2005 was a remarkable year.
It would be difficult to begin to talk about the past year without acknowledging the heroic efforts of many in our city who helped our neighbors affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Atlanta opened its arms to thousands of people from the Gulf Coast offering all kinds of support and help.
Hundreds of brave police, firefighters and other personnel traveled to the Gulf Coast to support search, rescue and recovery missions. In fact, for three weeks, the only paramedic care for the City of Biloxi, Mississippi came from Atlanta’s Fire Rescue team.
All over Atlanta hundreds of organizations, large and small, gave the victims support. The efforts of United Way, the American Red Cross, Traveler’s Aid, Atlanta Food Bank and Hosea Feed the Hungry have been widely reported, but today I’d like to highlight Zion Hill Baptist Church in Southwest Atlanta.
In 2 months their relief effort raised nearly $100,000, placed 60 families in apartments, offered financial support for rent, utilities, furniture and even hotel costs. This is one of the many examples of how Atlanta cares for those in need.
It brought what I believe is a turning point in the history of our city.
This turning point is not defined by a single, momentous event.
It is the culmination of a series of accomplishments
that, taken together, point to the beginning of a new “Age of Atlanta.”
It’s an age in which our city’s government, business and non-profit communities work in partnership like never before … to help us become the city we’ve always wanted to be.
When you look back at all that we’ve accomplished in four years,
you can see that we’re moving forward in extraordinary ways.
And we’re moving forward because Atlanta is working together
across ethnic, cultural, social, generational, regional and economic boundaries.
Today, we live in a city that’s much different from the Atlanta of just a few years ago.
We live in a city that’s safer.
In 2004, the number of homicides was the lowest in more than four decades. The early numbers from 2005 are even more encouraging: Early projections show homicides declined another 20 percent last year.
These are not just statistical spikes. We’ve made great strides toward keeping Atlanta safe in the years ahead.
Our police and fire departments are now accredited. We’re building a new crime laboratory. We’ve added paramedic engine companies to reduce our response time to emergencies. Soon we’ll be able to offer paramedic care anywhere in the city in eight minutes or less.
And we’re paying our sworn police and fire employees better – making real progress toward bringing salaries in line with the market.
Beyond safety … we live in a city that’s cleaner and greener.
We’ve acquired over 789 acres of land, protecting 17 miles of stream bank
through the Watershed dept’s Greenway Acquisition Program.
We have the green light to proceed with developing the BeltLine project.
The passage of the Tax Allocation District was nothing less than historic.
It provides the main funding source for the BeltLine, which Will Rogers calls “the most exciting urban project in America.” (That’s the Will Rogers who’s president of the Trust for Public Land – and that’s high praise.)
The BeltLine will create a new way of living in Atlanta…linking communities … integrating work, home, learning and play … living outside of an automobile … supporting an active, outdoor lifestyle.
In addition, recently the city adopted a $100 million bond program to acquire more greenspace and make badly needed repairs to playground equipment, gymnasiums and other recreational amenities all over the city. This combined with the $150 million Quality of Life bond program represents the largest infusion of capital into quality of living improvements in decades.
We finalized a plan to manage solid waste, and we improved solid waste collections all over the city. The “Trash Troopers” targets vacant lots, Public Works partners with Samaritan House and Georgia Department of Labor to employ the homeless in clean-up details. And in Oakland City, a once unsightly vacant lot now features beautiful decorative fencing and walkways, benches, flowers and shrubs.
We live in a cleaner, greener city because the civic and business leaders
are our partners.
We live in a city whose government is responding to its people more efficiently.
Four years ago, we set out to reform Atlanta city government. We held it by the ankles, upside down, and shook the change out of every pocket.
We have set standards for performance in every government operation
and implemented new customer service initiatives throughout the government. We track our progress weekly. Our cabinet is committed to achieving best in class status, and the city becoming a high performance organization. And our employees work hard and smarter everyday.
We now live in a city that’s fiscally responsible.
Today, we have a healthy cash reserve for our city, budgets based on market projections, performance goals and strategic decision making. In the last 2 years our general fund mileage rate has been reduced from the all time high set in 2002. Last year the city adopted an 18 month budget for 2006- 2007.
The City Council is our active partner in strengthening the city’s financial position every step of the way.
It was a tough challenge.
But then, we live in a city that does not run from its toughest challenges.
