Mayor Brandon M. Scott - Democratic Mayors

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott gave his State of the City Address, centered on “Built Different, Building Different.” Mayor Scott emphasized Baltimore’s positive momentum over the past four years, highlighting successes in reducing homicides, rehabilitating vacant properties, and renewing support for local businesses.

Over the past three years, students across Baltimore have ranked second in the country for their reading progress. As part of a renewed commitment to keeping this progress going, Mayor Scott announced he is working alongside city schools to meet two goals, including increasing the percentage of students who are reading and writing on grade level by more than 10 percent by 2027 and more than double the percentage of students on grade level for math in that time.

To date, Baltimore has recovered nearly $700 million in settlements and legal victories tied to the opioid crisis. Through a comprehensive strategic plan led by the city’s new Office of Overdose Response and supported by the Restitution Advisory Board, this money is being invested directly back into communities. Mayor Scott also announced a complete overhaul of the 311 system, which began with the launch of the 311 Reimagined Project in October 2024. His goal is to improve communication and accessibility to make 311 work better for all Baltimore residents.

Mayor Scott announced the launch of the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment- MOACE- a unified office that will shape the future of Baltimore’s live events, cultural workforce, creative economy, nightlife, and film industry- positioning the arts as a core driver of the city’s growth and identity. He also announced that, with the leadership of Councilman Dorsey, he is proposing comprehensive changes to the city’s building and zoning codes. These reforms will overhaul outdated standards that prevent the city from expanding multifamily housing options. These reforms will make housing more abundant and affordable – while expanding options, including more 1-bedroom apartments.

Watch the Mayor’s full 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.