Recently, the Greater Phoenix Chamber hosted Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego’s annual State of the City Address & Luncheon. In her address, Mayor Gallego provided an update on the state of the City of Phoenix, shared her vision for the year ahead, and provided a glimpse at how the city plans to carry on a legacy of innovation and growth. Here are top takeaways and priorities the mayor touted at the event.
- Water Solutions
“We’ve long been a net-positive contributor to groundwater, using only 2/3 of our allocation from the Colorado River and diverting the other 1/3 toward groundwater recharge. Looming cuts to our Colorado River supplies will squeeze us. While we will need to tap into this bank, we’re planning now to make sure this is only a temporary stopgap.”
“The Phoenix City Council and I unanimously approved the first step to formalize our collaboration with Valley cities on the development of an Advanced Water Purification facility. By augmenting our existing 91st Avenue regional facility with advanced treatment technology, we will recycle around 60 million gallons per day upon completion. Estimated to be a multi-billion-dollar investment, I’m proud that Phoenix is driving effective, pragmatic solutions with proven technology.”
- Infrastructure Investments
“We are using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dollars to modernize the foundation of the city itself. Thanks to partnerships in this room and ones that span from here to Washington, D.C., Phoenix is leveraging federal funding to move the needle on additional, much-needed infrastructure projects.”
- Renewal of Prop 400
“In that vein, today I’m renewing the call on our legislators to do the same – to recognize the value in transportation investments – and to carve a path forward for Proposition 400, the county-wide tax that has enabled us to invest in crucial infrastructure. I speak for leaders across the county – the leaders of local governments and tribes who unanimously agreed to the regional transportation plan – when I say that failure on Prop. 400 is not an option. An extension of the half-cent tax is necessary – and county residents overwhelmingly agree.”
- Workforce Development
“Last summer, the city launched the “Route to Relief” program in partnership with Maricopa Community Colleges. Using American Rescue Plan dollars, our program is providing free tuition across the 10 county community colleges. Not only that, but we also made sure to dedicate dollars to help single parents overcome barriers to education and employment, including childcare and transportation.”
- Semiconductor Hub
“Since my last State of the City, TSMC has doubled down on their investment in Phoenix. When they announced in summer of 2020 that they would invest $12 billion in Phoenix, it marked the largest economic development deal in our history. In December, they topped that, announcing a total of $40 billion in investment. With the draw of TSMC, Intel, and 75 other Valley semiconductor companies, SEMICON’s arrival to Phoenix means even more high-paying job opportunities and new investments in technology, education, and public safety.
- Affordable Housing Solutions
“We have seven new investments coming soon in collaboration with many non-profit partners. That is on top of the city providing more than 7,000 housing vouchers and managing more than 5,000 affordable housing units.”
“In October, we delivered. Soluna is the first modern, energy-efficient building to open its doors as part of a larger redevelopment. Eighty percent of the units are designated as affordable. Supported by an initial 30-million-dollar federal grant that I worked to bring to our city, the project will transform 557 outdated units into a mixed-income community of more than 1,000 new homes. And yesterday, we found out that we will receive an additional 10 million dollars to help complete the project. This will be the largest public housing site in the entire state, and I’m so proud that it’s here in Phoenix.”
“I’m also proud to say we are now the highest-paying law enforcement agency in the state of Arizona. We want to attract the best officers, and we want to make sure they meet our city’s high standards for safety and accountability. I am willing to work with anyone from any political party or professional background on strategies to recruit and retain the best public safety professionals for our community.”
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