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The population of Texas has grown at a faster rate than the nation in every decade
since Texas first became a state.
Central Texas has grown at an even faster rate.
This growth has brought prosperity for some, but not everyone.
Over the past decade the low-income population grew at twice the rate as the
population as a whole,
and median family income
has actually declined.
As our community continues to grow and to change,
how can we work together to build a future everyone has an opportunity to
reach their full potential?
The City of Austin demographer predicts that Travis County will more than double
in size by the year 2045.
That Austin of the future will be much more diverse.
We are already a no majority city.
No one racial or ethnic group makes up more than fifty percent of the total population.
Over the past decades, the Hispanic population has been increasing both in
number and as a percent of the total population.
The Asian population has grown the fastest, and by the middle of the next decade is
expected to surpass the African-American population in Travis County.
Our community has experienced a sharpening divided in income.
While there are several inner city neighborhoods with intense
concentrations of poverty,
there has also been a movement of people
of all income levels
into the suburbs
where land and housing are cheaper.
Urban sprawl is expected to continue so that by 2045 there will be
almost as many Travis County residents living outside the city limits of Austin
as there will be living within the city itself.
There are two important trends in age.
On one hand, we are home to the fastest growing pre-senior population in the
nation.
On the other hand, we have a fast growing child population
a majority of whom are Hispanic.
Our diversifying and growing population will require a shift in how and where we
provide our products and services.
Whether diagnosing a medical condition
or closing a business deal,
relating to the diverse people who make up our community is critical for those
who provide services and goods.
Almost one-third of Travis County residents speak a language other than
English in their home.
Cultural competence, or cultural effectiveness is a critical tool for any community
seeking to maximize its potential.
It is important
to do business or provide services in the languages
of the constituents which we serve.
We can and we should understand
respect and
leverage cultural assets of our diverse population.
When we do this,
the outcomes will be better for all.
People in the populations that are growing the fastest must be welcomed into
the conversation about how our community grows and changes.
Those who are not accustomed to being civically engaged must be encouraged
to participate.
People from all backgrounds and walks of life need to feel safe,
respected and welcomed into our community's life.
Growth provides us with the opportunity to plan the future we want.
How we grow will impact how well we can meet the basic needs of our future
generation.
More than half the homes and much of the infrastructure that we will rely upon
in 2045 doesn't even exist yet.
This provides us an opportunity to work together thinking through where and how
growth will occur.
More local and regional community plans are calling for complete communities
that allow people to live, work, learn and play within a compact neighborhood
setting that is connected to other neighborhoods.
Making sure that housing is affordable to the people who work in a neighborhood
will relieve congestion, improve schools and make neighborhoods safer.
You know, we feel like it's really important that our friends and neighbors
can connect to
and get the assistance they need from resources.
We want them to reach their full potential.
In planning our future community, we cannot forget the most vulnerable among us -
children, the elderly,
the homeless
and people who are disabled or sick.
I think
one of the important challenges in our community is to treat all of our people
in the community
with dignity and respect and in a humane way.
A healthy community will be essential to ensuring that we have a globally
competitive workforce
and a sustainable community.
We must work together
to build and grow a diverse healthcare workforce to meet the needs
of our growing and aging population.
We need to make it easier for families and individuals to access
necessary mental health services.
And we can do that by integrating behavioral health treatment
into primary health care clinics and to make those available in multiple
locations across the community.
To improve the health of our community,
we need to provide a built environment that has access to fresh fruits and
vegetables, healthcare, and information so that residents can make informed
decisions regarding their health.
How we build out community will also be key to ensuring the health of our
residents.
When people feel safe enough to let their children play outside,
frequent our local park, or bike to school, our community is healthier.
Texas and the Central Texas region are in a unique and enviable situation.
Unlike many of our economic competitors,
we will continue to have a young, growing working age population.
This resource can be our greatest asset.
The investments we make in the youngest among us
will pay big dividends in our future.
Community, parents, and teachers
must work together to ensure the success of every child.
Their success will help ensure the economic prosperity of our region now and in the future.
A seamless education and workforce system will fuel business growth and help all
members of our community
achieve their full potential.
As technology and commerce bring the world closer together,
a diverse and multi-lingual workforce will be an important asset.
We must let children and their parents know
that it is important to speak more than one language.
Being multilingual will help open
employment opportunities and increase earnings.
The success of our younger generation will drive private sector growth
and fund public sector services and infrastructure in our future.
The population growth and other demographic changes facing our community
do pose challenges.
If we get it wrong,
the consequences could be devastating for
individuals, for our economy, and for the community as a whole.
But we are well positioned to get it right.
We have a diverse and strong economy.
We are so lucky that we have so many community leaders working across
many jurisdictions
to make sure that our future is both prosperous and sustainable for the
generations to come.
We have a forward-thinking community that embraces diversity and
values all people.
Together, we can do this!