Pasco

Pasco is one of three cities that make up Washington state's Tri-Cities region, a mid-sized metropolitan area of approximately 296,224 people. It had a population of 59,781 at the 2010 census, and 75,432 as of the July 1, 2019 Census Bureau estimate. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped in the Pasco area, at a site now commemorated by Sacajawea State Park in 1805. In the 1880s, the Northern Pacific Railway was built near the Columbia River, bringing many settlers to the area. Pasco was officially incorporated on September 3, 1891. It was named by Virgil Bogue, a construction engineer for the NorthernPacific Railway after Cerro de Pasco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, where he had helped build a railroad. After the end of World War II, the entire region went through several "boom" and "bust" periods, cycling approximately every 10 years. Since that time, Pasco has undergone a transformation that has not only seen its population overtake the neighboring city of Richland, but also has resulted in growth in the city's retail and tourism industries. Recently incorporated land on the West side of the city has exploded into new housing tracts, apartments, and shopping centers. This area has become referred to locally as "West Pasco", distinguishing it from the older area of town to the East. In early 2018, plans were announced for 5,000 to 8,000 new residences in West Pasco.

History

The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped in the Pasco area in 1805. In the 1880s, the Northern Pacific Railway was built near the Columbia River, bringing many settlers to the area. Pasco was officially incorporated on September 3, 1891. It was named by Virgil Bogue, a construction engineer, after Cerro de Pasco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, where he had helped build a railroad. After the end of World War II, the entire region went through several "boom" and "bust" periods, cycling approximately every 10 years and heavily based on available government funding for Hanford-related work. Since that time, Pasco has undergone a transformation that has not only seen its population overtake the neighboring city of Richland, but also has resulted in growth in the city's retail and tourism industries. Recently incorporated land on the West side of the city has exploded into new housing tracts, apartments, and shopping centers. This area has become referred to locally as "West Pasco", distinguishing it from the older area of town to the East. In early 2018, plans were announced for 5,000 to 8,000 new residences in West Pasco, west of Road 100. In August 1982 Pasco completed one of its largest annexations, comprising 7.5 square miles (19 km²) to the northwest, in August 1982 amid a legal dispute with neighboring Richland that was decided by the Washington Supreme Court. In the late 1990s, several developers purchased large farm circles in Pasco for residential and commercial development.

Geography and climate

Pasco is located at 46°1419N 119°631W (46.238507, 119.108534).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.08 square miles (88.27 km²) of which 30.50 square miles is land and 3.58square miles (9.27km²) is water. The city is located in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range. The area is a windswept desert, receiving little precipitation throughout the year. Hot summers, warm springs, and cold winters provide a stark contrast to other areas of the state. The Columbia River borders the south side of the city, separating it from the neighboring cities of Richland and Kennewick. Pasco is home to Pasco High School, which was founded in 1883. The school is located on the banks of the Columbia River, which is a tributary of the Yakima River. The town's mascot is the Pasco Eagles, who play football for the local high school team. It is also the home of Pasco's high school football team, which plays in the Washington State High School Football Championship. The Pasco Police Department is based in the city and has served as the city's police chief for the past 20 years. It has been named after Pasco, Washington's first police chief, who was killed in a car accident in the early 1900s. It also has a high school, Pasco Junior High, and Pasco Senior High, which were founded in 1903.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 59,781 people, 17,983 households, and 13,863 families living in the city. There were 18,782 housing units at an average density of 615.8 per square mile (237.8/km²) The racial makeup of the city was 55.8% White, 1.9% African American, 0.5% Native American, and 1.77% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55.3% of the population. The median income for a household in theCity was $34,540, and the median income. for a family was $37,342. The per capita income for the city is $13,404. About 19.5%. of families and 23.3%. of the residents were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 9.6%. of those over age 18. The average household size was 3.30 and the average family size is 3.79. The city's median age was 27.3 years, and its population was 32,066 at the time of the 2000 census. The age distribution of theCity's population shows 35.5%; 10.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.9%. were from 25 to 44; 17.2% were from 45 to 64; and 6.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup ofthe city was 50.7%.

Government

Pasco has a council-manager government with an elected body of 7 council members, 6 of whom are from specific districts within the city, and 1 elected at-large. The council biennially elects from its own members a mayor that runs meetings, signs certain documents, and acts in ceremonial capacity. The city manager is chosen by the council as a professional administrator and runs day-to-day operations of the city including management of staff. Council members are part-time legislators. Those elected 2017 and after receive $1,115 per month and the mayor receives £1,450 a month. The mayor pro-tem acts in the mayor's absence and is elected from the council's own members. Council also has a number of advisory boards appointed by the city and includes citizen volunteers that give their time and expertise in dealing with issues including parks, senior citizen issues, planning, code enforcement, etc. The city has a city manager who is chosen from the city's own council and runs the day- to-day Operations of the City of Pasco. The City Manager is chosen to run the city for a three-year term and receives a salary of $2,000 per year. The Mayor Pro-tem is elected for a four-year terms and receives $1.5,000 a year and is also elected from its council members for a two-year period. The Council has a mayor-manager who runs the city in a ceremonial capacity and acts as the city manager for a year.

