One of the librarians on the MAPS-L Listserv posted a response to a question he had sent to the US Census Bureau regarding the fate of the Statistical Abstract. It doesn’t look good, unless Congress acts to re-instate it. This is the response from the Branch Chief, Statistical Compendia Branch, ACSD US Census Bureau:
“The President’s FY 2012 Budget terminates the Statistical Abstract including all of its components. The statistical compendia branch program consists of the Statistical Abstract of the United States and its supplemental products: USA Counties, State and Metropolitan Area Data Book, County and City Data Book, State and County Quick Facts, and MapStats.
Given the current budget environment , the Census Bureau made difficult choices to terminate and reduce a number of existing programs in order to acquire funds for higher priority programs.
Final decisions about the FY 2012 budget are the responsibility of the Congress”