Unemployment

The State Labor Department estimates the unemployment numbers and rates for communities of 25,000 or more. You can find these here.

Census 2010: Assessing the Bureau's Strategy for Reducing the Undercount of Hard-to-Count Populations

On Monday, March 23, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Information Policy, Census and National Archives Subcommittee held a hearing entitled "Census 2010: Assessing the Bureau’s Strategy for Reducing the Undercount of Hard-to-Count Populations." Witnesses included:
· Mr. Thomas Mesenbourg, Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau
· Mr. Robert Goldenkoff, Director of Strategic Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office
· Ms. Stacey Cumberbatch, City Census Coordinator, City of New York
· Mr. Jeff Tarakajian, Executive Vice President, DRAFTFCB

Member statements and witness testimony are available here.

Important financial info for consumers

The Federal Reserve Publications Catalog is a treasure chest of 100's of free brochures.
Sort by date to get the latest.

Important financial info for consumers

The Federal Reserve Publications Catalog is a treasure chest of 100's of free brochures.
Sort by date to get the latest.

NPR: Recession Adds To Hurdles Facing U.S. Census

A year from now, the U.S. will conduct its decennial population count. The findings are used to re-apportion congressional districts, disburse federal funding — even decide where new traffic lights go. But the economic crisis threatens to make this daunting task even harder. There is special concern about minority groups, which are traditionally hard to count.

Full audio here.

U.S. Unemployment Understated in Recent Data

As the nation struggles to get a sense of the depth of the current recession, a new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) demonstrates that the current unemployment rate is higher than conventionally measured and is already at roughly the same level as the high reached in 1982, the year with the highest unemployment rate since World War II.

Brookings Holds 2010 Census Forum

On March 18, 2009, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) co-ponsored "Politics, Policy and the 2010 Decennial Census," an engaging discussion of the plans and issues regarding the coming census. Andrew Reamer, Brookings Fellow and APDU President, served as host. The event’s panel, moderated by NPR news editor Ron Elving, included Robert Goldenkoff, Strategic Issues Director, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant specializing in the census; Frank Vitrano, Chief, Decennial Management Division, Census Bureau; and Arturo Vargas, Executive Director, NALEO.

Event transcript and presentations are available here.
The Washington Post’s view on the event is available at here.

Address canvassing

Public Libraries and Department of Labor Employment Centers

New York's unemployment numbers now show that 762,600 workers statewide are unemployed. Because of the tremendous need for assistance with employment and retraining information and assistance, the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) is interested in placing some DOL employees who could provide employment counseling, programs and training, to work in public libraries across New York.

The State Library and the public library systems are working with the DOL to assess interest and capacity for hosting such staff in public libraries. The public library systems are surveying member libraries this week and next and results will be shared with the Department of Labor as soon as results are complete.

Public Library Systems and public libraries continue to work individually in many regions of the state to collaborate on job/career information training and workshops for both library staff and the public.

For additional information on the survey please contact: Cassie Artale, New York State Library / Division of Library Development, 518/474-1479, cartale@mail.nysed.gov

Interim county population estimates for years in the 1980s

New York data appear starting at line 3920 of the Excel file.

Job Cuts by Major Companies

FIRST-QUARTER LAYOFFS: Selection Of Job Cuts By Major Companies, Dow Jones News Service

Pink Slips Layoff Tracker from Forbes

Top 100 Rated TV Shows Of All Time

In the US, by Rating through February 1, 2009.

I've been fascinated not by the big event stuff, such as the Super Bowls, Root, final episodes and the like but the sheer strength off regular season shows such as the Beverly Hillbillies, Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

Fire Statistics

This page contains statistics on fires that occur in the United States and analytical and topical reports that describe the national fire problem. Also included are statistics related to firefighters and fire departments. The U.S. Fire Administration is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

2009 Rosemary Award for Worst FOIA Performance Goes to FBI

From the report: The Federal Bureau of Investigation won the fifth annual Rosemary Award for the worst Freedom of Information Act performance by a federal agency. The FBI’s reports to Congress show that the Bureau is unable to find any records in response to two-thirds of its incoming FOIA requests on average over the past four years, when the other major government agencies averaged only a 13% "no records" response to public requests.

During fiscal year 2008, the FBI gave "no records" responses to 57% of the requests it processed, more than any other major agency. The Bureau only provided documents (most redacted) in less than 14% of cases — the lowest percentage of requests granted among the major agencies in the federal government. In 2007, the FBI responded with “no records” in 70% of its FOIA requests. In 2006, "no records" peaked at 74%; and in 2005, at 66% — the four-year average.

