Feb 15, 2010

View the State of the City Address- TEXT only version*

View the State of the City Address- text and images version*

Here are the items highlighted in Mayor Stephen J. Luecke's 2010 State of the City address:

Top 10 Accomplishments

1. Opening of Eddy Street Commons
2. Opening of Innovation Park at Notre Dame
3. Total crime reaches its lowest level in at least 40 years
4. Neighborhood Initiatives
• Demolishing vacant and abandoned structures
• Receiving designation for a second Weed and Seed area
• Launch of SELL South Bend and Realtors Certification Classes
5. Riverwalk extensions and bike lanes
6. Commitment to the Arts
• Anniversary of the Morris' restoration
• Community Connection Project
• Chris Wilson Outdoor Performing Arts Center
7. State and National Awards
• Parks awards
• Zoo accreditation
• Green Community
• All-America City finalist
8. Preserving a national landmark and supporting a new use
9. Growth in the Medical Mile
10. Passing the 2010 City budget

 
Top 10 Challenges for 2010

1. The Economy
2. Fiscal viability for state and local government
3. Indiana's property-tax system is still broken
4. Crime and the perception of crime
5. Vacant/abandoned/foreclosed homes
6. Finding a new use for the College Football Hall of Fame
7. Jobs and business retention
8. Unfunded mandates
9. The CSO Long-Term Control Plan
10. Getting an accurate count from the 2010 Census

10 Reasons for Optimism

1. South Bend named No. 1 U.S. city for home value
2. Serious interest by developers in two key downtown sites
3. Major construction projects planned or under way
• Transpo's new facility
• The Salvation Army's new Kroc Community Center
• WNIT Center for Public Media
• A new Animal Care and Control facility
4. New tenants at Innovation Park
5. Higher education's impact on our local economy
• Ivy Tech's growth
• Brown Mackie relocates
• Notre Dame's clean room
6. Bike the Bend – May 23
7. Major road and sewer projects funded by the federal stimulus
8. Implementation of our Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy
9. University partnerships for community development
• Indiana University South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center (at Natatorium)
• Notre Dame Center for Arts and Culture (at Hansel Center)
10. City's bond rating is up, construction costs are down

10 BIG ideas for 2010 and beyond

1. South Bend's research-powered economy
2. Moving forward with Ignition Park
3. Ready to grow
4. Eddy Knolls
5. A new St. Joseph High School
6. Paving the way for development
7. Connecting to High-Speed Rail
8. A streetcar named Inspire
9. Funding economic development
10. Applying for Google's experimental fiber network
    

*Acrobat Reader Required

Contact:  Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564