Mayor Kate Gallego delivered her State of the City Address, sharing that amid the “chaos and confusion coming from our government in Washington,” Phoenix and its City Council are “leading with competence and collaboration.” Her priorities include workforce development, public safety, education, infrastructure, economic growth, housing, sustainability, and emerging technologies.
In her remarks, Mayor Gallego highlighted how Phoenix is creating life-changing career pathways and how wages are up nearly 50% in five years. Mayor Gallego hailed the progress of Phoenix’s bioscience industry, noting that in the last five years “Phoenix’s bioscience sector has seen nearly $7 billion in capital investments, more than 8 million square feet in primary facilities, and upwards of 14,000 new jobs.” She also noted that the General Obligation Bond approved by voters in 2023 will help pay for ASU Health, which includes a new medical school to be built on downtown’s Phoenix Biomedical Core. Further, she shared that what started as a $12 billion investment from TSMC for semiconductors has grown to $165 billion, the largest foreign direct investment in American history.
She announced that Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines will begin nonstop flights from Phoenix to Taipei early next year, pending final gate approval. Mayor Gallego has worked to secure nonstop air service to Asia since she was elected mayor. She also shared that the South Central Light Rail extension will open soon, a significant milestone for the communities it connects. This project brings long-overdue access to jobs, schools, and healthcare.
Under Mayor Gallego’s leadership, Phoenix is tackling the housing shortage head-on. The city met its goal of developing or preserving 50,000 homes five years early, and has surpassed its goal by nearly 3,000 units. Phoenix is also combating extreme heat with its network of cooling centers, hydration stations, and shade structures. As a result of these efforts, heat-related 911 calls dropped by 20%, and the heat respite centers helped move more than 900 people into stable shelters, including nearly 100 children.
Violent crime is down in Phoenix, and homicides are at their lowest level in more than five years. This summer, a new 911 call center will open, and the facility will help the city implement Next Generation 911, which will increase the accuracy of caller locations, improve response to large-scale events, and much more. The city’s Community Assistance Program is showing great success, with the response team fielding more than 10,000 calls for service, with more than a fifth of which were diverted from police.
Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.
