[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20945-20946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9787]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Quarterly Survey of State and Local Tax Revenues

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 19, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5033, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Russell Price, Chief, Public Finance Analysis 
Branch-B, Governments Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington 
DC 20233-6800 (301-457-1488).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request an extension of the Quarterly 
Survey of State and Local Tax Revenue. The Bureau needs state and local 
tax data to publish benchmark statistics on public sector taxes; to 
provide data to the Bureau of Economic Analysis for GDP calculations 
and other economic indicators; and to provide data for economic 
research and comparative studies of governmental finances. Data are 
collected on a quarterly basis from state and local tax collecting 
agencies.
    Tax collection data are used to measure economic activity for the 
Nation as a whole, as well as for comparison among the various states. 
These data also are useful in comparing the mix of taxes employed by 
individual states, and in determining the revenue raising capacity of 
different types of taxes.
    The Quarterly Survey of Property Tax Collections (Form F-71) is 
sent to 5,800 local government tax collecting agencies in 530 county 
areas. While some counties are served by a single county level tax 
collection agency, others have county, city, township, and even school 
district collectors. Each agency is asked to report the total property 
tax collections during the past quarter.
    The Quarterly Survey of State Tax Collections (Form F-72) is sent 
to a state level revenue, finance, or budget agency in each state to 
report tax collection data for the preceding 3-month period.
    The Quarterly Survey of Selected Local Taxes (Form F-73) is sent to 
55 local tax collection agencies known to have substantial collections 
of local general sales and/or local individual income taxes.
    The expected decrease in the respondent burden is due to a slight 
reduction in the universe of the survey. Due to the disincorporation 
and consolidation of certain tax collecting agencies, the number of 
respondents receiving Form F-71 has decreased by 100. There are no 
planned content changes to this form or the F-72 and F-73 forms.

II. Method of Collection

    The F-71 and F-73 portions of the survey are conducted by mail 
canvass. Responses are screened manually and then entered on a 
microcomputer.
    F-72 forms are sent to respondents by facsimile. Respondents are 
given the option of returning the forms through facsimile or by mail. 
Several respondents have requested to conduct the survey through 
electronic mail.
    Telephone follow-up of large property tax collectors is the main 
method used to maximize response. In those instances when we are not 
able to obtain a response, estimates are made for non-respondents by 
using data of the same quarter from the last year it had been received.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0112.
    Form Number: F-71, F-72, and F-73.
    Type of Review: Regular.

[[Page 20946]]

    Affected Public: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 5906.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 25 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5957.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to the respondents 
is $107,226.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 13, 2000.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-9787 Filed 4-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P