Economy at a Glance

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces Economy at a Glance pages at the national, regional, state, and metropolitan area levels. The data displayed in these pages are assembled from different surveys and programs conducted by BLS. The Economy at a Glance pages are refreshed with current data every time any of the source programs releases new statistics. This typically occurs 7-9 times per month.

IRS Releases 2008 Data Book

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the release of the 2008 IRS Data Book (PDF), which is an annual snapshot of IRS activities for a given fiscal year.

The report describes activities conducted by the IRS from Oct. 1, 2007, to Sept. 30, 2008, and includes information about returns filed, tax collections, enforcement and taxpayer assistance, as well as the IRS budget and workforce.

During fiscal year 2008, the IRS collected more than $2.3 trillion in taxes (net of refunds) and processed more than 250 million returns. More than 101 million returns, including 58 percent of individual income tax returns, were filed electronically.

More than 118 million individual income tax return filers received tax refunds that totaled almost $270.4 billion. Filers also received more than $95.7 billion in economic stimulus payments. In fiscal year 2008, IRS spent an average of 41 cents to collect each $100 of tax revenue.

Insurance Related Data

The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) compiles the latest facts and statistics relating to the insurance industry, including data on annuities, the world’s deadliest catastrophes (including insurance loss data), worst terrorists attacks (with insured property losses), and more.

Health Coverage in an Economic Downturn

You may have seen references to the story about how people forgo using the health care system for financial reasons. I recommend checking out the whole Kaiser Family Foundation website. KFF "is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., with a growing role in global health."

Credit card industry facts, debt statistics 2006-2009

This page contains credit card-related statistics — including statistics on credit card debt, credit card delinquencies, credit scores, credit card interest rates, bankruptcies, average credit card debt and more — compiled by the CreditCards.com staff. Statistics on this page are updated regularly as new or updated credit card data is received. Some data may appear multiple times on the page because the information is applicable in multiple categories.

Consumer Information For Drinking Water

From the EPA's Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water.

USDA Agricultural Projections to 2018

From the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service

This report provides long-run (10-year) projections for the agricultural sector through 2018. Projections cover agricultural commodities, agricultural trade, and aggregate indicators of the sector, such as farm income and food prices.

Economy May Test Census

By Steve Vogel, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, March 20, 2009; Page A17

The faltering U.S. economy is causing concern about the ability of the 2010 census to get a full and accurate count of the U.S. population, according to Census Bureau officials and experts.

The increase in home foreclosures and the rising jobless rate mean more Americans are moving out of their homes and into shelters or other locations where they may be harder for census workers to find.

Tax Statistics

Produced by the Statistics of Income Division and Other Areas of the Internal Revenue Service, categories include business tax statistics, individual tax statistics, IRS operations/budget/compliance, statistics of income, charitable and exempt organization statistics, products/publications/papers, statistics by tax form, and more. The What’s New page points to the most recent information added to the site and also to the most popular items.

Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2008

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics

According to Current Population Survey estimates for 2008, 75.3 million American workers age 16 and over were paid at hourly rates, representing 58.2 percent of all wage and salary workers. On July 24, 2008, the Federal minimum wage increased to $6.55 per hour from $5.85 per hour. Data in this report reflect the average number of workers earning the prevailing Federal minimum wage or less for the year (those who earned $5.85 or less from January 2008 through July 2008 and those who earned $6.55 or less from August 2008 through the end of the year). Among those paid by the hour, 286,000 earned exactly the prevailing Federal minimum wage in 2008. About 1.9 million had wages below the minimum. Together, these 2.2 million workers with wages at or below the minimum made up 3.0 percent of all hourly-paid workers.

A Profile of the Working Poor, 2007

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

In 2007, according to the Census Bureau, 37.3 million people, or 12.5 percent of the population, lived at or below the official poverty level. Although the Nation’s poor were primarily children and adults who had not participated in the labor force during the year, 7.5 million were among the 'working poor'. This level is slightly higher than the level reported in 2006. The working poor are individuals who spent at least 27 weeks in the labor force (working or looking for work), but whose incomes still fell below the offi cial poverty level. In 2007, the working poor rate–the ratio of the working poor to all individuals in the labor force for at least 27 weeks–was 5.1 percent, unchanged from the rate reported in 2006.

