Freight Facts and Figures 2008

From the Federal Highway Administration.

Top Ranking Industries Organized by State

This Census page is rather cool. Industries in which the selected state leads all other states either in per capita sales or receipts or in total sales or receipts in the 2002 Economic Census. For instance, here is New York, #1 in ad agencies, investment advice, book publishing...and nail salons?

Census Data Show Characteristics of U.S. Foreign-Born Population

According to a new analysis of data about the U.S. foreign-born population from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS), a higher percentage of people born in India have a bachelors degree or higher (74 percent) than people born in any other foreign country. Egypt and Nigeria had rates above 60 percent.

Based on 2007 ACS data, these figures come from new detailed characteristic profiles on the foreign-born population — people who were not U.S. citizens at birth — available by country of birth.

Meanwhile, among the nation’s foreign-born, Somalis and Kenyans living in the United States are the most likely to be newcomers, and Somalis are among the youngest and poorest.

What Happens When New Federal Aid to States Runs Out?

What will happen to state budgets when the new financial assistance included in the federal stimulus legislation expires? Senior Fellow Donald J. Boyd examines that question in a new Rockefeller Institute report.

“The economic and revenue picture for states is uncertain,” the new report concludes. “Under any likely scenario, however, major fiscal problems for states will return when the new aid from Washington runs out. Budget gaps in fiscal 2012 will likely rival the critical shortfalls that states faced before enactment of the new stimulus package. Cuts or reductions in growth of spending on education, health care, and other programs, and/or major tax and other revenue increases, will almost certainly be on the table once again.”

The New York Times reported last week on the Institute's new study. The Times article is available here.

The Multicultural Economy 2008

From the Hill Library

Are you interested in learning more about the economic clout of the nation's minority population? If so, you need the Multicultural Economy 2008. This study of minority buying power is an essential resource for business analysts, marketing specialists, product developers, advertisers, and researchers.

The report is published by the Selig Center for Economic Growth and provides definitive data series for 1990-2008 and projections for 2009-2013. Multicultural Economy 2008 includes total buying power by place of residence, data on the nation's largest consumer markets and fastest growing consumer markets, expenditures by item/category, and more. Buying power statistics are available for all fifty states.

Census Expert Down for the Count

If you don’t think the Census means much for New Yorkers, consider this: Population shifts since 2000 will cost the state at least one Congressional seat. The 2010 Census will determine which district will be the loser.

The Stimulus Needs the States

"When the ink is dry on the massive, $787 billion 'federal' package to stimulate and grow the economy, much of the job actually will be carried out not by the federal government alone, but through the states." David Shaffer and David J. Wright of the Rockefeller Institute examine why that is – and stress the importance of tracking how well it works.

World Demographic Trends

"The report of the Secretary-General on the World demographic trends has been issued (E/CN.9/2009/6). According to the report summary, today's world population stands at 6.8 billion and is projected to reach 9 billion in 2045, if fertility continues to decline in developing countries." Report available in six languages.

U.S. Exports of Goods, Services Increased 12% in 2008

U.S. exports of goods and services grew by 12.0% in 2008 to $1.84 trillion, while imports increased 7.4% to $2.52 trillion.

In December 2008, the U.S. goods and services trade deficit ($39.9 billion) was the lowest monthly deficit since February 2003. This led to a 3.3% improvement in the annual goods and services deficit for 2008.

Exports comprised 13.1% of U.S. GDP in 2008. To put in historical terms, exports were 9.5% of U.S. GDP five years earlier (2003), and 5.3% 40 years ago (1968).

Source: International Trade Administration (U.S. Department of Commerce)

Why the 2010 Census Stirs Up Partisan Politics

From Time magazine --
Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009
By Amy Sullivan

When Republican Senator Judd Gregg announced on Thursday that he no longer wished to be the Commerce Secretary nominee, he said that the decision was based in part on serious disagreements with the Obama White House over the 2010 census. That night on Fox News, Sean Hannity called Obama's plans for the census process "the biggest White House power grab ever," as his guest Karl Rove voiced agreement. The same day, House Republicans declared that the White House had "an unprecedented plan" for the census that "will taint results and open doors to massive waste of taxpayer funds."

It may sound surprising to those who don't consider the decennial headcount a red-hot political matter, but the census has become the controversial subject of an ongoing power struggle between Democrats and Republicans. And since the 2010 census will be the first in 30 years to be taken under a Democratic administration, the stakes are particularly high this time around.

Read more HERE.

2008 Foreclosure Filings

This link on the New York State banking department site has great info on NY State foreclosure filings. In the press release section, the quarters can be found at the the following dates:
1st qtr - April 29, 2008
2nd qtr - July 31
3rd qtr - October 30
4th qtr - January 23, 2009 (4th qtr and full year is listed)
Interestingly, last qtr is described thusly: "New York Foreclosure Filings Down in Fourth Quarter 2008, Reflecting Impact of State Efforts".

At the bottom of the page for each link there's the following options:
top ten counties in New York for foreclosure filings
foreclosure filings alphabetically by county
foreclosure filings by percentage of filings

[Thanks, TK.]

The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President 2008

The 2008 edition of The Small Business Economy documents the small business role in the economy of 2007 and includes chapters focusing on financing, procurement, international trade, small business training and development, tax policy, business creation, and regulation.

A copy of the report is located here and the research summary can be found here.

Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Chad Moutray at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

Metropolitan/Micropolitan Statistical Area Criteria

The Office of Management and Budget recently issued a Federal Register Notice proposing changes to the criteria used for defining the metropolitan and related statistical areas. Once the criteria are finalized, the delineation process is a very mechanical one that is hard to influence. While these areas won't be defined for another 4 years or so (2013), NOW is the opportunity to comment on the criteria used to define them. Comments are due to OMB by April 13, 2009.

(Thanks, LMG.)

