In April 2000, the Census Bureau will conduct the 22nd decennial census in the United States of America. Although the responsibility for taking the census lies with the United States Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census, New York State may suffer potentially serious consequences if we do not act in partnership with the Bureau to make sure the count is as accurate as possible. The combination of rapid growth in other areas of the country and an undercount of our State's population in the 1990 Census resulted in the loss of three representatives to Congress. While the loss of one seat is certain, maintaining or losing a second seat depends on how completely the residents of the State are counted in the census.
Fiscal impacts are also significant.
Federal allocations for public services such as programs for the disadvantaged, community economic development, work force training programs, transitional employment, and transportation projects are derived from formulas that use census information.