Census 2010 Quality Assurance PSA

This link provides a PSA for the 2010 Census Quality Assurance
operation. This operation involves a census enumerator phoning or visiting a
small sample of households to double-check on the accuracy of the data they
provided and make sure that the Census Bureau is getting a complete picture of everyone living in the household.

I Go Swimming

Heat wave on the East Coast this week. Even as you listen to I Go Swimming by Peter Gabriel, you might want to consider this graphic:

Click the image to enlarge

Source: Swimming Pool Costs at Fixr

FindtheBest.com

Here's some data compiled on New York through a new website called FindtheBest.com. The website organizes data from nyc.gov, New York City Data Mine, and elsewhere and makes it easy to sort through and filter to get what you are looking for. Here are some examples that you can check out:
**NYC Hiking Trails.
** NYC Dog Runs.
** NYC Restaurant Inspections.

The New USA.gov

In honor of its 10th anniversary, announcing the new and improved USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov.
The new look is based on best practices, usability testing, and suggestions received through the online public dialog, "Your Voice Matters."
Among the new features are:
• Look and Feel: a new, clean look that reduces the feeling of clutter and creates an open, focused interface.
• Enhanced Search: With a new search that is up to 9 times faster and more accurate, search is featured prominently on the pages and the 5 most popular search terms are now displayed daily.
• Government Apps Gallery: Some of the most innovative apps and mobile-friendly websites from across the federal government are showcased.
• Popular Content in English and Spanish: All of the most popular content like Online Services, Contact Your Government, and the A-Z index of government agencies have been kept. Now accessible through mega-dropdown menus that appear on every page, this content is easier to find through search engines or entry points other than the homepage.
This new design should make it easier for you to access the government information and services you need.
Have a safe and fun 4th of July weekend!

FDR, TR Top Siena Presidential Poll

Siena Research Institute’s 2010 Presidential Expert Poll ranked Franklin Delano Roosevelt No. 1, followed by his cousin and fellow New Yorker Theodore Roosevelt. The poll has generated a healthy debate on the online pages of the Times Union.

Lincoln, my #1 pick, ranked third.

It's County Fair Season in New York!

New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Patrick Hooker has announced that the county fair season kicks off on July 1. Fifty-four county and youth fairs are held during the summer months and through October 3. In addition, the Great New York State Fair is held in Syracuse from August 26 - September 6.

Information about county and youth fairs in New York, including locations and dates, can be found online HERE. Information about the Great New York State Fair can be found online HERE.

Data, interrupted

One of my colleagues was looking for disability info for a county in New York State. She went to the 2006-2008 data in the American Community Survey, but found absolutely nothing. Curious, I peaked at the 2008 data and found table B18001 and successive information that was totally skipped in the 3-year data. Why WAS that?

The Census Bureau changed the questions on disability. As the state Department of Health notes: "These changes were significant enough that 2008 disability estimates are NOT comparable with previous [ones]. To ensure that there are no comparisons, the Bureau has elected to delete the old table numbers and add new table numbers. The new tables will also contain a footnote that states that the data should not be compared to previous years’ data."

Three-year data on disability will once again be available from the 2008-2010 ACS, when Census has gathered three years of data with the new questions. The five-year data on these questions will cover 2008-2012.

I guess data users just need to be very aware of breaks in various data series.

How to Use the Data: Comparing 2006-2008 ACS 3-Year Data.

Teen Assessment Program

At the last Affiliate meeting, Dale presented a fascinating program about a Teen Assessment Project. The link to the actual pdf for the Herkimer County version from 2009 is HERE.

If you wanted to see the older versions you could visit HERE.

National Resource Directory for Military, Veteran Communities

The U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, as part of their continued commitment to our Nation’s Service Members, Veterans, and their families, launched a new and improved National Resource Directory.

This free online tool provides access to thousands of services, programs and resources at the national, state and community level. The Web site has a fresh look with many key features that include an improved search engine, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) news feeds, subscriptions to e-mail updates, and new subject areas such as “Homeless Assistance.”