The Language of Local Government

This list of definitions and acronyms provides easy-to-understand explanations of words, phrases, terms and acronyms commonly used in local government that may not be familiar to citizens or newly elected or appointed municipal officials.

5th Annual AP Report to the Nation

More than 15 percent of the public high school class of 2008 achieved at least one AP® Exam score of 3 or higher — the score that is predictive of college success — announced Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. Additionally, AP students are much more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree in four years than their peers, thereby reducing college costs and supporting higher education’s goal of on-time degree completion.

Census of Agriculture Shows Growing Diversity in U.S. Farming

The number of farms in the United States has grown 4 percent and the operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past five years, according to results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

For Nearly Half of America, Grass Is Greener Somewhere Else

Where would Americans most like to live — and how do they feel about the place they currently call home?

A new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends project finds that nearly half (46%) of the public would rather live in a different type of community from the one they’re living in now — a sentiment that is most prevalent among city dwellers. When asked about specific metropolitan areas where they would like to live, respondents rank Denver, San Diego and Seattle at the top of a list of 30 cities, and Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati at the bottom.

Website, Automated Phone Service Helps Taxpayers Track Refund Check Status

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Commissioner Robert L. Megna reminds taxpayers that they can track the status of their state income tax refund checks on the department’s website or by calling the automated refund status hotline.

Taxpayers who expect state income tax refunds can call the department’s Refund Hotline at 1-800-443-3200 or 518-457-5149, or online at www.nystax.gov. Tax filers will need to know their social security numbers, the amount of the state refund claimed, and which New York tax forms they filed.

More info here.

Four things you should know about how ACS multiyear estimates are produced

Using Multiyear Estimates addresses Interview Collection Periods, Geographic Boundaries, Weighting Methodology - Use of Population Estimates; and Inflation Adjustments. Re: the latter, "Monetary values for the ACS 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year estimates are inflation adjusted to the final year of the period. For example, the 2005 - 2007 ACS 3-year estimates are tabulated using 2007 adjusted dollars. These adjustments use the national Consumer Price Index (CPI) since a regional-based CPI is not available for the entire country."

For a more comprehensive list of ACS subject definitions, go here.

Amendment to cut libraries out of broadband package in Senate stimulus bill

Calls to ALL Senators are needed IMMEDIATELY to protect $200 million for libraries, community computing centers and related institutions in the original language of the Senate stimulus bill, H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The American Library Association has just been advised that Senators Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are expected to introduce Senate Amendment 501 which would strip funding for libraries and broadband to put additional funding in FDIC. If introduced, the vote could take place this afternoon.

The message is: keep the $200 million for libraries and broadband in H.R. 1 - defeat amendment 501. Libraries provide information on jobs, employment skills, and all other types of job-seeking information. More people are using libraries during these difficult times and the demand for broadband is greater than ever.

Census of Canada, 1891

The 1891 Census offers a rich source of information about Canada and Canadians. Through this research tool, you can access digitized images of original census returns which list the name, age, country or province of birth, nationality, religion, and occupation of Canada's residents at the time of the 1891 Census.

Evolution of the Household

From Women's Day: Housdehold expenditures from 1950 to today. (Thanks, Dale.)

CENSUS NEWS BRIEF: President Selects Sen. Gregg

*President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
...
Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the Administration’s request for additional census funding for fiscal year 2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up operations.
...
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau director; both positions require Senate confirmation.
***
*Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January 28, by a vote of 244 – 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in additional funds for the 2010 census.
...
The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, 2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting purposes by April 1, 2011.
...
*An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the proposed spending for the 2010 census “would provide an infusion of new jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census.” Dr. Santos calls the census “a shovel-ready infrastructure project,” a reference to one of President Obama’s criteria for including projects in a stimulus package. The analysis is available online.
***
*Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to “move quickly to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on track for good.”
...
The full documment and previous Census News Briefs can be found at Census News Briefs, which are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in the News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K@aol.com, who writes, "Please feel free to circulate this document to other interested individuals and organizations."

Guard Times

Guard Times is a quarterly magazine, "Serving the New York Army and Air National Guard, Naval Militia, New York Guard and Families." Formerly a bi-monthly newspaper, this glossy magazine is now celebrating its first anniversary. It is distributed free to members of the New York State Military Forces and employees of the Division of Military and Naval Affairs.

Guard Times can be found in electronic format from January 2001 to the present.

New Resource to Help Locate 2010 Local Census Offices

The Census Bureau has put up a new website page that lists local Census offices; their address, phone number, and the starting salary for the area.

This page is part of the 2010 Census section and is at: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/2010censusjobsmap/localofficemap.php

State-Specific Smoking-Attributable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost

For the United States, 2000--2004

Fiscal Responsibility - FDIC

From the James J. Hill Reference Library


"FDIC insured." This tagline may be the only exposure you've had to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC. But there are other ways the FDIC can serve you. For example, you can check the fiscal responsibility of the banks and financial institutions with whom your company does business with Bank Find, or determine your region's banking and economic conditions with FDIC State Profiles.

Use Bank Find to answer questions about whether your bank is insured, where its home office is, if it has had a name change, other historical events, and much more. With FDIC State Profiles, choose your state from the interactive map or list provided to view the most recent quarterly overview of banking and economic conditions in your state.

To learn more about additional resources the FDIC has available, visit the Research & Analysis section of their Web site.







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President Obama's Infrastructure Spending Program - Keeping It Simple

Rockefeller Institute of Government Co-Director Richard P. Nathan recently wrote about President Obama’s infrastructure spending program and job-creation effort. Nathan advises a common-sense approach that works closely with the states, in order to take advantage of states’ knowledge of the local terrain.

State of the World’s Children 2009

The latest UNICEF report is now available.

Green Building Impact Report 2008

Source: GreenerBuildings.com

This Green Building Impact Report is the first-ever integrated assessment of the land, water, energy, material and indoor environmental impacts of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED for New Construction (LEED NC), Core & Shell (LEED CS) and Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM) standards.

