City Officials Consider Special Census to Bring in More Road Use Tax Fund

Urbandale city officials are considering asking for a special census they said could bring more money into city coffers to pay for street and other infrastructure work.

Urbandale had a population of 39,463 in the 2010 census, but re-estimates show the 2012-2013 population at closer to 41,000, the Des Moines Register reported. If the city council agrees to the special census, outlined Tuesday at a work meeting by City Managr A.J. Johnson, it would be conducted in 2015.

The Iowa Department of Transportation doles out revenues from the state’s road use tax fund to city governments on a per capita basis. The city received $3.5 million in road use tax funds for the current fiscal year.

Having an accurate headcount not only potentially means more dollars, but it would also enhance officials’ efforts to project infrastructure needs and plan for construction projects, Johnson said.

If the council gives the go-ahead to commission, a new head count with the U.S. Census Bureau, the city would bear the cost, but it would likely offset the cost with additional road-use tax funds.

Johnson thinks city council members generally favor making the request.

“Absent of some catastrophic event, a collapse in the housing market again, we think that there’s probably a value in us doing this,” he said.

A special census in 2005 cost the city $300,000.

Johnson is talking with officials in other suburban communities to determine if they’re interested in working together on a special census.