Abstract

Certain trends, especially in employment, family-life, health, and children's poverty, represent emerging problems for state and local policymakers while others, especially in educational and overall income levels, represent emerging resources; this study examines these trends in New York's counties, and underscores their connections.

Issue

In order to do their work adequately, state and local leaders as well as policymakers need accurate information on wide-ranging topics from demographics to employment, to family and health well-being indicators. Such indicators are available historically in census and other government documents. Seldom, however, is this information brought together and interpreted in terms of emerging resources and emerging problems that focus their potential for public and private policy decisions. This information can positively affect peoples' lives. The New York State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources (LCRR) has such concerns for people in New York's rural counties, and asked Kris Merschrod and myself to address these issues. The result is the document, "Socioeconomic Trends and Well-Being Indicators in New York State, 1950-2000," published by the LCRR. This report includes the trends for each of 55 indicators for each county. These data are used by a variety of local and state policy leaders. The information will be presented to the public through my county presentations, in cooperation with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) in various counties.

Response

Our book responded to the needs of local policymakers, as well as Ronald Brach, the LCRR Executive Director. Brach uses the results in his work with state policymakers. The book examined trends from 1950 to 2000 for 55 separate indicators. Demographic trends included total population, and age and ethnic distributions. Employment trends included those for overall employment, services, manufacturing, and extractive industries (agriculture), and six specific services industries; most jobs were lost in retail and wholesale industries, reversing previous trends, while most gains occurred in health-care industries. Socioeconomic trends included those in educational levels, per capita income, and poverty, where family poverty declined, but poverty among children increased slightly. Family well-being trends included those for marriages and disrupted marriages, births to single mothers, overall and among teenagers. Increasing rates of births to single mothers represents a major unresolved challenge to policymakers. Health-care trends included overall declines in most fatalities, but also in per capita numbers of doctors in rural counties, while trends in lung cancer and cirrhosis of the liver continue to increase there. The book also shows how policymakers can estimate the effects of their policies on the emerging problem trends.

Impact

Our book responded to the needs of local policymakers, as well as Ronald Brach, the LCRR Executive Director. Brach uses the results in his work with state policymakers. The book examined trends from 1950 to 2000 for 55 separate indicators. Demographic trends included total population, and age and ethnic distributions. Employment trends included those for overall employment, services, manufacturing, and extractive industries (agriculture), and six specific services industries; most jobs were lost in retail and wholesale industries, reversing previous trends, while most gains occurred in health-care industries. Socioeconomic trends included those in educational levels, per capita income, and poverty, where family poverty declined, but poverty among children increased slightly. Family well-being trends included those for marriages and disrupted marriages, births to single mothers, overall and among teenagers. Increasing rates of births to single mothers represents a major unresolved challenge to policymakers. Health-care trends included overall declines in most fatalities, but also in per capita numbers of doctors in rural counties, while trends in lung cancer and cirrhosis of the liver continue to increase there. The book also shows how policymakers can estimate the effects of their policies on the emerging problem trends.

Funding Sources

• Federal Formula Funds - Extension (e.g., Smith Lever, RREA)
• Federal Formula Funds - Research (e.g., Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, Animal Health)

Collaborators

• New York State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources

Key Personnel

• Ronald Brach, NYS Legislative Commission on Rural Resources
• Kathleen Carroll, NYS Legislative Commission on Rural Resources