Mayor Quinton Lucas - Democratic Mayors

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas gave his third State of the City address outlining the city’s budget for the year ahead and his top priorities. These priorities include affordable housing, public safety, infrastructure, investing in youth, and making the city more climate-resilient.

In his remarks, Mayor Lucas shared how the city has recently allocated $12.5 million in additional funding for their Housing Trust fund, $2.5 million to stand up their Tenants’ Right to Counsel program, and added millions for rental and utility assistance. Mayor Lucas also shared how the city saw a decrease in homicides over the past year due to collaborative efforts from the police department, county prosecutors’ office, and violence prevention efforts.

“I often think that the greatest thing we can do in government is not some magic solution to all that ails us in society, but to support people where they are,” said Mayor Lucas.

Watch Mayor Lucas’ 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.