We met the challenge to fund the overhaul of our water and sewer system head on.
In May 2006 we will open the fifth runway… on time and on budget
and we must be agile and flexible to meet the current challenges of the airline industry. And by the way, in case you missed the recent news,
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International airport IS the busiest in the world
and it ranks at the top of list of large airports for performance, efficiency and customer service and the airport is the top economic generator in the region.
When it became clear that the old ways of addressing homelessness would not do,we worked on new collaborative solutions. The Commission on Homelessness, United Way and others - another partnership – gave us a blueprint to end chronic homelessness in Atlanta in 10 years.
And last July the 24/7 Gateway Center opened. This service center is a perfect example of a city fulfilling its moral obligation to help hundreds of people in need everyday.
We live in a city that has reached a new level of integrity.
We also live in a city that’s building a brighter future for its young people.
We offered nearly 400 Atlanta Public School high school seniors counseling and financial support to go college and technical school, 50,000 students a thrilling cultural experience starting with the Atlanta Opera’s Porgy and Bess, over 700 students held summer jobs and internships, 120 students healthcare training in nursing, patient care and pharmacy and thousands of young people participate in Camp Best Friends each summer.
Atlanta Reads…One Book, One Community.
This project is co chaired by Dr. Rudolph Byrd, Professor of American Studies at Emory University and Susan Booth, Artistic Director of the Alliance Theater. This is a kind of City of Atlanta book club. This annual common reading of a book, either fiction or nonfiction seeks to engage the entire community, especially senior citizens and high school seniors, in an annual celebration of reading to promote citywide dialogue and to enhance our intellectual quality of life. Stay tuned for the details on how you can participate.
Finally, we live in a city that’s growing its economy in bold
and imaginative ways.
We set a high bar with the New Century Economic Development Plan – the first plan of its kind for Atlanta.
By 2009, we’ll create 60,000 new jobs in our city … grow property value by $26 billion … and add 10,000 new affordable workforce housing units and leverage tens of millions of dollars of new development in the city’s commercial corridors. Last year the Atlanta Development Authority
issued $130 million in bonds leveraging $750 million in new residential, retail, office and hotel projects in the heart of downtown, issued nearly $433,000 in direct small business loans that leveraged $4.4 million in new business investment, issued $22 million in bonds to invest in solutions for the homeless, spearheaded the Mc Pherson Local Redevelopment Authority initiative headed by Felker Ward and created a Health Services CEO led by John Fox, CEO of Emory Healthcare. For 30 years Atlanta has lost jobs to the suburbs, to reverse than trend we will invest $5.8 million in job creation, small business support and corporate relocations through the Economic Opportunity Fund.
The Brand Atlanta campaign
is a key part of our economic development strategy.
Our campaign embraces three historic Atlanta ideals – boundless opportunity … unbridled optimism .. and a genuine spirit of openness.
We want people to understand that anything can happen here …
that anyone can be part of the Atlanta dream … that every day is opening day in Atlanta.
Brand Atlanta is a true working partnership with the hospitality industry- where everyone’s welcome at the table.
Tom Bell and Egbert Perry will bring their considerable development experience and credibility to lead the Peachtree Corridor Study team.
And Ron Terwilliger will chair along with Renee Glover as vice chair our task force to recommend best practices for inclusive zoning, land bank management and affording housing financing.
Following the successful models we have used before –
with homelessness, court consolidation, business system reform, parks, ethics and a dozen or other subject areas- both of these task forces will offer expert advice, counsel and plans that are priceless as we plan for the future of Atlanta.
The next four years will be our best opportunity to become the city we’ve envisioned. This point is so important, I’ll say it again: The next four years are our … best … opportunity.
But we’ll only succeed
if we continue to work together.
Imagine Atlanta with a top performing public school system,
with beautiful neighborhood and regional parks and sidewalks,
with growing and thriving small businesses,
with an integrated regional transportation system,
with affordable housing choices and a vibrant arts community…..
We have laid the groundwork for a great city.
Now, it’s our job to usher in the “Age of Atlanta” …
to ensure the city thrives and succeeds 20 and 30 years from now.
Maya Angelou says “the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity is daring to dare.” I think she is right.
Let’s you and I dare to be a great city.
It’s our time to usher in the Age of Atlanta…….
Thank you.