The Government Accountability Office Keeps Census on the “High Risk” List

The GAO reported this week that a critical risk management exercise planned for 2008 — a "dress rehearsal" of all census operations—was curtailed. GAO expressed concerns that a number of key Census operations and systems, including some that will be used for the first time in a census, have not been tested adequately or under census-like conditions.

To be fair, other programs in various agencies are also considered "high risk:.
More information is available at…


High-Risk Series: An Update. GAO-09-271, January 22.

Highlights.

Small Business Profiles for the States and Territories

The latest edition of the Small Business Profiles for the States and Territories is now available. This new edition improves on previous years by providing more information in an easier-to-use format. A copy of the state profiles can be found here.

The profiles contain great detail about small businesses at the state level. They cover the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States, and also provide limited data on the U.S. territories. The profiles show that small businesses are a significant part of every state economy, and they are important employers in every state. Small businesses employ 44% of the workforce in Florida (the low end of the range), and they employ 69.8% of Montana’s workforce (the high end); New York's number is 51.7%.

Work Experience of the Population in 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

A total of 157.7 million persons worked at some point during 2007, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The proportion of workers who worked full time, year round in 2007 was 68.4 percent, the same as in 2006. The number of persons who experienced some unemployment increased by 693,000, to 15.1 million.

Foreclosure Activity Increases 81 Percent In 2008

RealtyTrac released its 2008 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report this week, "which shows a total of 3,157,806 foreclosure filings — default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported on 2,330,483 U.S. properties during the year, an 81 percent increase in total properties from 2007 and a 225 percent increase in total properties from 2006. The report also shows that 1.84 percent of all U.S. housing units (one in 54) received at least one foreclosure filing during the year, up from 1.03 percent in 2007."

New York ranked 35th on the list, and the highest metro area in New York appearing on the rankings is Poughkeepsie-Newburgh at 69th.

Small Business Survival Index

According to this 13th annual study, the most entrepreneur-friendly state is South Dakota. How does New York rank? Not that well.

"The 44-page Business Survival Index from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council ranks the policy environment for entrepreneurship throughout the United States. So what does that mean?

"The Index ranks the 50 states and the District of Columbia from friendliest to least friendly environment for entrepreneurs. The ranking is based on multiple criteria, including personal income tax rates, corporate income tax rates, property taxes, electric utility costs, crime rates, highway cost effectiveness, and more."

YouTube: The Reference Tool

At First, Funny Videos. Now, a Reference Tool / By MIGUEL HELFT

FACED with writing a school report on an Australian animal, Tyler Kennedy began where many students begin these days: by searching the Internet. But Tyler didn't use Google or Yahoo. He searched for information about the platypus on YouTube.

"I found some videos that gave me pretty good information about how it mates, how it survives, what it eats," Tyler said. Similarly, when Tyler gets stuck on one of his favorite games on the Wii, he searches YouTube for tips on how to move forward. [snip]

While he favors YouTube for searches, he said he also turns to Google from time to time.

Tyler's way of experiencing the Web - primarily through video - may not be mainstream, at least not yet. But his use of YouTube as his favorite search engine underscores a shift that is much broader than the quirky habits of children.

The explosion of all types of video content on YouTube and other sites is quickly transforming online video from a medium strictly for entertainment and news into one that is also a reference tool. As a result, video search, on YouTube and across other sites, is rapidly morphing into a new entry point into the Web, one that could rival mainstream search for many types of queries.

Additional Excerpts and Link to Full Article Available HERE.

Just the article HERE.

Taxable Sales and Purchases - County and Industry Data for March 2006 - February 2007

Article 29 of the Tax Law authorizes counties, cities and some school districts to impose a local sales tax as a complement to the statewide tax. This report presents statistical information on taxable sales and purchases subject to the county or the New York City (NYC) sales tax.
Taxable sales include nearly all retail sales of tangible personal property and certain services. Taxable purchases represent the value of tangible personal property or services purchased for use in business operations (which would otherwise be subject to tax) on which no sales taxwas previously paid.

To download the entire publication and statistical tables, please visit HERE.

2008 Temperature for U.S. Near Average

It's very cold in Albany, NY today, the kind of weather where the condensation freezes on any facial hair, then thaws when one gets indoors. And it'll be colder tomorrow and worse on Friday. It does not surprise me that temperatures in the U.S. were below average for December.

Inauguration Day 2009

You might have heard that there's some event taking place next Tuesday in Washington, DC. Where to Watch on TV, Radio, and Online

Fun with New York State Counties

Sketches of New York State's colorful early history are wrapped up in the everyday words that name our 62 counties. They recall the Indians, the English and Dutch colonists, heroes of the Revolutionary War years, Presidents and early politicians — and the inventor of the steamboat.

Roll your mouse over a county to reveal its name. Click to discover where that name came from.

Now try this game where one has to find each county!

Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 111th Congress. Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age and length of service, occupation, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service.

These are collective statistics, not individual records, in an 11-page PDF.

2009 Commerical Real Estate Forecast

Grubb & Ellis Company released its 2009 Global Real Estate Forecast, which indicates that 2009 will be a challenging year for commercial real estate with the economy starting the year 13 months into what may become the longest recession since the 1930s.

Still Broken: New York State Legislative Reform

From the website:

"Dysfunctional" is the adjective ascribed to the New York State Legislature by two reports issued by the Brennan Center for Justice: The New York State Legislative Process: An Evaluation and Blueprint for Reform, released in 2004 and the follow up, Unfinished Business: New York State Legislative Reform 2006 Update.

AG Cuomo's Comprehensive Plan to Reform Local Government Operations

In December 2008, Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo unveiled legislation "to empower communities across the state with the ability to fundamentally reorganize and consolidate local governments." More here.

