New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell delivered his State of the City Address, where he reflected on the accomplishments and progress the city has made over the years and his goals for the future. Mayor Mitchell’s priorities include making the most of the city’s economic competitiveness, nurturing a high quality of life, and reinforcing a sense of place.
The Mayor discussed the city’s economic competitiveness and the importance of focusing on its advantages to grow its economy and create good-paying jobs. New Bedford has many advantages with its waterfront, particularly with its Port and the growth of offshore wind, which have helped the city secure public and private partnerships. Off the waterfront, Mayor Mitchell highlighted plans to continue to invest in the arts and culture sector, small businesses, and large manufacturers.
Mayor Mitchell emphasized strategies to improve New Bedford’s quality of life by sharing public safety efforts, including increasing predictive patrolling in hot spot areas, holding repeat offenders accountable, and investing over a million dollars in public safety services for equipment, facilities, and training.
The Mayor discussed the region’s housing challenges, and how the city is promoting housing production to stabilize prices, speed permitting, and expand incentives for new housing construction. New Bedford is also committed to providing high-quality support for homeless people.
Watch Mayor Mitchell’s full address here.