Labor Underutilization Measures for States

A new webpage, Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States, has been posted on the BLS site. A table on this page shows U-1 to U-6 for the states (2008 annual averages). For example, U-4 includes discouraged workers. By this measure the unemployment rate in New Jersey in 2008 was 5.7 percent, while the rate for New York was 5.9 percent.

As a BLS reconomist noted: "Though these data pertain to the recently-ended calendar year, the deterioration in the labor market in 2008 was so rapid and pronounced that many of these measures understate the current degree of labor market underutilization. For example, the U.S. unemployment rate in December 2008 was 7.2 percent (seasonally adjusted), well above the 5.8 percent average for the year as a whole."

Business Dynamics Statistics

Noted by our colleagues at the Hill Library:

Where can you find data on how many US businesses open and close each year and the impact this has on the economy? Where can you track firm age, firm size, and firm performance over time at state and national levels?

The Census Bureau recently launched Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) to track the changing landscape of entrepreneurial activity in the United States. BDS tracks business activity, annual changes in employment, and growing and shrinking businesses. It includes unique information on firm age and firm size and tracks firms over time. BDS currently includes data for 1976-2005.

So use Business Dynamics Statistics today to access data for your industry or region.

Who has sex with whom?

Characteristics of heterosexual partnerships reported in a national probability survey and implications for STI risk from the International Journal of Epidemiology.

"A substantial minority of partnerships in the population is casual. The proportion of partnerships not protected by condoms is high, especially for partnerships involving larger age differences and people in their 30s and 40s."

Majority/Near-Majority of First Graders in Top Ten U.S. Cities are Latino

Latino children now constitute a majority or near majority of first graders in nine of the nation’s largest cities, according to analysis conducted by the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) at the University of Southern California. In cities such as Los Angeles and Dallas, the percentage of Hispanic first graders is even higher - three out of four first graders in these school districts are Latino. In 2020, this demographic wave of Latino first graders will graduate from high school and enter collegiate education or the labor market.

Peter Lobo among 7 NYC Employees Honored for Service

Peter Lobo, our colleague from New York City Planning, is one of seven NYC employees honored for service with a 2009 Sloan Service Award. You can read more about this here. Congratulations, Peter!

American Statistical Association Letter Urges President to Accelerate Appointment of Census Director

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) March 11, 2009 -- The American Statistical Association (ASA), the nation's preeminent professional statistical society, has initiated a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to appoint a Census Director as soon as possible and to ensure that the Census Bureau is shielded from partisan politics. The letter, which has been signed by representatives of a number of professional societies representing a variety of fields, stresses the need for strong and decisive leadership of the Census Bureau as the organization gears up for the 2010 census.

Read the press release (PDF).

Immigration Explorer map

This Census-based item on the New Times website allows one to select a foreign-born group to see how they settled across the United States.

American Religious Identification Survey 2008

The Catholic population of the United States has shifted away from the Northeast and towards the Southwest, while secularity continues to grow in strength in all regions of the country, according to a new study conducted by the Program on Public Values at Trinity College. "The decline of Catholicism in the Northeast is nothing short of stunning," said Barry Kosmin, a principal investigator for the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS). "Thanks to immigration and natural increase among Latinos, California now has a higher proportion of Catholics than New England."

The percentage of Americans claiming no religion, which jumped from 8.2 in 1990 to 14.2 in 2001, has now increased to 15 percent. Given the estimated growth of the American adult population since the last census from 207 million to 228 million, that reflects an additional 4.7 million “Nones.”

New Rockefeller Institute Report on State Revenues

Last year ended badly for states, and the first part of 2009 looks to be even worse, according to the Rockefeller Institute’s latest 'flash' report on state revenues. Three-quarters of states reporting saw tax collections drop at the end of 2008, compared to the same quarter of 2007. Overall, states' revenues fell 3.6 percent in the quarter.

Bankruptcy Filings Up In Calendar Year 2008

From the Report:

Bankruptcy filings in the federal courts rose 31 percent in calendar year 2008, according to data released today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The number of bankruptcies filed in the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2008, totaled 1,117,771, up from 850,912 bankruptcies filed in CY 2007. Filings have grown since CY 2006 when bankruptcy filings totaled 617,660, in the first full 12-month period after the "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act" of 2005 (BAPCPA) took effect. An historic high in the number of bankruptcy filings was seen in calendar year 2005, when over 2 million bankruptcies were filed.

