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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 2 June 2022
Austin is largest U.S. city to challenge 2020 census numbers

By MIKE SCHNEIDER ery single dollar that we de-
Associated Press serve," Valencia said.
One of the most booming The 2020 census under-
cities in the U.S. over the counted the overall U.S.
past decade thinks that it population by only 0.24%.
grew even bigger than the The count was challenged
U.S. Census Bureau says it by the coronavirus pan-
did. demic, natural disasters
Austin, Texas, became the and political interference
largest U.S. city to challenge from the Trump adminis-
its 2020 census figures when tration. But some minority
it filed an appeal with the groups were undercounted
Census Bureau last week, at greater rates than the
saying it has more than the previous decade. Histori-
961,855 residents tallied cally, racial and ethnic mi-
during the nation's once-a- norities, renters and young
decade head count. children are the people
City officials believe around who have been under-
7,000 housing units were counted. A report released
missed, mostly in newly de- several weeks ago by the
veloped neighborhoods. In Census Bureau showed that
some cases, housing units Texas was undercounted
were placed in the wrong by 1.9%, which translates
location, said Lila Valencia, to about 560,000 residents.
the city demographer for Women walk through the Lakeshore area of Austin, Texas, with the skyline in the background on Texas was among several
Austin. Aug. 31, 2016. states with undercounts
"We are one of the fast- Associated Press that did not direct as many
est-growing regions in the resources as other states
country," Valencia said. the U.S., one that was at- attracted to its highly edu- al funding. did to encourage residents
"Any region growing as tracting about 150 new res- cated work force and the Valencia said an inaccu- to fill out census forms.
fast as Austin is going to be idents a day in the middle University of Texas' flagship rate count would cause Until Austin filed a appeal,
hard to count." of the past decade. Figures school. Austin to miss an unknown Detroit had been the larg-
Among the 50 biggest U.S. released last week show The census figures were amount of funding for af- est U.S. city to challenge its
cities, Austin's growth rate that two Austin suburbs, used to divvy up congres- fordable housing, parks 2020 census numbers. The
of 21.7% between 2010 Georgetown and Lean- sional seats among the and low-income students. Census Bureau told Detroit
and 2020 was the second- der, were the two fastest- states and redraw political It's unknown how many officials that they needed
largest in the nation, trail- growing cities in the U.S. last districts. Nothing can be people live in the 7,000 to provide more informa-
ing only Fort Worth, Texas, year, expanding by more done to change numbers housing units. However, an tion before the city's ap-
which grew by 24%. As of than 10% each. for those purposes, but the average of almost 2.4 peo- peal could move forward,
last July, Austin was the Over the past several years, outcome of any challeng- ple live in each household a city spokesman said in an
11th most-populous city in metro Austin has been a es can determine whether in Austin, which translates email Wednesday.
the U.S. jobs magnet. It's home to the cities and counties into 16,800 people. States and municipalities
The city of Austin is at the Tesla's corporate head- get their fair share when it "This affects the quality of have until the middle of
center of one of the most quarters as well as a high comes to the distribution of life of residents, so it's worth next year to appeal their
booming metro areas in tech hub for entrepreneurs $1.5 trillion in annual feder- it to make sure we get ev- census figures. q

Victim in Brooklyn subway shooting sues gun maker Glock

legedly used in the attack The man charged in the Remington, the maker of
and its parent company, attack, Frank James, has the rifle used in that attack.
accusing the firearm man- pleaded not guilty to terror- The families said the com-
ufacturer of "reckless disre- ism and other counts. pany should have never
gard for human life." In the lawsuit, Glock is ac- sold such a dangerous
Authorities say a 9mm cused of "marketing that weapon to the public. They
Glock semiautomatic emphasizes firearm char- said their focus was on pre-
handgun was used in the acteristics such as their venting future mass shoot-
attack. high capacity and ease of ings by forcing gun compa-
In her lawsuit, filed in fed- concealment, that appeal nies to be more responsible
eral court in Brooklyn, to prospective purchasers with their products and
Ilene Steur said Glock has with criminal intent." how they market them.
"endangered the public The lawsuit was filed as Gun rights groups said the
health and safety" with the the nation reels from last settlement would likely
marketing, distribution and week's massacre of 19 chil- have little effect on rifle
Emergency personnel gather at the entrance to a subway sta- sales of its guns. dren and two teachers at sales and gun makers, who
tion in the Brooklyn borough of New York, after a gunman filled
a rush-hour subway train with smoke and shot multiple people, An email seeking comment an elementary school in continue to be shielded
April 12, 2022. was sent to Glock. Uvalde, Texas. In February, from liability in most cases
Associated Press Steur was one of 10 people the families of nine victims under federal law. But some
shot and wounded on April of the 2012 Sandy Hook El- experts said it may prompt
NEW YORK (AP) — A wom- York City subway filed a 12 when a gunman fired ementary School shooting insurance companies to
an wounded in last month's lawsuit Tuesday against the dozens of bullets in a train reached a $73 million set- pressure gun makers into
mass shooting on a New maker of the handgun al- full of morning commuters. tlement in a lawsuit against making some changes.q