New ACS Compass Handbook

The Census Bureau released the ACS Compass Handbook for federal agency ACS users recently. To quote a sage man, "it seems to have a very good and clear description of the issues related to overlapping multiyear estimates, margins of error, and the use of ACS data by federal agencies for their different purposes."

New York City Payroll Posted on the Internet

The names, titles and base salaries of 427,759 New York City government employees are now posted on the web at www.SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center for New York State Policy announced today.

For the full text of this press release, click here.

Guide to the 2007 Economic Census

WHAT'S NEW: New Data for CDPs, more Towns and Townships, but Fewer Small Places; North American Product Classification System for service industries; Totals for minority business owners, omitted in 2002, will be reinstated for 2007; No DVD-ROMs or CD-ROMs.

Report schedule starts the 1st quarter of 2009. And keep clicking the forward arrow at the bottom of the page for more info.

Credit card industry facts, debt statistics 2006-2008

This page contains credit card-related statistics -- including statistics on credit card debt, credit card delinquencies, credit scores, credit card interest rates, bankruptcies and more -- compiled by the CreditCards.com staff.

The post in which the blogger links to himself

Good News, New York, about the Census, iff..., where the blogger vainly attempts to describe to the general public the importance of the 2010 Census, purportedly 15 months away, using his favorite Census-related photo ever.

Criminal Justice Statistics

The state Department of Criminal Justice Services is authorized to gather crime and criminal justice processing data from law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and corrections agencies throughout New York State.

Births and Deaths by Month, 1995-2002

This ABC News story from 2005 I came across while looking for something else.

Website lets public track illness

New Yorkers can now find out the hospital admission rates for preventable illnesses by ZIP Code through a new Web site initiated by the state Department of Health.

Domestic Homicide in New York State: 2007

Bellwether study provides comprehensive view of domestic violence fatalities in NYS

Missouri Census Data Center Updates

The Missouri Census Data Center has processed a number of new data files and updated some web applications to work with the new 3-year ACS data. The new data include a complete national collection of the ACS 3-year period estimates, both the MCDC's custom profile extracts (similar to the Bureau's profile reports available via AFF) and the complete set of base tables with MOEs. They have also converted the latest income and poverty estimates from the Bureau and the just-released state level population estimates.

For details please visit the MCDC home page - http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/ - and follow the various links from there. Uexplore/Dexter users may find it helpful to visit the MCDC Data Archive home page - http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/applications/uexplore.shtml - and look at the Recent Updates to the Archive section.

Be sure to note that the link to "ACS Profiles" in our Quick Links navigation box now takes you to the revised version of the application, modified to facilitate access to our 4-across profile reports with graphics for both the 3-year period estimates and the single-year data.

County Compensation by Industry, 2007

From the Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Total compensation of U.S. workers grew 5.2% in 2007 and most counties shared in that growth, according to statistics released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Compensation grew in over 90% of the 3,111 counties in the U.S., as the average annual compensation per job in the U.S. grew by 4.1% to $53,892. Inflation, as measured by the national price index for personal consumption expenditures, grew 2.6% in 2007.

PRB DataFinder

The Population Reference Bureau exists to collect and publish statistics about population, health, and the environment worldwide. For an introduction to a specific place - anywhere in the world - there's no better place to start.

The PRB DataFinder tool aggregates statistics on U.S. states and nations around the world. The interface is simple, belying the broad coverage and notable depth of available information. Focus differs, on a state vs. nation basis, but in addition to population demographics, you'll find statistics as diverse as CO2 emissions per capita, number of uninsured citizens, remaining natural habitat, percentage of women in leadership, vaccination rates, and more.

U.S. TOPICS
* Population Characteristics
* Education
* Health
* Labor Force and Commuting
* Economic Security
* Housing
* Family Structure

WORLD TOPICS
* Population Trends
* Education
* Economic
* Environment
* Health
* HIV/AIDS
* Reproductive Health

New York State Local Employment Dynamics (LED)

The New York State LED program is a recent partnership between the New York State Department of Labor and the U.S. Census Bureau. The data series is unique as it combines information from several different types of federal and state administrative data on employers and employees with core Census Bureau censuses and surveys, while protecting the confidentiality of people and firms that provide the data. This rich compilation of data provides an in-depth picture of local employment conditions unavailable elsewhere. This is the best data source for describing the churning that goes on in the labor market.

Health Care Costs, Biofuel Use Among Subjects in 2009 Statistical Abstract

The U.S. Census Bureau released this week the new Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009. First published in 1878, "Uncle Sam’s Almanac" is a summary of statistics on a wide range of important topics, from A (aquaculture) to Z (zinc production). Whether one seeks numbers on biofuel or banking, foreign trade or foreign aid, cars or bars, there is no better one-stop shop for statistics.

Updated State Health Stats

Statehealthfacts.org has recently added new and updated data on Demographics and the Economy, Medicaid & SCHIP, Medicare, Providers & Service Use, Health Status and Women’s Health.

Energy Outlook 2009

The Annual Energy Outlook 2009 released this week by the Energy Information Administration presents updated projections for U.S. energy consumption and production through 2030.

Oil Use and Import Dependence: For the first time in more than 20 years, the new AEO reference case projects virtually no growth in U.S. oil consumption.

America Will Soon Owe More Than Its Citizens Are Worth

The sum of America’s liabilities and other financial commitments now exceeds the collective net worth of its citizens, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation has calculated using the latest official data. Growth in the government’s unfunded promises for social insurance programs such as Medicare, combined with a drop in Americans’ net worth due in part by lower home equity values, is causing this unprecedented milestone.

In related news, bankruptcy cases filed in federal courts numbered over 1 million for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008, up more than 30 percent when compared to filings in Fiscal Year 2007, according to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Global Health Facts

This interesting site provides data on a variety of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and more. One can access data by topic and by country. Maps are included that provide population statistics indicating who is afflicted with various diseases. The demographic information touches on median age, population density, contraceptive prevalence rate, maternal mortality ratio and life expectancy by gender. The interface can be a little clunky, but the data are quite good.

