Mayor Van Johnson - Democratic Mayors

At his annual State of the City address, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson presented the city council’s work over the past year and called for unity and civility. In his remarks, Mayor Johnson spoke about several initiatives his administration led, ranging from crime to affordable housing to opening the new Enmarket Arena.

Mayor Johnson also highlighted his administration’s achievements, including raising police salaries, building the arena, and several impactful public safety initiatives. He praised the Summer Fun and Safety program in partnership with the Savannah Police Department for reducing crime and the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, which aims to reduce violent crime in the community.

Later he shared the potential impacts of the Local Options Sales Tax (LOST), which is going through mediation with the county, noting that if negotiations fail, it will likely result in a property tax increase to make up for tax revenue provided by LOST.

“But we know there’s more ahead to do. And we’re going to be transparent about it. We are faced with a serious and definitive Dec. 31 deadline to negotiate a new distribution agreement between Chatham County and eight municipalities for the local option sales tax,” said Johnson. “Without this funding, Savannah faces a loss of more than $55 million.”

Watch Mayor Johnson’s remarks 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.