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City draws on census data to gauge needs Figures have role in budget structure 06/03/2001 By Barrie Page Hill / The Dallas Morning News
The times, they are a changin'. And so is Irving, according to recently
released data from the 2000 census.
More than 36,000 people moved to Irving during the last decade. In 1990,
the city had a population of 155,037. In 2000, more than 191,615
residents called Irving home.
The city's male population is 97,687. Females number 93,928.
The percentage of owner-occupied housing units is 37.2 percent, compared
with 62.8 percent of renter-occupied units.
But those census figures are a lot more than columns of numbers,
according to the city's Community Development Department. Jack
Rainwater, senior planner with the department, said the city uses census
data to determine what programs and services it provides to residents.
"The census is gospel. We base a lot of what we do on the data," Mr.
Rainwater said. "A city needs to know what the trends are in order to
provide needed services. The census data has an effect on how you
structure the city's budget and what you spend your budget on."
For example, data collected during the 1990 census indicated a rising
Hispanic population.
"The City Council realized the city was changing, and we needed to
respond to a changing community," Mr. Rainwater said. The city offered
Spanish classes to city employees and bonus incentives for city
employees who spoke fluent Spanish. City communications were also
printed in both English and Spanish.
"The most salient ethnic change has been the growth of the Hispanic
community. That is definitely a beacon," he said. In 1990, the city's
Hispanic population was 25,238. In 2000, the number rose to 59,838.
"Minority population in and of itself doesn't change anything. The thing
you look for in census data is median income. It puts in motion a lot of
different programs associated with income."
For example, Mr. Rainwater explained, in an area with lower per-capita
income, additional low-cost housing may be needed. More social and
welfare programs also might be implemented to meet the needs of
residents. The data can help a city determine where roads need to be
constructed, schools should be built and what areas of the city are
growing the fastest.
"Libraries, the Police Department, parks and recreations, schools –
virtually every city department uses census information," Mr. Rainwater
said. "I can't imagine a department in the city that has no use for the
data. It is extremely beneficial."
The 1990 census information also showed that the city needed a low-cost
health care facility. A Community Oriented Primary Care Clinic is in the
planning stages, to be built soon in south Irving.
Dr. Whit Johnstone, director of planning and evaluation for the Irving
Independent School District, said administrators use census data to
determine what programs are needed within the school system.
"The census data is a reflection of the community. Policy-makers use the
data to look at programs and determine whether or not resources are made
available for those programs," Dr. Johnstone said. Many school programs
rely on grants, and grants require documentation. Census figures often
provide the necessary documentation needed to launch a new program, Dr.
Johnstone said.
A growing and changing population means the school district's needs are
also changing. In 1984, 20,437 students attended Irving schools.
"This year, we ended the school year with over 29,000 students," Dr.
Johnstone said. "Compared to 10 years ago, we definitely have a changing
demographic. Growth in the number of Hispanic students in the past eight
to 10 years is a growing trend, as are the number of school children who
are from disadvantaged backgrounds."
Programs for students from lower-income households including before- and
after-school care and reduced lunch programs are often a result of
information obtained from census reports.
"We are here to cite the needs of our students. One very important way
to communicate those needs is through census data," Dr. Johnstone added.
"We're very happy when the census data comes out. I personally wish the
census was done more often than every 10 years."
It will be quite some time before all of the 2000 census data are
released, and in turn, can be analyzed by the city.
"Some categories won't be released until 2003," Mr. Rainwater said. "It
seems like a doggoned long time to wait, but they don't just make up
those numbers. Right now, we're in a waiting mode. The census will
release certain portions of data over the next two years. Once we get
that information, the city has the ability, through its council, to make
decisions based on that information. It's a vital part of city planning."
Staff writer Barrie Page Hill can be reached at 972-594-7198, ext.
2001, or by e-mail at .
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