Mayor Melvin Carter - Democratic Mayors

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter gave his State of the City address, reflecting on the city’s resiliency over the past year and his vision for the future. Mayor Carter’s top priorities include public safety, youth development initiatives, economic development, and affordable housing.

“While there is much work ahead, today I stand confident that the State of Our City is strong enough, resilient enough, and bright enough to continue lighting the path forward. Together, we will continue our drive to bet on each other, we will continue our unending pursuit of building a better community for our children and grandchildren, and we will continue building a city that truly works for all of us,” said Mayor Carter.

Mayor Carter discussed the city’s investments in its police department, which has led to less force across the board, fewer officer and civilian injuries, and a clear higher percentage of violent crimes with an arrest. He also shared how St. Paul plans to continue to work with the Biden Administration, among others, to leverage funding to develop a more comprehensive and data-driven approach to public safety.

Watch Mayor Carter’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.