Roundup of 2023 State of the City Speeches

“The state of the city is strong,” are the typical opening words to the speech delivered annually by mayors across the country. How true do they ring for the nation’s municipalities this year? Bronner’s analysis of the initial 2023 state of the city speeches found municipalities tackling challenges and capitalizing on opportunities in the areas of infrastructure, housing, and public safety.

In several cities, mayors held the first in-person state of the city speech since the start of the pandemic in 2020. In the meantime, municipalities have been equipped with American Recovery Plan dollars intended to uplift their cities from the negative economic effects of the pandemic. Mayors are also planning and preparing for projects funded by both the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Acts. These will bring faster internet, safer bridges, and greener facilities to many communities.?

Infrastructure

Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, cities have lined up transportation projects, large and small, to both maintain vital public services while making investments that support long-term economic growth.?The American Rescue plan also supports maintenance and improvements to public assets through revenue replacement and certain Expenditure Categories.?

“The last year has been full of a lot of challenges, a lot of difficult times. But it’s also presented a lot of opportunities to the city,” said David Faber, mayor of Port Townsend, Wa. Mayor Faber focused his speech on progress and plans for repairing roads and boosting affordable housing in his city of 10,000.

In Albany, N.Y., Mayor Kathy Sheehan announced a record $22 million in spending on new sidewalks and street paving this year. “This is about ensuring we’re doing everything we can for every neighborhood in our city,” Sheehan said about spending recovery funds across her community.

Homelessness

Housing insecurity remains a detrimental downstream impact of the pandemic on communities. The American Rescue Plan provides funding for emergency and long-term affordable housing solutions as well as supportive services such as job training, benefits navigation, and behavioral health services.

“In our Quality-of-Life Survey, 88% of respondents called homelessness the number one challenge facing the city,” announced Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson of Riverside, Ca. “We have a clear strategy to address homelessness based on data,” speaking about leveraging all social services available.

She was joined by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s who touted the Utah city’s progress to reduce homelessness with regional partners.

“Using President Biden’s federal Rescue Plan funds, we’ll build intergenerational stability and combat homelessness by creating stable, affordable, wealth-generating housing for families in Salt Lake City.”

Public Safety

Public safety was a consistent theme for big city mayors. The American Rescue Plan provides an immediate source of funding for public safety payroll while also addressing root causes of crime through opportunities to invest in community violence, mental health and substance abuse interventions.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Lawlessness will not rule the day in our city,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “And that is especially true today as we combat the rise of illicit fentanyl.”

Likewise, the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act and Inflation Reduction Act afford mayors the opportunity for new funding sources to support strategic improvements in resident quality of life, like reconnecting communities cut off by rail or highway infrastructure, remediating failing sewer and water systems, and improving access to green energy.

In the nation’s largest city, Mayor Eric Adams aligned with this holistic approach to addressing safety and quality of life in New York. “Public safety means more than protecting our streets. It means protecting our environment – the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the future of our children and generations to come.”

Looking Forward

In the months ahead, more mayors will take to the podium to set their agenda for the year ahead. Each will seek to make their cities more resilient, affordable, and safe for residents.

Learn more about how Bronner supports local government clients deliver effective services.