Mayor Gary McCarthy - Democratic Mayors

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy gave his annual State of the City address, touting the city’s accomplishments over the past year and his vision for the city’s future. Mayor McCarthy’s top priorities are housing, continued development, public safety, and city services.

During his address, he highlighted how the city is leading the way with new housing initiatives while collaborating with federal and state partners to create innovative options for the community. This includes a record amount of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan and its positive impact on the city’s HOME program that will be used toward additional affordable housing developments for the community.

Mayor McCarthy also addressed public safety efforts, including crime trends over the past decade and the increase in police officers in the city to help deter future criminal activity.

“Our city’s future is bright. I thank you for the opportunity to serve as your mayor,” said Mayor McCarthy.

Watch Mayor McCarthy’s address here.

More State of the City Addresses

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mayor Shelley Berkley

Mayor Shelley Berkley delivered her State of the City Address, looking to the future and outlining how Las Vegas will continue to be a leading city that assists those in need, creates new opportunities, and provides safe and beautiful neighborhoods and amenities. She emphasized the city’s continued focus on helping vulnerable residents through expanded services, including the MORE Team pilot program, which connects individuals experiencing homelessness with mental health professionals, health workers, and street medicine, as well as the new Community Court that prioritizes structure, monitoring, and resources over punitive approaches.

Nashville, Tennessee

Mayor Freddie O’Connell

In his State of the Metro Address, Mayor Freddie O’Connell described his vision for a Nashville that is affordable, safe, healthy, welcoming, and prosperous, a city for everyone, and emphasized that progress will be purposeful, even when it is not always loud or linear. He outlined steps his administration will take to make Nashville more affordable, including proposals to cut the grocery tax, expand access to childcare, support small businesses, create jobs, build more housing, and invest in children from birth.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Mayor Indya Kincannon

In her seventh State of the City Address, Mayor Indya Kincannon proposed a lean budget that continues to prioritize public safety, affordable housing, parks, and high-quality people-focused services. She also emphasized the importance of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars, noting that her budget proposal covers essential services without raising taxes, even as the city navigates inflation, rising costs, and broader economic uncertainty.