Mayor Ken Welch - Democratic Mayors

In his State of the City Address, Mayor Ken Welch expressed optimism about the city’s future, acknowledging the challenges while emphasizing the collaborative efforts of the community in making St. Petersburg a resilient, vibrant, and sustainable place for all residents.

The city focuses on impactful programs to connect youth with opportunities and develop a well-prepared workforce. Mayor Welch announced the Mayor’s Future Ready Academy, an 18-week job training program providing full-time pay and benefits. The Mayor is also refining the city’s “Not My Child” and Cohort of Champions programs, focusing on educational and community support and anti-violence efforts.

Mayor Welch is dedicated to driving inclusive economic development that enhances the quality of life for all. A key initiative includes the South St. Pete Community Redevelopment Area Microfund Program, offering capacity building, education, mentoring, networking, and funding for business improvements. Additionally, the city is working on a Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program, which will address the documented underutilization of minority and women-owned businesses by removing barriers and actively working to expand their business opportunities.

St. Petersburg is also committed to creating safer and healthier neighborhoods throughout the city, including supporting healthy food access, health care, supportive services, recreation, and crime reduction. Mayor Welch highlighted the Community Support Hubs, an initiative supported by ARPA funds that provide trauma-informed therapy, case management, and outreach tailored to community needs.

Watch Mayor Welch’s full 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.