Mayor Adena Ishii - Democratic Mayors

In her first State of the City Address, Mayor Adena Ishii spoke powerfully to both the urgency of the moment and the enduring strength of Berkeley’s community. Responding to reports of heightened ICE activity across the Bay Area, she reaffirmed Berkeley’s role as the nation’s first Sanctuary City and outlined the city’s ongoing work to defend immigrant residents and uphold democratic values. Mayor Ishii highlighted the creation of the Mayor’s Sanctuary City Task Force, which partners with local organizations and institutions to protect immigrant families through “Know Your Rights” trainings, legal services, and advocacy. The task force’s work led to the unanimous passage of a Sanctuary City Ordinance and $200,000 in new funding for immigrant defense services.

Mayor Ishii emphasized that Berkeley’s success is built by its people, the city workers maintaining infrastructure, nonprofit partners providing shelter and food, small business owners driving local prosperity, and residents organizing for fire safety and civic engagement. She spotlighted major progress on housing and homelessness, noting that over 700 permanent supportive housing units have been built citywide and that two new projects have been funded through Measure O. The Mayor also celebrated the groundbreaking of new educator workforce housing and the City Council’s passage of a Middle Housing ordinance to expand development opportunities across Berkeley neighborhoods.

Turning to public safety, Mayor Ishii commended Berkeley Police Chief Jen Louis and Fire Chief David Sprague for their leadership, noting decreases in property and violent crime, expanded data transparency, and the EMBER fire mitigation initiative designed to prevent loss of life and property in the Berkeley Hills. She credited community partnerships such as the Creston Firewise Community for mobilizing volunteers to clear debris and strengthen wildfire preparedness. Mayor Ishii also highlighted voter approval of Measure FF, which provides $15 million annually to improve streets and sidewalks, including pedestrian paths and other environmental improvements.

Despite facing a $28 million deficit, the Mayor reported that the city passed a balanced budget without layoffs, prioritizing essential services and transparency. She also launched new bi-monthly office hours to connect directly with residents, and announced BerkeleyCorps, a new volunteer program to coordinate community service projects across the city.

Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.

More State of the City Addresses

Evansville, Indiana

Mayor Stephanie Terry

In her third State of the City Address, Mayor Stephanie Terry reflected on a year defined by steady progress and continued work to build a vibrant, inclusive community where safety, opportunity, and connection help all residents thrive. Speaking under the theme “Building What Matters,” she emphasized that the city’s progress is driven by people—city employees, partners, and residents—who continue to show up and invest in Evansville’s future.

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Mayor Paige Cognetti

Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti delivered her State of the City Address, outlining a six-year turnaround that has taken the city from the brink of financial distress to a position of stability and growth, while continuing investments in public safety, infrastructure, quality of life, and lower costs for residents. Mayor Cognetti also highlighted Scranton’s financial progress, including three credit rating upgrades since exiting financially distressed status in 2022 and achieving its current A- rating with a stable outlook.

Minneapolis , Minnesota

Mayor Jacob Frey

In his State of the City Address, Mayor Jacob Frey said the city is strong but emphasized that Minneapolis must refocus on the fundamentals of city government and on delivering results. Reflecting on a difficult year marked by disruption and challenges across the community, Mayor Frey said the city demonstrated resilience and resolve while stressing the importance of prioritizing safe streets, stable housing, and a strong local economy.