[CTPP] Pondering PUMAs

TO: CTPP-News In terms of PUMS, I think the process is fair in terms of using place and census tract boundaries. I've already completed the first pass on Bay Area PUMAs for 2000, and we're a large region with lots of potential changes. (Total Pop = 6,783,760; Possible PUMAs = 63; Probable # of PUMAs = 55). Desktop GIS makes this process *so* much easier than it was 10 years ago!!! It took less than *one day* to do this for my region. MPOs, COGs, State DOTs and USDOT should be interested parties in PUMA definition, given the increasingly important role of public use microdata data in population microsimulation and advanced transportation planning analysis techniques - - TRANSIMS, for example. My feeling is *if* the state data center is unwilling to participate in the PUMA definition program, and that state has a large metropolitan area, then perhaps the state data center should delegate responsibility for the STATE to the large MPO. If the large metro area MPO doesn't have the initiative or desire to define PUMAs for their region (and their state!), then what really can be done? Perhaps the leading academic institution in the state can lead the PUMA process? If, on the other hand, the state data center is unwilling to define PUMAs, and unwilling to let others (academic, MPOs, COGs) do the work, then probably that state data center should be dissolved and find somebody else to do the work. It can and should work as an "open process" within the reasonable rules established by the Census Bureau. In California, I've already traded e-mails with our state data center, and they are eager to work with us on this issue. We've always had a good working relationship with our State Data Center. Our SDC has already scheduled a meeting on 5/14/01 in Los Angeles (I would assume to discuss LA PUMAs, though there is a big Census 2000 workshop at USC on 5/14....) We (State Data Center, MTC, ABAG) will have our "Bay Area PUMA" workshop in early June. Hopefully this is not that big a problem. I want to see all state data centers working smoothly with all regional data centers, affiliate data centers, and non-affiliate data centers, ie, other MPOs, COGs and academic institutions with a "stake" in defining PUMAs and in improving census data. There really is no good excuse not to participate - - for any state! Hopefully the role of the State Data Center is to adjudicate disputes between local area PUMA stakeholders (MPOs, COGs, academics) if a local consensus isn't achieved. PUMAs - - they're fun and easy to develop, and they're IMPORTANT! Chuck Purvis, MTC *********************************************** Charles L. Purvis, AICP Senior Transportation Planner/Analyst Metropolitan Transportation Commission 101 Eighth Street Oakland, CA 94607-4700 (510) 464-7731 (office) (510) 464-7848 (fax) www: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/ Census WWW: http://census.mtc.ca.gov/ ***********************************************