Decreased Census Funding Threatens American Community Survey Implementation
Feature Story by Tyler Lewis - 10/17/2005
Efforts to cut back funding for the American Community Survey (ACS), an ongoing nationwide survey that will replace the census long form in the next decennial census in 2010, threaten to derail the program after only one year of nationwide implementation.The Census Bureau has said it will suspend the ACS and prepare to administer a traditional long form for the 2010 Census if conferees adopt the funding level ($727.4 million) allocated by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Experts representing research, government, business, and community development perspectives discussed the widespread use of Census data and the unique benefits the ACS provides through its more timely and accurate data, at an October 14 briefing convened by the Brookings Institution.
Denise Warren of the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC) spoke of her organization's use of ACS data on the city and community level. GNOCDC provides data to neighborhood groups, nonprofits, New Orleans city officials, and others in New Orleans for use in planning, funding for projects geared at specific communities, and city policy.
ACS tracks migration on from year to year - as compared to the long form, which tracks migration every 5 years - making ACS data superior to the 2000 data and increasingly important for rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, Warren said. She said without the sub-state data from the ACS, the city could be "flying blind" in the efforts to rebuild the city.
Many of the panelists expressed frustration at the possibility of having to abandon recently implemented uses of ACS data and returning to the outdated 2000 Census figures if appropriate levels of funding are not allocated.
Improving Congress' understanding of the value of ACS presents a significant challenge, according to panelists and attendees. "Not funding ACS is kind of ignoring how fast society is changing...and the kinds of information people really need," said William O'Hare, director of KIDS COUNT, who discussed how his organization uses ACS data to influence local and state policies affecting children.
Other panelists included, James W. Eskew, assistant director of Cusman & Wakefield Client Solutions, a consulting firm, and William H. Frey, fellow of the Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institution.
