Staff Report
Speaking before a standing-room-only crowd, Mayor Michelle Wu delivered a powerful State of the City address on March 19 at the MGM Music Hall on Lansdowne Street.
“Boston is strong,” Wu declared unequivocally in a speech in which the mayor outlined some of her accomplishments and unveiled new programs that will positively impact thousands of residents of Boston.
“Gun violence in Boston has hit a 10-year low, and every year since taking office, we’ve set new record lows,” Wu stated. “Boston is the safest city in the nation.”
Wu thanked both Police Commissioner Michael Cox and the entire Boston Police Department for these safety accomplishments.
Wu pointed to businesses such as Eli Lilly, SAP, Roche, Lego, and Nvidia that have located their offices and major research and development centers in the city.
Among the several new initiatives that Wu unveiled during her speech were:
— A Business Recruitment Office to fill commercial vacancies and revitalize the downtown;
— Boston Energy Saver, a partnership with Eversource and National Grid that aims to lower heating and cooling costs for residents; and
— A Co-Purchasing Pilot Program that will help households combine their purchasing power to buy multiple-family homes with 0% interest-deferred loans from the City.
The mayor also made note of the programs in the city’s schools for the arts, advanced math, and athletics, as well as the availability of free early education for children under the age of five.
Wu also highlighted the many enhanced programs for senior citizens across the city.
The mayor briefly touched on the controversial White Stadium proposal, saying, “Four years ago, BPS student-athletes were left with a sports facility that was rarely open and had been crumbling for decades. Today, we are renovating White Stadium into a world-class athletics hub.”
Toward the end of her speech, Wu took on President Donald Trump (without mentioning him by name), saying, “No one tells Boston how to take care of our own. Not kings, and not presidents who think they are kings.”
In closing, Wu said, “We are the city that leads in the storm, that stands up under pressure together, and finds strength in each other. We will defend the people we love with all that we’ve got.”
Wu then added, to applause, “God bless our city, God bless our people, and God save whoever messes with Boston.”