Economy

Pasco is home to the Tri-Cities Airport, a regional commercial and private airport with direct flights to 11 US cities. The region has become a major player in Washington state's booming wine industry. Some of Pasco's largest employers include Hanford nuclear facility, Lamb Weston, Tyson Foods, Energy Northwest, Bechtel National Inc., and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Amtrak has operated a station in Pasco since 1971, when they took over the Empire Builder from the Burlington Northern Railroad after they operated it for a short period of time. Trucking uses Interstate 182, and to a lesser extent U.S. Route 395. Additional commercial transportation is undertaken through extensive barge traffic on the Columbia and Snake rivers. The city is also home to several large food processing companies, including Reser's Fine Foods, and Twin City Foods. It is the home of the BNSF Railway, which provides rail transport to and from the city. The Tri-City Airport is a regional airline hub with flights to several US cities, including Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, Reno, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle. It also has a private airport, which is served by several airlines, including Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines. It has a population of more than 100,000, and is located on the eastern edge of the Columbia River valley, which runs through the city's downtown area. The area is also the home to a number of wineries, including Gordon Brothers Cellars and Kamiak Vineyards.

Education

Pasco is served by the Pasco School District, Columbia Basin College, and Washington State University Tri-Cities. In spring 2015, Delta High School (or DHS) opened in Pasco. The city's second high school, Chiawana High School, opened in August 2009. The school district has 18 elementary schools. There are four middle schools, serving students ranging from grade six to eight. The easternmost school is Ellen Ochoa Middle School, the westernmost is John McLoughlin Middle School and the one in the central part of town is Isaac Stevens Middle School. The Pasco Bulldog school colors are purple and white; the Chiawan Riverhawk school colours are navy blue and silver. It is the largest public two-year community college in Southeastern Washington with a student body of nearly 7,000 students. The college was founded in 1955 and serves students from the entire Tri- Cities region. It has a rapidly growing campus, with a population of nearly 6,000. It was the first community college to open in the state, and is now one of the largest in Washington State. It opened its doors to students in August 1958. The campus is located in the city's downtown area, near the intersection of Interstate 5 and Interstate 90. It also has a satellite campus in Richland, where it serves students in the Richland and Kennewick school districts. There is also a branch of the college in the town of Richland.

Recreation

Pasco is located along a major stretch of the 22-mile Sacagawea Heritage Trail. The HAPO Center (formerly the TRAC) is a large complex located in Pasco which hosts regional events, including conventions, meetings, sporting events, and concerts. Pasco has several waterfront parks along the Columbia River, as well as easy river access for boaters, fishers, and skiers at any of the free boat launches. The city's Gesa Stadium hosts the Tri-City Dust Devils, a minor league baseball team playing in the Northwest League and affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. The Fiery Foods Festival celebrates spicy foods of all varieties, and highlights the thriving Hispanic culture in the city. The Pasco Farmers Market is open from May through October each year, drawing a large regional crowd and providing an outlet for farmers selling fresh produce. It is located near the booming Road 68 corridor, which is located in the heart of Pasco's downtown area. It's located in a former gravel pit used in the construction of the Blue Bridge (Pioneer Memorial Bridge), which provides a unique venue for outdoor athletic events.

Transportation

Pasco Intermodal Train Station, a stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder, with daily service with its southwest-bound section heading to Portland. Eastbound, it heads to Spokane, St. Paul, and Chicago with many intermediate points. Tri-Cities Airport, with commercial service to Burbank, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Phoenix. Ben Franklin Transit Station, with service to San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma and San Jose, San Diego and San Francisco-Oakland. The train's other section goes from Spokane to Seattle. The station is also a stop for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit system, which runs from San Francisco to San Jose and San Diego. The rail station is located on Interstate 5, between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is also on Interstate 405, which connects to San Diego, San Luis Obispo and San Bernardino. It also has service from San Diego to Los Angeles and other points in Southern California and the Bay Area. It's also on I-5, I-15, and I-20, which connect to San Antonio, San Jose to Santa Cruz and other cities in California and beyond. It has a station on the San Diego-San Diego line, on the west side of the freeway, and on the east side, the San Jose-San Francisco line, which is on the north side of I-405. It was built in the 1950s. The Amtrak Empire Builder runs from Pasco to Seattle and back again.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Pasco, Franklin County, Washington = 87. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 20. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Pasco = 3.2 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 2,775 individuals with a median age of 28.2 age the population grows by 54.27% in Pasco, Franklin County, Washington population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,221.33 residents per square mile of area (857.67/km²). There are average 3.4 people per household in the 14,438 households with an average household income of $44,216 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 5.80% of the available work force and has growths 2.65% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 39.50%. The number of physicians in Pasco per 100,000 population = 89.8.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Pasco = 7.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 6.6 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 70. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 194. 91 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 26.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 65, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Pasco, Franklin County, Washington which are owned by the occupant = 59.97%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 25 years with median home cost = $147,410 and home appreciation of 0.56%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $13.15 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,448 per student. There are 12.9 students for each teacher in the school, 528 students for each Librarian and 497 students for each Counselor. 5.17% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 10.54% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 3.50% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).