State of the City Address 200=
5
Date: July 14, 2005
Location: Greek Theater, Civic Center Park, Denver
Ladies and gentlemen, fellow citizens of Denver – this City has never
surrendered to fate. We know that human beings hold and exercise enormous
powers of choice. In the last two years, I have seen you deploy those power=
s of
choice in the cause of making this a better city, a better region and a bet=
ter
state.
We are privileged to= live in a place where the landscape and the sky constantly invite us to think big and take the long view. In the last two years, I have seen hundreds –= no, thousands – of Denverites say “yes” to that invitation. <= o:p>
The place where we m=
eet
–
Here, standing at the
confluence of municipal and state government, a growing arts and cultural
center, and vibrant business and residential neighborhoods, we chart our co=
urse
for the future. Our prosperity relies upon the ties that unite our civic,
cultural and commercial endeavors.
We inherit but we ar=
e not
bound by the choices our predecessors made. We gather recognizing that the
choices we make now will write our collective will upon this landscape in w=
ays
that will endure into the distant future.
The people of
* * *
For those of you kee=
ping
track, today is one week before the second anniversary of our administratio=
n.
Exactly 103 weeks have passed since the day when a new mayor, new auditor, =
new
city council, and new election commissioners took office.
On behalf of my fell=
ow
elected officials, including our new district attorney, thanks to all of you
for being partners in our ongoing efforts to make
Thanks to the
hard-working, dedicated employees of the City and
Thanks to our partne=
rs
throughout the region and state who know that Ben Franklin, then planning
rebellion, was onto something important when he said: “We must all ha=
ng
together, or assuredly we will hang separately.”
And thanks to our fa=
milies
who are with us every step of the way. In particular, I want to thank my wi=
fe
Helen and son Teddy for their constant inspiration and support.
* * *
Two years have passe=
d more
quickly than I would have ever imagined, and I stand here today to say that=
I
am inspired by all that we have accomplished together.
The most diverse
administration in
Far from resting on =
these
accomplishments, we must be emboldened by them.
* * *
On May 13, I attende=
d the
funeral of Detective Donald Young. His funeral procession passed by this ve=
ry
park, where the streets were lined with city employees who left their offic=
es
to pay their respects. We may all work on different pieces of the City and
County puzzle, but at the end of the day, we are all on the same team.
Throughout history, a
city’s first obligation has been to protect its citizens from harm and
fear.
Despite the CityR=
17;s
ongoing fiscal constraints, we increased our police budget by eight percent
this year. This will enable us to hire 169 new officers by the end of 2005 =
to
stem the tide of attrition and put more officers on our streets. This year,=
we
will find the resources to again fill our training academy classes.
Lowering crime rates,
however, is not just a matter of money. We must deploy our resources strate=
gically
to achieve maximum results. This year our police department began using
intensive data collection and analysis as a tool to identify crime trends a=
nd
respond more quickly.
Improved technology =
is an
important foundation for our crime-fighting efforts. Before the year’s
end, we will provide officers in every police vehicle with the capability of
electronically accessing national crime information. Next year, our officers
will be able to receive mug shots in their vehicles. And by the end of 2007=
, we
will integrate all of our safety department and court records, allowing us =
to
better track people through the justice system and target alternatives to
sentencing and diversionary efforts.
Over the past year, =
we
worked with City Council to develop a comprehensive new civilian oversight
system, and this week, the Office of the Independent Monitor is up and runn=
ing.
We believe that this office, and its companion Citizen Oversight Board, will
become a vital resource for the community and law enforcement, inspiring
confidence through greater accountability and transparency. A safe city, mo=
re
than anything else, depends on the community and law enforcement working
together.
* * *
Creating a safer cit=
y is
important because it is the foundation on which we build prosperity.
Thanks to City Counc=
il for
their partnership in ongoing economic development efforts. City Council has
taken a leadership role with the Colorado Colfax Marathon and the long-awai=
ted
redevelopment of the Lowenstein Theatre, both of which create significant
opportunities in the ongoing, tri-city effort to reinvigorate the Colfax
corridor.
Thanks to the leader=
ship
of outgoing City Council President Elbra Wedgeworth for her role in ensuring
that decades of dreams for
And thanks to the vo=
ters
for their tremendous achievement in passing FasTracks, the most ambitious m=
ass
transit effort in the country today. As we begin its implementation, we are
working with City Council and the Public Works, Planning and Economic
Development departments, to plan 30 stations in
At the same time, we=
have
begun developing the City’s first-ever Strategic Transportation Plan =
and
launched the first update of our zoning code in nearly 50 years. These
concurrent efforts are key to implementing the community vision embodied by
Blueprint Denver, our guide to smart, sustainable growth.
Our tourism industry=
is an
engine of that growth. Earlier this year,
I am excited to anno=
unce
– for the first time today – that the 2008 National Performing =
Arts
Convention will be held in
The stunning Ellie
Caulkins Opera House, one of the world’s finest facilities of its kin=
d,
will open this September in the renovated Quigg Newton Auditorium. With the
Ellie, the new
These projects demon=
strate
our commitment to quality urban design. To further that commitment, we are
creating the Mayor’s Design Commission, enabling the City to tap the
wisdom of
* * *
Planning our vision =
of
tomorrow requires the right fiscal choices today. Fiscal responsibility has
been a top priority and constant focus for our administration. Thanks to the
dedication of the City’s workforce, we achieved a balanced budget aft=
er
being faced with an anticipated $70 million deficit in 2003, and $35 million
deficit last year. Throughout, we have maintained high bond ratings in spit=
e of
the lagging economy.
