The American Community Survey (2/02)

                                                                    

 

 

The Honorable Donald L. Evans                                                          February 28, 2002

U.S. Secretary of Commerce

14^th and Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20230

 

Dear Mr. Evans:

 

I am writing on behalf of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science in support of the American Community Survey.  UCGIS represents over 70 colleges and universities, spanning 38 states.  We appreciate the support of ACS shown by President Bush in his proposed budget and want to encourage its rapid adoption.

 

The American Community Survey will provide the country with current information about the characteristics of its people and housing.  No other source can offer anything as current and as accurate; all other sources use the decennial Census as a base.  Though the 2000 Census of Population and Housing will be released soon, that base is now 12 years old and no longer represents a timely and current source of demographic information.

 

We pride ourselves, as scientists, on being able to monitor society and be able to conduct analyses of trends that will help society make better decisions – in both the public and private sectors.  Our ability to play this role has been seriously eroded by the lack of current information.  We view the American Community Survey as a well-constructed initiative that, if implemented, will help us better serve national needs.

 

As residents of neighborhoods and cities, we also see the need for current data.  We worry that our communities are developing policies without good data on poverty rates, employment patterns, rental rates, or a myriad of items that quantify community needs.

 

This is the Information Age, but our current system of gathering critical information is from an earlier period.  In America, we have up to the minute information for many issues that are much less important than the social and economic characteristics of our people.  The American Community Survey is a cost-efficient, high-quality solution that needs to be adopted now.

 

                                                                                                      Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

                                                                                                      Arthur Getis

                                                                                                            President

 

       cc:  Bill Barron                                                                                    

       Daniel Burton

       Henry Waxman

       Dave Weldon