Upheaval at Census as 2010 Count Closes In

Upheaval at Census as 2010 Count Closes In

As the 2010 Census nears, it appears that the Census Bureau is in turmoil. The Director of the Census Bureau, Louis Kincannon, and his top deputy, Hermann Habermann, stepped down from their positions today. The loss of the two top officials at Census on the same day this close to a decennial count appears to be unprecedented.

The upheaval comes at a critical time for the 2010 Census, which has already taken almost a decade to plan. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), a member of the Government Reform Committee and former ranking member on the Census Subcommittee, said today that the results of this decision could be harmful.

"Changing management at a time like this is very dangerous," said Maloney. "It's disturbing that two world-class statisticians who have worked for years to make sure we will have an accurate count in 2010 left on the same day so soon before the beginning of the Census. Both of them know the effect this will have on prospects for an accurate count, so it makes you wonder if there's more to the story. Congress should find out.

"The new Census appointees are going to be scrambling to get acclimated - I just hope that they will be experienced professionals who understand the Census and statistics. The President should move swiftly to nominate an eminently qualified statistician. At this point, without knowing who's taking over, it is fair to say that the accuracy of the 2010 Census is absolutely in jeopardy."

http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1236&Itemid=61