Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird delivered her State of the City Address, which focused on significant street infrastructure, affordable housing, and workforce development successes. She also announced critical advancements in initiatives to grow Lincoln’s vibrant economy and quality of life.
Mayor Gaylor Baird reported $47 million in street infrastructure investments over the past year, resulting in the construction and resurfacing of nearly 18 lane miles of arterial streets and eight miles of residential streets. Additionally, she highlighted the success of the voter-approved Lincoln on the Move sales tax, set to expire next year, which has increased the city’s capacity to deliver street improvements.
On housing, the Mayor celebrated progress toward her goal of creating 5,000 new or rehabilitated affordable units by 2030. She announced that her administration had incentivized the creation of 2,641 units of new or rehabilitated affordable housing, putting Lincoln ahead of schedule and over halfway toward achieving its goal.
As a result of her administration’s priority on workforce development, Mayor Gaylor Baird noted that nearly 1,500 residents have benefited from the city’s job training initiatives designed to equip workers with skills in high-demand fields, such as manufacturing, IT, and the health sciences. She also highlighted city investments to support early childhood workforce programs that are helping to credential new educators and expand access to quality childcare for working families.
Watch the Mayor’s full address here.