Project Sunlight

"Shine a light on governmental decision-making in New York State. Project Sunlight: A Public Integrity Initiative contains general and advanced search features and datasets for doing research on elected officials, campaign finance, legislation, lobbying, state contractors and more." My favorite feature is a list of who lobbied for what bills.

The Road Less Traveled

The Road...Less Traveled: An Analysis of Vehicle Miles Traveled Trends in the U.S. from the Brookings Institute is "an analysis at the national, state, and metropolitan levels of changing driving patterns, measured by Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) primarily between 1991 and 2008, reveals that:

Driving, as measured by national VMT, began to plateau as far back as 2004 and dropped in 2007 for the first time since 1980. Per capita driving followed a similar pattern, with flat-lining growth after 2000 and falling rates since 2005. These recent declines in driving predated the steady hikes in gas prices during 2007 and 2008. Moreover, the recent drops in VMT (90 billion miles) and VMT per capita (388 miles) are the largest annualized drops since World War II."

HarpWeek: Explore History

"This website puts American history (1857-1912) in context. It uses Harper’s Weekly original news and feature articles, editorials, political cartoons, and period advertisements to provide overviews and analysis of events in the making of modern America." Lots of cartoonist Thomas Nast, plus perspective on Andrew Johnson's impeachment and the Electoral College debacle of 1876-77, which compares uunfavorably with Florida and the 2000 election.

Annenberg Political FactCheck/Project Vote Smart

Just because the campaign is overdoesn't mean you won't want to question the accuracy of political assertions. Check out FactCheck.org. "This non-profit, non-partisan website aims to clarify the claims made and the statistics stated. It acts as a 'consumer advocate' for voters, an invaluable resource in any election."

Also, votesmart.org will continue to provide you the facts on elected officials and candidates. "A nonprofit, non-partisan organization, funded by the American people."

Flickr Commons

The Library of Congress goes Web 2.0 with The Commons! In this pilot project, users can add tags, comments, and identifying information to two outstanding photography collections of the Library of Congress: 1930s and 1940s in color and News in the 1910s.

Globalization 101

As our world becomes smaller, globalization becomes more prominent. This website, geared for students and teachers but suitable for general users, aims to clearly, accurately and in a bias-free manner explain what globalization is and showcase the complex issues surrounding it. Sponsored by the Levin Institute, a graduate institute of the State University of New York

New York State Physician Profile

This user-friendly web site lists New York State doctor’s medical education, translation services, and legal actions taken against them. Doctors can add optional information such as the address and phone number of all offices, the names of other doctors in a practice group, a list of the articles or research papers the doctor has published, a list of professional and community service activities or awards, a list of the health plans the doctor works with, and the doctor's community involvement.

National Survey Reveals Escalating Budget Crisis for States

States, which already have closed $40 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget gaps, face at least an additional $97 billion they must close over the next 18 to 24 months, according to a national report issued this week by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

NCSL said the news will pose difficult decisions for state legislators across the nation as they prepare for the 2009 legislative sessions.

State Budget Update: November 2008, a survey of the nation’s state legislative fiscal officers, reports that states face a $32 billion budget gap after already closing a $40 billion gap since the current fiscal year began. Their projections for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1 for most states, reveal another $65 billion gap.

Fifteen states are forecasting double-digit gaps in FY 2010. The largest are in Arizona (24.2 percent), New York (20 percent), California (18 percent), Wisconsin (17.2 percent), Minnesota (14.7) and Kansas (14.5 percent).

NCSL's State Budget Report Update: November 2008 is a 60-page report that provides information for all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It gives an overview of state fiscal conditions, including state revenue performances, estimated budget gaps in FY 2009 and FY 2010 and actions legislatures are expected to take to close their budget gaps. This report is free only to credentialed members of the media and is available for purchase.

Consolidation = Taxpayer Savings

In Orleans County, NY, if the Village of Albion merges with the Town of Albion, which incorporates four-fifths of the Village, taxpayers can save at least 18%. If the neighboring Town of Gaines also consolidates with them, taxpayer savings are at least 22%. These savings come from cost reductions due to efficiencies and substantial new state consolidation incentive funds.

That report and others designed by Center for Governmental Research can be found here.

American Community Survey release of multiyear data

On December 9, 2008, the Census Bureau will release the first set of three-year American Community Survey data for all geographies with populations greater than 20,000. The release will provide the first look at detailed socioeconomic and housing characteristics for geographies between 20,000 and 64,999 since Census 2000. The type of data released and geographies covered can be found here.

Different from a point-in-time estimate

Before I talk about multiyear estimates, it’s important to understand the concept of a period estimate because all ACS estimates are period estimates.

The ACS produces period estimates of socioeconomic and housing characteristics. It is designed to provide estimates that describe the average characteristics of an area over a specific time period. In the case of ACS one-year estimates, the period is the calendar year. For example, the 2007 ACS data describe the population and housing characteristics of an area from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007, not for any specific day within the year.

A period estimate is different from a point-in-time estimate. A point-in-time estimate is designed to measure characteristics as of a certain date or narrow time period. For example, the purpose of the decennial census is to count the population living in the United States on a specific date, which is traditionally April 1. Although decennial census data are actually collected over several months, they are designed to provide a snapshot of the U.S. population as of April 1.

Understanding Multiyear Estimates in the American Community Survey

Period for ACS multiyear estimates is either 3 or 5 calendar years. A multiyear estimate is simply a period estimate that encompasses more than one calendar year. In the case of ACS multiyear estimates, the period is either three or five calendar years.

While a one-year estimate includes information collected from independent monthly samples over a 12-month period, a three-year estimate represents data collected from independent samples over a 36-month period, and a five-year estimate includes data collected over a 60-month period. For example, the 2005-2007 ACS three-year estimates describe the population and housing characteristics of an area for the period January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007, not for any specific day, month, or year within that time period.