The National Resource Directory is designed to serve a broad base of users including transitioning Service Members, Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and their families and caregivers. In addition, it is a useful tool for service providers who support Veterans and Service Members, such as Department of Defense Recovery Care Coordinators and AW2 Advocates, Veterans Affairs Federal Recovery Coordinators, health care providers and case managers at Veterans Service Organizations.

The new features allow the Military and Veteran community to identify and stay informed about the thousands of resources that are available to them as well as browse for information they may not have known about it the past. Additionally, a faster, more accurate search engine provides the tools to sort results by subject area, audience and government or non-government resources to ensure users locate exactly what they want, without having to sort through thousands of links themselves.

For more than a year, the National Resource Directory has provided Wounded Warriors, transitioning Service Members and Veterans, and those who support them with quick and easy access to resources they need. Resources on the National Resource Directory are vetted and must meet the participation policy standards before being added. This ensures that all the posted resources are relevant and from reputable sources.

The new National Resource Directory is simple, easy-to-navigate and even more relevant to the needs of the Wounded Warrior, Veteran and caregiver communities. It also contains “In the News” and “Spotlight” features to highlight important news and updates. To tell friends and family about the new National Resource Directory, use the “Bookmark and Share” function to post updates on more than 200 social media networks such as Facebook or Twitter.

ACS release schedule

Here is the rough time schedule for the release of the 2009-based American Community Survey products. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS A CHANGE IN ORDER OF THE PRODUCTS FOR THIS YEAR – THE 5-YEAR DATA WILL BE RELEASED BEFORE THE 3-YEAR DATA.

• Late September 2010 – 1-year (2009) ACS data
• November or December 2010 – 5-year (2005-2009) ACS data
• Early 2011 – 3-year (2007-2009) ACS data

The 5-year PUMS and Summary Files will be released after the data are on AFF.

Personal Income Tax: Analysis of 2007 Personal Income Tax Returns

This report describes the prominent features of New York's personal income tax, with particular emphasis on the 2007 tax year. It also includes taxpayer profiles consisting of number of taxable returns, sources of income, federal adjustments, New York modifications, deductions, dependent exemptions, tax liability and credits by NYAGI class, filing status and=20 return type. In addition, it includes separate sections on income, itemized deduction amounts, exemptions, available credits and information on refundable credits. Finally, it compares statistics for 2007 with those from the prior year for most of these items.

Accompanying this report are statistical tables that cover resident, part-year resident, and nonresident returns. The report also includes a description and statistical information from returns filed by fiduciaries of estates and trusts.

Directory of Social Enterprises

"Social enterprise" is the new buzzword within both the nonprofit and for-profit world, encompassing an organization or individual who wish to do well while doing good – that is, achieving the "triple bottom line" of people, planet, profit (that is, having social, environmental, and economic goals).

Presented in partnership with Community Wealth Ventures and the Social Enterprise Alliance, this is a free, searchable directory of nonprofit social enterprises.

Search by keyword, type of organization (think interest/activity area), budget, type of venture, legal status, and/or state. Your search results typically include basic contact information, stated mission, and any specific enterprise or partner venture(s).

New Employment Firm Size Data

U.S. Census Bureau employment size of firm data (partially funded by the Office of Advocacy) has been updated for 2007. The data list the number of firms, establishments, employment, annual payroll and receipts by firm size for regions by industry. The data is now available for a twenty-year period covering a few business cycles, making time series analysis a possibility.
Additions to the data for this year include county figures and more industry detail for states (going back to 1998.) Historic county figures are a future priority.

In 2007, similar to 2001, small firm (fewer than 500 employees) employment fell below large firm employment. If employment patterns after the 2001 downturn hold, small firm employment will pass large firm employment when the economy expands. With 2007 being an Economic Census year, receipts are available. Small firm receipts for 2007 were $11.4 trillion, representing 38 percent of private-sector receipts (similar to 2002's 39 percent.)

Data on firm turnover (starts and stops) and job churn by firm size will be available for 2006 to 2007 at a later date.

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

Census Bureau Releases 2009 City Population Estimates

The U.S. Census Bureau released July 1, 2009, population estimates for each of the nation's incorporated places, including cities, boroughs and villages and minor civil divisions, such as towns and townships. The new estimates are not 2010 Census population counts. They are, however, the last estimates to use 2000 Census results as a base.

