What Will a Cut in U.S. Census Bureau Funding Mean for America’s Cities?

The U.S. Census Bureau is the nation’s primary provider of data on urban populations and businesses. If sustained by Congress, Senate-passed reductions in the U.S. Census Bureau budget are expected to lead to a reduction or elimination of information vital for urban markets and communities.

Panelists representing research, government, business, and community development perspectives will examine the implications of the prospective loss of Census statistics for the nation’s ability to:

• Plan for and respond to major disasters in urban areas
• Identify attractive business investment opportunities in urban areas
• Determine the nature and extent of social and economic concerns, such as poverty, unemployment, educational attainment, and health insurance coverage
• Promote urban job creation and economic development
• Ensure that urban Congressional and legislative districts reflect accurate population counts

The proposed FY2006 budget cuts are expected to:

• Eliminate the new American Community Survey, which was to provide annually updated data on the demographic, economic, and social characteristics of America’s communities
• Eliminate tests and methodological improvements aimed at increasing the accuracy of the 2010 Census count of population
• Require a significant reduction in the Current Population Survey sample from which measurements of income, poverty, and health insurance coverage are derived
• Eliminate the Census Bureau’s data series on the number of jobs by industry for individual metro areas, counties, and zipcodes

A question-and-answer session will follow the panelists’ remarks.