The types of ACS estimates published for a particular area or population group are based on established population thresholds. Geographic areas with at least 65,000 people will receive one-, three-, and five-year ACS estimates. Areas with 20,000 or more people will receive three- and five-year estimates. There are a few exceptions to this rule, however. ZIP code tabulation areas, census tracts, and block groups, regardless of their population size, will only receive five-year estimates. Areas with less than 20,000 people, down to the block group level, will only receive five-year estimates.

ACS estimates based on data collected from 2005-2007 should not be labeled "2006" or "2007" estimates. Multiyear estimates do not represent any one year or the midpoint of a period. The correct labeling for multiyear estimate: "The child poverty rate for the 2005-2007 period was X percent."

Perhaps it is obvious, but multiyear estimates must be used when no one-year estimate is available. Unless a geographic area has a population larger than 65,000, that geography will be reliant on multiyear estimates.

Multiyear estimates should also be used when analyzing data for small population groups due to the higher margins of error associated with them. An example of a small population group could be "Families with Female Householder with own Children under 18". The choices posed for using mulityear estimates is more than simply a choice between using the one-year or the multiyear estimates, however, because for many areas there will also be the choice of which multiyear estimate to use, three- or five-year.

For small areas, only five-year estimates are released, but for larger areas, each annual release will provide one-, three-, and five-year estimates. For example, in 2010, there will be three sets of commuting data for San Diego County – one-year estimates for 2009, three-year estimates reflecting 2007-2009, and five-year estimates for the period of 2005-2009. Users need to decide which is the most appropriate for their needs.

In making this choice, one need to consider the tradeoff between currency and reliability. The one-year estimates for an area reflect the most current data but they tend to have higher margins of error than the three- and five-year estimates because they are based on a smaller sample.

The three-year and five-year estimates for an area have larger samples and smaller margins of error than the one-year estimates, but they are less current because the larger samples include data that were collected in earlier years. The main advantage of using multiyear estimates is the increased statistical reliability for smaller geographic areas and small population groups.

There are no hard-and-fast rules on choosing between one-, three-, and five-year data, but the margins of error provided with ACS data can help data users decide on the tradeoff between currency and reliability.

Only compare the same type of estimate:
1-year estimates to other 1-year estimates
3-year estimates to other 3-year estimates
5-year estimates to other 5-year estimates

When comparing estimates from two multiyear periods, it is easier to make comparisons between non-overlapping periods. This is because the difference between two estimates of overlapping periods is driven by the non-overlapping years. To illustrate what I mean, consider the 2005-2007 period and the 2007-2009 period estimates. Both contain the year 2007. Thus, the difference between the 2005-2007 and 2007-2009 estimates is determined by the difference between the 2005 and 2006 estimates versus the 2008 and 2009 estimates.

In this example, the simplest comparison is between the 2005-2007 estimate and the 2008-2010 estimate, which do not include any overlapping years.

There are global differences that exist between the ACS and Census 2000. These include differences in residence rules, universes, and reference periods. For example, the ACS uses a "two-month" residence rule - defined as anyone living for more than two months in the sample unit when the unit is interviewed. On the other hand, Census 2000 used a "usual residence" rule - defined as the place where a person lives or stays most of the time.

The reference periods between the ACS and Census 2000 also differ. For example, the ACS asks respondents to report their income for the 12 months preceding the interview date while Census 2000 asked for a respondent’s income in calendar year 1999.

Also, as discussed earlier, the ACS produces period estimates whereas Census 2000 data are interpreted to be a snapshot of April 1, 2000.

The Census Bureau subject matter specialists have considered all of these differences and have determined that for most population and housing subjects, comparisons can be made. Further information about comparing measures from the ACS and Census 2000 can be found here.

There are other subtlies of ACS data which I'll not touch on, such as controlling to county population estimates.

The ACS Web Site is offering handbooks providing "user-friendly information about the ACS and the new multiyear estimates... Each handbook targets a specific user group including first time ACS data users."

The ACS Compass Presentations, from which this post was partially purloined, can be found here.

Data Analysis and User Education Branch: 301.763.3655

New York QWI Data on LED Website

The Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) for the state of New York have been posted on the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) website. They are available through the QWI Online and Industry Focus. New York becomes the 46th state to post its QWI data on the LED website.

To get there:
1. Go to Census website www.census.gov
2. Click on Local Employment Dynamics, which takes you to http://lehd.did.census.gov/led/index.html
3. Click on QWI Online, which takes you to http://lehd.did.census.gov/led/datatools/qwiapp.html
4. Click on New York

Or you can go to the New York State Department of Labor site
From the home page -http://www.labor.state.ny.us/, click on Labor Statistics, then Employment, on the left-hand side. LED s the last on the list under Employment. http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workforceindustrydata/lsled.shtm.

Census Spending Cuts Raise Concerns on Count

Washington Post, Wednesday, November 26, 2008; A11

The Census Bureau plans to cut spending on advertising and community outreach for the 2010 census by at least a fourth compared with the 2000 census, provoking concern among congressional overseers that historically difficult-to-count groups such as minorities and illegal immigrants will not be accurately tallied.

North American Transportation in Figures

This report provides a comprehensive overview of transportation statistics in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Each language edition — English, Spanish and French — contains more than 30 data tables. Statistics include modes of transportation, fuel consumption, number of passengers, fatalities and more.

Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers

Soon enough, it will be tax season. The NYS Tax Department offers Publication 135 (11/08). Check out the PDFs the document here and the memo here.

NOAA Winter Forecast

Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic: Equal chances for above-, near-, or below-normal temperatures and precipitation. For regions with more definitive trends, see here.

The 2010 Census – A Great Way to Earn Extra Money

Here's a nice user-friendly page promoting the 2010 Census employment opportunities:

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. The pay is good, the hours are flexible, and the work is close to home.

