[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19550-19551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07736]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket Number 160322272-6272-01]


2017 Census of Governments

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of determination and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) publishes this 
notice to request public comment on the content of the 2017 Census of 
Governments. The Census of Governments is conducted at 5-year intervals 
(years ending in 2 and 7) and is the most comprehensive compilation of 
statistics about state and local governments available. The Census 
Bureau is seeking input on the content of the 2017 Census of 
Governments to ensure that the Census of Governments continues to be 
the most comprehensive

[[Page 19551]]

measure of state and local governments by adapting to growing areas of 
interest, accounting and policy changes. The granting of specific 
authority to conduct the program is Title 13, United States Code 
(U.S.C.), Section 161, which authorizes and requires the Census of 
Governments.

DATES: The Census Bureau will begin mailing the 2017 Census of 
Governments Employment component in the Spring of 2017 and the Finance 
component in the Fall of 2017. Responses will be due by April 2017 (for 
the Employment component) and by December 2017 (for the finance 
component). Therefore, written comments on proposed content changes 
must be submitted on or before June 6, 2016 to ensure consideration of 
your comments on the 2017 Census of Governments content.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments regarding the 2017 Census of 
Governments to Kevin Deardorff, Chief, Economy Wide Statistics 
Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 8K154, Washington, DC 20233; or by 
email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Economy-Wide Statistics Division, U.S. 
Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, C/O Kevin Deardorff, Chief, 
Economy Wide Statistics Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 8K154, 
Washington, DC 20233; or by email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background

    Section 161 of Title 13 U.S.C. directs the Secretary of Commerce to 
``take, compile, and publish for the year 1957 and for every fifth year 
thereafter a census of governments. Each such census shall include, but 
shall not be limited to, data on taxes and tax valuations, governmental 
receipts, expenditures, indebtedness, and employees of States, 
counties, cities, and other governmental units.'' Because of this, the 
Census of Governments is the most comprehensive, comparable, and 
precise measure of government economic activity. It identifies the 
scope and nature of the nation's public sector and provides 
authoritative benchmark figures of public finance, pensions, and 
employment. This helps us identify and classify the complex and diverse 
state and local government organizations, powers, and activities, and 
measures federal, state, and local fiscal relationships.
    This notice requests public comments on the 2017 Census of 
Governments content as discussed further in Section B of this Federal 
Register notice. Regular content reviews help keep the Census of 
Governments valuable to policy analysts, researchers, the general 
public and other federal agencies.
    Two federal statistical agencies, the Bureau of Economic Analysis 
and the Federal Reserve Board, use the Census of Governments data to 
measure the nation's economic and financial performance. State and 
local governments use the data to develop programs and budgets, assess 
financial conditions, and perform comparative analyses. In addition, 
analysts, economists, market specialists, and researchers need these 
data to measure the changing characteristics of the government sector 
of the economy and to conduct public policy research. Journalists 
report on, and teachers and students learn about, their governments' 
activities using our data. Internally, the Census Bureau uses these 
data as a benchmark for all our non-census year samples.

B. Census of Governments Content

    For the 2017 Census of Governments, finance and employment data are 
the same as in comparable annual surveys and include revenues, 
expenditures, debt, assets, number of employees (by full-time and part-
time status), payroll, and benefits. The Census Bureau posted copies of 
the 2012 Census of Governments forms on its Web site at: http://www.census.gov/govs/cog/get_forms.html. Please take a moment to review 
the forms relevant to your interests and provide us with your comments 
for us to consider as we prepare content for the 2017 questionnaires. 
In particular, Forms F-11 and F-12 may be of interest, given recent 
changes to the accounting standards concerning actuarial data for 
Public Pensions instituted by the Governmental Accounting Standards 
Board (GASB). We are especially interested in comments on the 
usefulness of existing inquiries for continued inclusion and in 
suggestions for new measures that would be appropriate to include in 
the Census of Governments.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of 
information displays a current valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. The Census Bureau, through the proper established 
procedures, will be obtaining OMB control numbers under the PRA as we 
get closer to launching the program in 2017.

    Dated: March 29, 2016.
John H. Thompson,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2016-07736 Filed 4-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P