The city estimates are based on 2000 Census data updated to reflect legal boundary changes, housing unit estimates updated to reflect inputs such as building permits, and county population estimates. The county population estimates are produced by using administrative records — namely births, deaths, and domestic and international migration. The resulting county population estimates are then distributed to the areas within each county by using the updated housing unit estimates.

For more info, go here.

Data.gov

Data.gov is leading the way in democratizing public sector data and driving innovation. The data is being surfaced from many locations making the Government data stores available to researchers to perform their own analysis. Developers are finding good uses for the datasets, providing interesting and useful applications that allow for new views and public analysis. This is a work in progress, but this movement is spreading to cities, states, and other countries.

For instance, type in the word migration, and you'll get 2007-2008 State-to-State AND County-to-county Migration Inflow AND Outflow, along with the source of that data, which is the IRS.

Enter the term business and find Business Employment Dynamics, Licenses and Permits Search, and Loans Search.

The Shocking Disparities of Labor Cost

Have you ever wondered how long does it take overseas to make the equivalent of US minimum wage?

See for yourself:Click the image to enlarge

Source: FixR

EWG's 2010 Sunscreen Guide

The Environmental Working Group's 4th annual analysis of sunscreens includes safety and effectiveness ratings for 1,400 SPF products, including sunscreens and SPF-labeled lip balm, makeup, and moisturizer. Our ratings are based on an in-house compilation of standard industry, government and academic data sources and models that we have constructed over the past six years, and on a thorough review of the technical literature for sunscreen. We have incorporated sunscreen ratings from this investigation into our Skin Deep cosmetic safety database, an online consumer tool available at www.cosmeticdatabase.com.

You'll have to register, but it asks only for your e-mail and your ZIP Code.

Map: Where Americans Are Moving

From Forbes:

More than 10 million Americans moved from one county to another during 2008. The MAP visualizes those moves. Click on any county to see comings and goings: black lines indicate net inward movement, red lines net outward movement.

Pensions of State and Local Retirees Posted Online

A searchable database of pension allowances for 342,543 retired New York state and local government employees was posted this week on SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center's government transparency web site.

The database includes the names, retirement dates and, in most cases, the most recent employer for all individuals collecting pension benefits as of April 13 from the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS), which includes the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) and Employee Retirement System (ERS). Among employees who retired in 2009, the average annual pension allowance was $62,208 for PFRS members and $25,947 for ERS members, according to data from NYSLRS.

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen
518.434.3100

A Child Born in 2009 Will Cost $222,360

A Child Born in 2009 Will Cost $222,360 to Raise According to USDA Report
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released USDA’s new annual report, Expenditures on Children by Families, which finds that a middle-income family with a child born in 2009 can expect to spend about $222,360 ($286,050 if inflation is factored in) for food, shelter, and other necessities to raise that child over the next 17 years. This represents less than a 1 percent increase from 2008, the smallest increase this decade, which likely reflects the state of the economy. Expenses for child care, education, and health care saw the largest percentage increases related to child rearing from 2008, whereas expenses on transportation actually declined. This decline in transportation expenses on a child mitigated the increases in the other expenses.

This report, issued annually since 1960, is a valuable resource to courts and state governments in determining child support guidelines and foster care payments. For 2009, per child annual child-rearing expenses for a middle-income, two-parent family ranges from $11,650 to $13,530, depending on the age of the child.

The report by USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion notes that family income affects child rearing costs. A family earning less than $56,670 per year can expect to spend a total of $160,410 (in 2009 dollars) on a child from birth through high school. Parents with an income between $56,670 and $98,120 can expect to spend $222,360 and a family earning more than $98,120 can expect to spend $369,360. In 1960, a middle-income family could have expected to spend $25,230 ($182,860 in 2009 dollars) to raise a child through age 17.

Housing costs are the single largest expenditure on a child, averaging $70,020 or 31 percent of the total cost over 17 years. Child care and education (for those with the expense) and food were the next two largest expenses, accounting for 17 and 16 percent of the total expenditure. The estimates do not include the costs associated with pregnancy or the cost of a college education. In addition, some current-day costs, such as child care, were negligible in 1960.