Census taker jobs are excellent for retirees, college students, persons who want to work part-time, persons who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community.

Top 10 Best Newspaper Websites

The Bivings Report decided to break out a list of the best examples of good newspaper websites, judging sites not only on their web features but also on the design, aesthetics and general usability of the site.

Some readers noted that it is heavily skewed to those sites associated with larger newspapers.

State Economic Profiles

The 2008 edition of The Small Business Profiles for the States and Territories present key small business data for the United States, each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and some U.S. territories. The profiles combine data from several government sources to show small businesses’ overall numbers, their impact on employment and job creation, the industries they represent, plus bank and lending information.

The 2008 edition of The Small Business Profiles for the States and Territories is located here.

At my library, I use this source all of the time.

What kind of blog is this?

My Colleague Darrin wrote this post about the nature of the SBDC Research Network blog, using Typealyzer. So I thought I'd try it on THIS blog.

The analysis indicates that the author of http://nysdca.blogspot.com is of the type:

ISTJ - The Duty Fulfillers
The responsible and hardworking type. They are especially attuned to the details of life and are careful about getting the facts right. Conservative by nature they are often reluctant to take any risks whatsoever.

The Duty Fulfillers are happy to be let alone and to be able to work int heir own pace. They know what they have to do and how to do it.
Analysis
This show what parts of the brain that were dominant during writing.

Zoom Prospector

Description courtesy of the James J. Hill Reference Library:
Prospecting for a new business location can be taxing. If you have cities in mind you can research them one at a time, but what if you don't know where to start?

Zoom Prospector highlights available research on places, but focuses just on those aspects most essential to business interests. Look up a specific place, sure. Or, really take advantage of the site by building a list of communities that match your criteria - by size, employment growth since 2000, number of college/high school grads, white collar vs. blue collar jobs, median household income, and more.

This is a great tool for comparing U.S. places, whether your plans involve a new location or just getting to know your current one a little better.

This has some of the features of Citymelt.com, mentioned recently. Try them both and see what works best for you.

Marital Status and Health Differentials from 1972 to 2003

The Times They Are a Changin’. "Although the meanings and rates of being married, divorced, separated, never-married, and widowed have changed significantly over the past several decades, we know very little about historical trends in the relationship between marital status and health."

American Attitudes on Religion, Moral Values and Hollywood

A majority of the American people believes that religious values are “under attack,” and that the people who run the television networks and major movie studios do not share the religious and moral values of most Americans, according to a survey from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued this week.

Full report in PDF.

citymelt.com

Here's a fun website with practical applications. At citymelt.com, one can choose any of the 25 criteria "to find a place that is right for you", based on population/demographics, education, and weather. "Over 50,000 villages, towns, and cities available for your own personal analysis. Select county or state level data for your expanded research project."

Creator Stephen Traino notes that he will soon update the site with American Community Survey data when the new 2007 data for smaller places comes out in early December.

It's a bit quirky in that it seems to work best when picks just one criterion at a time. However, if you get too many hits, you can narrow the search by moving another "slider".

2010 Census Jobs Available Now! (and not just in the Boston region)

The Boston Regional Census Center is seeking qualified applicants to fill more than forty Partnership Specialist positions in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and upstate New York. Census is turning to past and current partners to help find qualified applicants for these important and attractive-paying jobs.

Partnership Specialists are charged with developing partnerships with local, state and tribal governments, as well as community and faith-based entities, schools, businesses, media and grassroots organizations. These partnerships will help create a responsive environment when census questionnaires go to households in spring 2010.

For some Partnership Specialist positions, the Census Bureau seeks applicants who have professional and/or volunteer experience developing partnerships in African American, Hispanic/Latino, Mexican, Native American, Asian and other minority communities and cultures. Specific cultural and/or language requirements (for example, proficiency in Spanish) are noted in the Recruiting Bulletins (job announcements).

Postings for Partnership Specialist, Administrative Specialist and Regional Technician positions are available NOW at www.census.gov/robos/www or www.usajobs.com. To receive consideration, an applicant must submit a complete application packet to the Boston Regional Census Center as directed. This includes written responses to all questions and evaluation criteria shown in the Recruiting Bulletin.

If you have questions, please call the contact listed on the Job announcement or contact the Partnership and Data Services Program at 617-223-3610.

If you live in another part of the country, go here.

Living Wage Calculator

The Department of Geography at Penn State has put together this website, described thusly: "In many American communities, families working in low-wage jobs make insufficient income to live locally given the local cost of living. Recently, in a number of high-cost communities, community organizers and citizens have successfully argued that the prevailing wage offered by the public sector and key businesses should reflect a wage rate required to meet minimum standards of living. Therefore we have developed a living wage calculator to estimate the cost of living in your community or region. The Calculator lists typical expenses, the living wage and typical wages in the location you have selected."

Why doesn't the SEC use NAICS?

My old friend Jennifer Boettcher decided to investigate this question, since:
According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), all federal offices must use NAICS for federal statistical reporting purposes. Continued use of SIC for nonstatistical purposes is usually left to the discretion of the agency. Some statutes may refer to SIC -- these are being addressed. For example, the HSR Premerger Notification Rules mentioned SIC, but that was easily remedied by using notices in the Federal Register, such as the one allowing the change from SIC to NAICS in 2001.

Unfortunately, when she contacted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about why she never got a satisfactory answer: "We will take that under advisement".

The division responsible for choosing which industrial classification system
to use is the Division of Corporation Finance. She spoke with a staff member at the Division about why the SEC has not converted. The main reason given was that it would require too much work for the Office of Information Technology to change. He said there were no immediate plans to covert from SIC to NAICS. When I asked about the new IDEA software to replace EDGAR, he said IDEA is still in the concept phase. She asked him to put NAICS into the concept.

