of the Census of Governments Presented to the Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee Carma R Hogue Lisa M Blumerman Governments Division December 17 2010 Disclaimer This presentation is ID: 378358
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Modernization and Reengineeringof the Census of GovernmentsPresented to the Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee
Carma R. Hogue
Lisa M. Blumerman
Governments Division
December
17, 2010
Disclaimer
:
This presentation is
released to inform interested parties of research and
to encourage
discussion of work in progress.
The views
expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau.Slide2
2Introduction to Governments Division
Main Purposes of Governments Division programs
Provide socio-economic statistics about governments
Act as a public-sector counterpart to economic data of business, industry, and services
Track activity of governments over time
Response is voluntary
Virtually no confidentiality restrictionsSlide3
3Importance of the Data
Our data tell the story of the fiscal welfare of federal, state, and local government
Our data constitute 12 percent of Gross Domestic Product
Our data are the only source of comprehensive, uniform statistics on governments – we are the gold standard
Our data help policy makers formulate important, informed decisionsSlide4
4Base Programs
Census of Governments and related programs
Organizational Data – number of governments & character
Employment Data – number of employees & payroll
Finance Data – revenues, expenditures, debt, & assets
Some of the oldest continuous data collections
First survey of State Government Finances, 1902
“Modern day” Census of Governments, 1957Slide5
5Base ProgramsSlide6
6Reimbursable Programs
Because of Governments Division’s expertise in the public sector, surveys are conducted on behalf of other agencies
Historically, the surveys compliment the work of the base programsSlide7
7Reimbursable ProgramsSlide8
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State and Local Government Statistics at a Crossroads
2007 report issued by the Committee on National Statistics (CNStat)
Suggested 21 recommendations for improving existing programs
Working toward addressing the majority of recommendations by the 2012 Census of Governments
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Summary of CNStat RecommendationsCNStat Report ThemesData Quality, Relevance, and Utility
Dissemination
Timeliness
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CNStat Overarching Recommendation
Recommendation 6-1: The Governments Division should include two tracks in its strategic plan: one track that plans for an environment of constrained resources and a second track that identifies ways to build support over time for enhancing the division’s data series and the information provided to users on the Census Bureau’s website.
Progress Update:
Governments Division reorganized May 2009
Strategic Plan issued October 2009 and updated October 2010
Ensured transparency through website dedicated to progress on government statistics programs
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The 3-Pronged Approach
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CNStat Theme:
Data Quality, Relevance, and Utility
Recommendation: Get
feedback from users
Progress Update
Made presentations to the Census Bureau’s Professional Advisory Committee, April 2010; Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, June 2010; National Association for Business Economics, November 2010
Created the Outreach and Education Branch
Increased our participation in user meetings; conducted Data User Workshops
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CNStat Theme: Dissemination
Recommendation: Facilitate
wider dissemination
of products by issuing press releases; add value to existing data by providing simple derived measures; provide users with tools and documentation
Progress Update:
Began regular press releases in October 2008 with the release of 2007 Employment Census data
Introduced quarterly surveys to “Tip Sheets” and plan to develop quarterly press releases
Introduced new analytical material to accompany releases
Redesigned the Website and introduced Build-A-Table
Plan to build stakeholder support and to educate constituents
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Build-A-Table
Select category
Select variables
Retrieve data
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CNStat Theme: Timeliness
Recommendation: Research the benefits/costs of adopting
earlier release procedures
, i.e., releasing preliminary estimates or releasing estimates as they are compiled
Progress Update:
Currently reviewing existing processes and methods to determine where efficiencies can be made (reengineering efforts)
Successful in moving up the release of several products
Researching selective edits and new estimation methods to produce preliminary estimates
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Increased Timeliness of Quarterly Retirement
Response
Rates: 2
nd
Q. 2009 – 2
nd
Q. 2010
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CNStat Theme:
Data Quality, Relevance, and Utility
Recommendation: Re-engineer the Quarterly Tax Survey
Progress update: New methodologies and process improvements led to higher quality and more timely products for the Quarterly Tax Survey, specifically:
New sampling, editing, imputation, and estimation methodologies established
Questionnaire content revamped to increase relevance; forms fully tested
For property tax component, bridge study released in September 2010
For non-property component, new probability sample to be mailed in December 2010
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CNStat Theme:
Data Quality, Relevance, and Utility
Recommendation: Explore sound means of collecting data on tax valuation
Progress update: Team formed to explore tax valuation data collection
Conducted literature review of national assessment/sales ratio standards
Determine if the measures fit current OMB and Census Bureau statistical standards
Examine the quality of administrative records in a comparison study
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CNStat Theme:
Data Quality, Relevance, and Utility
Recommendation:
Consider methods that borrow strength to better estimate state and local government statistics
Progress update:
New modified cut-off sampling procedure corrects effects of poor response from very small governments
New decision-based estimation methodology that borrows strength from census year data to better estimate state and local government statistics
Regular consultations with experts both internal and external to Census
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Research projects (sample design, dashboards, “decision-based” estimation, small area estimation, nonresponse bias studies) Governments Division Report Series
Available at:
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/govern.html
Training and development of staff through conference attendance, seminars, and courses
Research Program
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Governments Master Address File (GMAF) and Government Units Survey (GUS)
Develop new GMAF to integrate all of the sampling frames
Gathered requirements after assessing program needs
Currently redesigning IT systems to ensure technical capabilities and full integration with surveys/programs
Develop new GUS to improve coverage of 2012 Census of Governments and intercensal surveys
Cognitive interviewing for GUS started in October with a second round completed in December
Pretest of GUS scheduled for February
Data collection will begin in October 2011
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Quality Improvement Program
Goal of reaching governments in order to improve questionnaire design, non- response follow-up, and coverage
Started “QuIP Trips” in August with a visit to state and local governments in Illinois; subsequent trips followed to Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Prepared “state snapshots” to introduce data to local governments
Visited local government leaders with positive results: new method for building our universe, information about births and deaths, knowledge of record keeping practices
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25Next Steps on Modernization and Reengineering
Continue involvement with the data user community
Continue Quality Improvement Program – “QuIP Trips”
Review and determine the content for the 2012 Census of Governments
Revitalize our product line
Modernize and reengineer systems based on the results of our researchSlide26
ADD SLIDE of WEB SITE
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Carma R. HogueAssistant Division Chief, Statistical Research & MethodologyGovernments Division
Carma.Ray.Hogue@census.gov
301-763-4882
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