NEWS RELEASE

February 16, 2006
Contact: Mike Mahaffie, (302) 739-3090

Office of State Planning Coordination Takes On Census Data Center Role
The Office of State Planning Coordination has taken on the task of coordinating the Delaware Census State Data Center network. The Data Center network is a community of federal, state, local, academic and private sector partners working together to create, share, and disseminate demographic, economic and other data for Delaware. It is linked with the Delaware Population Consortium and with Delaware's Geospatial Data Coordination effort.

The Data Center is organized under an agreement between the state of Delaware and the US Census Bureau and is part of a national network of Census State Data Centers. Until recently, the Data Center had been a part of the Delaware Economic Development Office.

"The Data Center is part of our effort to share data and information among all levels of government," explained State Planning Coordinator Connie Holland. "When we share accurate, timely, and appropriate data, we all make better decisions, save taxpayer dollars, and provide the best possible service to our constituents."

The Data Center network includes representatives of the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical and Community College; the State Chamber of Commerce and the Central Delaware Economic Development Authority; the cities of Newark and Wilmington; WILMAPCO; New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties; the State Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Social Services; the Delaware State Housing Authority; and the Delaware Public Archives.

The University of Delaware Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research serves as Coordinating Agency in the network and provides demographic expertise and advice and oversight for the activities of the network.

As a Lead Agency in the Data Center network, the Office of State Planning Coordination coordinates among network members and serves as an "information hub" for the network. The Office will work with the Census Bureau and with county and municipal governments in Delaware to prepare for the 2010 Census and to take full advantage of the Bureaus new American Community Survey.