Apply online for an extension to file state income tax return

Need an extension to file your personal state income tax return? Apply online for an automatic extension. It's free and easy to use. You'll receive an instant, printable confirmation that the Tax Department received your application.

To apply for an extension to file online, go here.

If you owe tax with your extension, you can pay it by:
- direct debit from a savings or checking account
- credit card (a convenience fee applies)
- printing a voucher and mailing a check

10.7 Billion Trips Taken On U.S. Public Transportation In 2008

It's the highest level in 52 years; ridership increased as gas prices decline and jobs were lost. From the American Public Transportation Association.

Nielsen trends

Recommended the Nielsen wire blog of consumer trends. Yes, THOSE Nielsen people who do the ratings. The downside; most blog post link to paid articles. Still there's a lot to learn about marketing segments here.

Guidestar Surveys Again

GuideStar, which deals with thousands of charities every month, published the results of its annual nonprofit economic survey in November, which said that 64 percent said demand for services was up, and 60 percent reported that contributions had dropped or were stagnant. There was some good news: 35 percent said that contributions had increased.

"Since then, however, the economy has deteriorated further, and countless news stories have reported on food banks with empty shelves, human service charities overwhelmed by requests for assistance from the newly unemployed, nonprofit layoffs, and more."

Thus Guidestar is in the midst of a new survey, with data collected between now and March 16 and compiled as soon as possible.

GAO Reports on the 2010 Census-March 5, 2009

2010 Census: Little Time Remains to Address Operational Challenges, by Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues; and David Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-408T, March 5.
Highlights.

Information Technology: Census Bureau Testing of 2010 Decennial Systems Can Be Strengthened, by David Powner, director, information technology management issues; and Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-414T, March 5.
Highlights

Budget of the United States Government

For Fiscal Year 2010.

Federal Register Notice: The 5-Year ACS Data Products Release Plan

The U.S Census Bureau published its data release plan for the ACS 5-year data products in the Federal Register (E9-4803). Beginning in late 2010, the Census Bureau plans to introduce 5-year data products covering the January 2005 through December 2009 data collection period. The release of the 5-year estimates will achieve the goal of the ACS to provide small area data similar to the long-form sample data published after Census 2000. The Census Bureau is proposing to modify its current line of data products to accommodate the 5-year estimates and is requesting comments from current and potential users of ACS data products to help guide this modification.

Please review the 5-Year ACS Data Release Plan and provide your response to the contact listed in the Federal Register notice. Follow this link to the Federal Register notice (PDF files) posted in the Highlights section on the ACS Main page, or go directly here. Comments are due to the contact listed in the Federal Register notice by
April 20, 2009.

Asians in New York State

There is a new Census profile on Asian Americans in New York State, based on the three-year ACS data that recently came out. You can download a copy from the Asian American Federation's website.
"It’s got interesting tidbits like the largest Laotian community in New York State in the Rochester Metro Area, not New York City. A lot of the data was pulled from the Special Population Profile, and some of it from the PUMS data."

Hate Group Numbers Up By 54% Since 2000

The number of hate groups operating in the United States continued to rise in 2008 and has grown by 54 percent since 2000 — an increase fueled last year by immigration fears, a failing economy and the successful campaign of Barack Obama, according to the Year in Hate issue of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report.

Porn in the USA

From NewScientist "Those states that...consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, a recent study finds." #1 by all measures: Utah.

The Census Project

Recommending, or perhaps recommending again, the Census Project, which is "concerned about a fair and accurate Census 2010. Congress and the new Administration must act quickly to address these needs." It is the "result of a collaboration of a number of Census stakeholders...representing a broad range of organizations and issue areas."

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009. This legislation provides a nearly $800 billion boost to the American Economy.

New York's Guide to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act can found at www.economicrecovery.ny.gov. The web site includes details about the $24 billion spending plan, Cabinet members, press releases, and an email update request form.

The Global Integrity Report

The Global Integrity Report is a tool for understanding governance and anti-corruption mechanisms at the national level. Written by local researchers and journalists, the Report is characterized by an innovative, award-winning research methodology; a robust peer review process; and start-to-finish transparency.

Here's a blog post from a couple weeks ago touting its release.

Mapping the Neighborhoods of Los Angeles

The L.A. Times has deigned to map the 87 neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Naturally, there are...differences of opinion, with over 1200 comments to date. BTW, New York City's 59 neighborhoods were delineated governmentally in 1975.

Seventh Warmest January for Global Temperatures

The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for January 2009 was the seventh warmest since records began in 1880, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

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.