When other federal government agencies converted to NAICS:

Census Bureau: started in 1997 and completed in 2002
IRS: 1998 (in 2003, 95.9% of Partnership tax receipts used NAICS. Proving companies and accountants have adopted NAICS)
SSA: 1999 (employer establishments to assign establishment’s activities)
SBA: 1999 (SBA assigns small business size standards to NAICS codes)
FTC: 2001 (looking at anti-trust premerger issues)
BEA: 2003 (looking at the National Income and Product Accounts)
BLS: 2004 (labor, wages, PPI, etc are measured using NAICS)
EPA: 2006 (connecting Toxic Release Index to NAICS)

Learn more about NAICS
Sorry for the delay in reporting back.

A New Census Director?

From the Latino Census Network

As President-elect Barack Obama puts together his transition, the top priority of advocates for the Census is the selection of a new Census Director by the end of January. With the 2010 Census less than 18 months away, the pressure is on to get the Obama Administration to quickly get a new leader for the Bureau on board to replace Census Director Steve Murdock. While some have argued that, given the short time left to pull of the Decennial, it would make sense to push to retain Murdock in this post to assure continuity, it appears that even Murdock acknowledges that with a new President will come a new Census Director.

The name that has been circulating the most to replace Murdock is that of Kenneth Prewitt. He was the person who oversaw the very successful 2000 Census, which would address the continuity issue. Prewitt is currently on the faculty of the political science department at Columbia University and has broad support.

Estimating the Contribution of Immigrant Business Owners to the U.S. Economy

Using data from three large nationally representative government datasets — the 2000 Census 5% Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), the 1996-2007 Current Population Survey (CPS), and the 1992 Characteristics of Business Owners (CBO) — this study examines the contribution of immigrant businesses to the U.S. economy. According to Census 2000, immigrants constitute 12.2 percent of the total U.S. work force, and 12.5 percent of the total population of U.S. business owners. Business income generated by immigrant business owners totals $67 billion, representing 11.6 percent of U.S. business income.
Immigrant business ownership is geographically concentrated in a few states.

A copy of the report is located here (PDF) and the research summary can be found here (PDF).

A Chance to Help the Census

From Hispanic Business:

The Census Bureau issued a request for nominations to the Census Advisory Committee on the Hispanic Population. The nine-member committee facilitates communication between Hispanic communities and the Census Bureau, and seeks to help the Bureau remedy the undercount of the Hispanic population.

Individuals, groups, and organizations can nominate candidates who have knowledge and expertise on the cultural patterns, issues, and/or data needs of the Hispanic community. Please submit a nomination letter and a summary of the candidate's qualifications (resume or CV) by December 5 to Jeri Green, Chief, CAC Office, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 8H182, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, or via fax at 301-763-8609, or by e-mail to jeri.green@census.gov.

Credit card industry facts, debt statistics 2006-2008

This page contains credit card-related statistics — including statistics on credit card debt, credit card delinquencies, credit scores, credit card interest rates, bankruptcies and more — compiled by the CreditCards.com staff.

GAO sets up transition Web site

The Government Accountability Office has identified 13 urgent issues that will require the attention of incoming President Barack Obama and the 111th Congress...

On the list: the 2010 Census
The decennial census is a mammoth undertaking that affects congressional districting and the allocation of $300 billion a year in federal aid to state and local government. “Soon after taking office, the new administration will need to address the significant management and technology challenges facing this complex and costly effort,” the GAO said. “Early in 2009, the first nationwide field operation of the 2010 Census — address canvassing — is scheduled to begin. During this operation, the Census Bureau will rely, for the first time, on hand-held computers to verify address and map information.”

GAO last year identified the census as a high risk area because of challenges in IT management. “The Census Bureau is strengthening its oversight of IT management activities, and a limited field test of the hand-held computers is scheduled for December 2008,” GAO said. “Importantly, there will be little time for refinements if performance problems persist.”

GAO said that Census needs to make sure that all IT systems are fully tested and improve the reliability of cost estimates for the program.

2008 SustainLane US City Rankings

Coverage of the greening of the 50 most-populous cities in the nation, and the most complete report card on urban sustainability in America.

U.S. Catholic Population by State, 2008

Here is a list of states with their population and percentage who are Catholics according to the 2008 Official Catholic Directory. plus other numbers such as the ranking of dioceses and archdioceses.

Shifts to and from Daylight Saving Time and Incidence of Myocardial Infarction.

More than 1.5 billion men and women are exposed to the transitions involved in daylight saving time: turning clocks forward by an hour in the spring and backward by an hour in the autumn. These transitions can disrupt chronobiologic rhythms and influence the duration and quality of sleep, and the effect lasts for several days after the shifts.

Not incidentally, Daylight Saving Time returns on March 8, 2009 to most of the United States.

Prediction: U.S. Election Will Cost $5.3 Billion

The 2008 election for president and Congress is not only one of the most closely watched U.S. elections in years; it’s also the most expensive in history. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics estimates that more than $5.3 billion will go toward financing the federal contests today. The presidential race alone will cost nearly $2.4 billion, the Center predicts.

U.S. Domestic Airline Fee Chart

Even though $140/bbl oil seems to be temporarily off the table, the airlines still tack on fees from reservation by phone to baggage to food. Here's a table that should help.

Americans Drove 15 Billion Fewer Miles than a Year Ago

New federal data show Americans are continuing a 10-month-long decline in driving habits, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced today. The decline is putting new pressure on the way road, bridge and transit projects are funded at a time of record growth in transit ridership, showing the need for a new approach for funding transportation construction, she added.

Enduring Poverty in America

The Federal Reserve System and its 12 member banks partnered with the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program to produce a new, in-depth look at concentrated poverty in America. The two-year study, The Enduring Challenge of Concentrated Poverty in America, profiles 16 high-poverty communities across the United States, investigating the historical and contemporary factors associated with their high levels of economic distress.