2007 NYSAC Press Releases
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County Officials Prepare for the Challenges of Counting Households and People for the 2010 Cencus
August 16, 2007
More than 100 county officials representing millions of New Yorkers from across the state met online today to hear from the state’s Census experts about the importance and challenges of making sure each and every New Yorker are counted in the 2010 Census.
If current population trends continue, New York State faces the prospect of losing millions of dollars in federal resources, declining influence in our nation’s capital because of loss of congressional representation and the erosion of our leadership status as the Empire State because of the continuing flight of our most precious resource, our children, to other parts of the country. Following the 2000 census, New York State lost 2 congressional seats from 31 seats to its present level of 29.
“The Census has far reaching implications for New York State, our counties and for all of the individuals and families in the state,” said NYSAC President Lucille M. McKnight, NYSAC President and Albany County legislator. “Census data are used to provide the economic indicators and employment trends our policymakers use for determining an array of policies on the federal, state and local levels.”
Today’s hour-long Webinar included county executives, chairs of county boards of legislators, county planning directors, comptrollers and a range of other county officials with a role in the 2010 Census. They heard from Robert Scardamalia of the Empire State Development Corporation and Dr. Warren Brown of Cornell University.
“Our number one challenge, less than 3 years before the start of the 2010 Census data collection, is making sure we account for all of the housing units in each community across the state,” said Scardamalia. “If we can ensure that we capture each household, then the people in those households will be counted. And that’s where local government leaders can be helpful.”
Local government officials have been invited by the U.S. Census Bureau to participate in the Local Update of Census Addresses program, also known as LUCA. This program enables local governments to provide local knowledge to impact the Census’ Master Address File (MAF) for the 2010 Census. Municipalities that volunteer to participate in LUCA will be able to review and comment on the Census Bureau’s list of housing units and group quarters addresses in their community.
Another role counties can play is to challenge the population estimates made by the Census, according to Cornell’s Warren Brown. “Since 2005, only 12 counties have challenged the Census’ estimates out of nearly 3,100 counties in the U.S. Of those 12, seven were New York Counties,” said Warren Brown, who assists counties in producing the evidence to challenge the population estimates. “We are proud of our tradition of helping our Federal government do a better job estimating our population.”
NYSAC co-hosting the session with the Dennis Pelletier County Government Institute, the NYS Empire State Development Corporation, the Cornell University Program on Applied Demographics, the NYS Association of County Planning Directors, the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Community and Rural Development Institute (CaRDI) at Cornell University.
For more information or to download the PowerPoint presentation or NYSAC’s Population Shuffle report, visit our website at www.nysac.org.
The New York State Association of Counties is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate and advocate for member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.
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Media Questions
For more information about NYSAC, our advocacy efforts or specific reporter requests or questions, contact Mark LaVigne or call NYSAC at 518-465-1473.
2007 Press Releases
- Albany County Executive Michael Breslin Receives Excellence in Leadership Award--June 20, 2007
- NYSAC to Host Municipal Energy Coalition's Bid Opening for Renewable Energy Credits-- June 19, 2007