harsh Winter More cold More Snow this Winter East of the Rocky mountains at least a Hale said. A starting Early and ending  he said Florida and areas West of the Rockies Are expected to be warm and dry. The yearly weather predictions Are based on 11-year Sunspot cycles and 22-year solar magnetic cycles Hale said. A a we go Back in history and look at when the Sun was doing approximately the same thing it was doing last year and then look to see what the Winter was like the following year a he said adding that the Sunspot and solar magnetic activity this year Are similar to that of 1949. A what was the Winter of �?T49 like it was very harsh and severe a he said. The almanac is never 100 percent accurate Hale concedes. Last years Edi Judson Hale holds the newest edition of the old Farmers almanac and the Box he says contains the a secret formula for forecasting the weather. Tion failed to predict december a monthlong cold snap in the Northeast one of the most severe on record. But he said readers done to seem to mind. A we get hundreds and hundreds of letters asking when to castrate their Bull or when is the Best time to get married a Hale said. A but very very Seldom have we gotten a letter saying our forecast was wrong. People forgive us and realize we re doing  other predictions included in the 1991 old Farmers almanac relate to consumer trends and new products. It notes the development in great Britain of condoms that glow in the dark for a prophylactic users with poor night  according to the almanac the device is a nontoxic and leaves no residual  a damned if i know Why someone would want a Luminous condom but hey its on the Market in 1991,�?� Hale said. The almanac also predicts a had nausea a the spread of advertising messages to television monitors located at Gas pumps to recordings played while people Are on hold waiting for a phone Call to be connected and to the Bottoms of Golf course holes. A the worst is going to be on food a Hale said. A the japanese have come up with an indelible Ink where you can put an and on hot dogs and on  this years almanac contains a feature article on James Burkland a geologist in California with the . Geological Survey who predicts earthquakes by watching the number of ads for missing dogs and cats in local newspapers. The pets Berkland theorizes go awol in greater numbers just before a quake because they can sense what is coming. Hale said he misses Only about one in four quakes and a drives scientists nuts because he a right.. Taxpayers protest hikes of $2.8 billion Trenton . Apr thousands of new Jersey taxpayers gathered at the statehouse on sunday to protest $2.8 billion in tax hikes. Protesters focused their anger on gov. Jim Florio a hanging his likeness in effigy hawking $2 posters of Florio disguised As Adolf Hitler and singing anti Florio songs. The event was organized by hands across new Jersey the group leading a statewide tax revolt. A we need accountability in government and criminal prosecution for those who rip us off a said John Budzash a Howell mailman and hands across new Jersey co founder. A do we have efficient spending in government  state police sgt. Peter Hinkle said that the 4vi hour rally peaked at about 4,000 people. Budzash disputed the police estimate saying at least 10,000 attended the event. A similar rally in july Drew about 6,000. The $2.8 billion tax hike the largest in state history was passed by the Democrat controlled legislature less than seven months after Florio took office. The governor is a Democrat. A politicians will not Budge until you make yourself heard a said Ken Chiampou a talk show Host on a Kew pm a Trenton area radio station which publicized the anti tax movement. A this is about getting politicians to respond to the  the $2.8 billion tax package is designed to close a budget Gap of More than $1 billion provide $1.1 billion in new state Aid to Public schools and ease some property taxes. The states income tax will be increased for those in the top 17 percent of the tax bracket. Florio also raised the states sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. The sales tax also was expanded to include some previously exempt items such As alcohol cigarettes Telephone Bills soap and disposable paper products. Buzash said his group is seeking four goals the repeal of the tax increases the right to recall the governor and legislators the right to use initiative and referendum to make Laws and a More efficient state government