As a businessman, I
support the basic premise of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR.=
It
has played, and will continue to play, a valuable role in making our govern=
ment
more efficient and less wasteful. But just as any business must reinvest in
order to grow, so too must our City and State reinvest in education and
transportation, so that our children and grandchildren can have better jobs and greater opportunity than we have
today.
That is why I stand =
here
today to say that it is
* * *
In this place where
landscape and sky invite us to think big, we are surrounded by architectural
triumphs. Yet in this place we are also reminded of one of our society̵=
7;s
greatest failures. Like so many public spaces here and across the country, =
this
park is a gathering place for many homeless in our community, making reside=
nts
and tourists feel uncomfortable and unsafe.
Government alone, ca=
nnot
solve this problem. But we can serve as a catalyst and convener.
Smarter and better
government involves strategic investments that deliver maximum results for
limited resources. That is the economic principle behind our 10-Year Plan to
End Homelessness.
The predominant face=
of
homelessness may surprise you. Forty-six percent of
Studies show net sav=
ings
of $12,000 to $16,000 per year per person, when front-end resources are
provided to the chronically homeless. Transitional housing, counseling and
treatment services, and employment training decrease costly hospital stays,
conserve police and court resources, and enable people to achieve
self-sufficiency.
We presently spend r=
oughly
$70 million a year on back-end services that are clearly not addressing the
root problems of homelessness. Our plan to end homelessness will cost less =
than
$13 million annually, combining dramatic net savings with measurable result=
s.
We have chosen a mod=
el that
is both compassionate and results-oriented. Our plan balances the provision=
of
housing, treatment services, and job training with the expectations of
responsibility and self-reliance from those who receive the services.
This plan is not abo=
ut
hand-outs, coddling, or expanding the welfare system. It is about creating
opportunity, about helping people regain control of their lives, so that we=
can
all regain control of our community.
We learned just two =
days
ago that
We are confident tha=
t the
business and philanthropic communities will be tremendous partners in this
effort, as will the faith-based communities.
Together, this commu=
nity
can beat homelessness. Together, we must embrace a city where all families =
have
homes, where everyone has the opportunity to be self-sufficient, where
residents and tourists can walk our streets without being panhandled or
frightened.
This vision must all=
ow all
people of goodwill to contribute to this effort. Today, we announce a new
partnership among the City of Denver, Mile High United Way, and Metro
Volunteers to provide local residents with a convenient connection to the
numerous, meaningful volunteer opportunities that exist in our city. We will
launch VolunteerDenver.org this summer, providing a searchable, citywide
point-of-access to further stimulate volunteer participation in our already
generous community. The site will be introduced with a
“back-to-school” emphasis around education and children, with
future action areas surrounding homelessness, parks and seniors to follow. =
* * *
No city can call its=
elf
great unless it ensures that all of its children can reach their full
potential.
Last month, my Chief=
of
Staff Michael Bennet became the new superintendent of Denver Public Schools.
Like the rest of
The City’s ong=
oing
partnerships focus around early childhood education, after-school programmi=
ng,
and college access. During last year’s State of the City Address, I
discussed the importance of ensuring that the promise of college is open to
every student in
This fall we must pa=
ss
ProComp, an innovative teacher compensation program that rewards teachers f=
or
raising student achievement, working in challenging schools, and continuing
their professional development. I want to thank our teachers for their
leadership in creating this opportunity. In November, when we make the choi=
ce
to stand with our teachers on ProComp, we will put
* * *
Cities are often def=
ined
by their lofty vision, but we will fail in our responsibility if we do not =
make
the daily and consistent serving of our citizens a top priority.
Last year, we announ=
ced
our intention to create a 3-1-1 customer service system, which will allow
citizens to dial one phone number to access any City service or information=
. At
the moment, we are up to our elbows in the implementation of that system, a=
nd I
am pleased to report that we are on schedule to phase in the service over t=
he
next year.
At the same time, we=
are
working hard to bring this customer-oriented approach to all sectors of city
government. The recent introduction of electronic filing in the Clerk and
Recorder’s Office, and Workforce Development’s upcoming shift t=
o a
demand-driven system that focuses job training and services on the business
community’s needs – are just two examples.
In January we opened=
the
For the past 19 mont=
hs, we
have engaged seven city agencies in a comprehensive review of our developme=
nt
review and permitting processes. Last week, we released a comprehensive rep=
ort
detailing the progress made to date and a concrete timeline and plan for go=
ing
forward, making it more cost-efficient to do business in Denver.
We are also launchin=
g next
month the new Parks and People in Partnership Program, providing local citi=
zens
an opportunity to participate in an ongoing park evaluation program, assist=
ing
us in rating the condition of parks across the city. The Parks and Recreati=
on
Department will host neighborhood workshops, training volunteers on what to
look for when grading our amenities. We will eventually present public repo=
rts
detailing the grades of individual parks and what remedies the City is
undertaking.
* * *
We will improve cust=
omer
service and efficiency by working with our regional neighbors as well. From=
our
seat here on
Thanks to the leader=
ship
of Glendale Mayor Larry Harte, the cities of
The City of Denver
partnered last year with the Colorado Housing Finance Authority and the
Colorado Enterprise Fund to pursue our first-ever allocation of federal New
Markets Tax Credits from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Along with
We are also proud to
participate in an open space task force with our fellow Front Range countie=
s,
to help integrate
* * *
And while we gather =
in the
heart of our urban park system today, we must recognize our obligation to
expand the dream when Mayor Robert Speer first imagined this
I can assure you of =
one
thing Mayor Speer never dreamed of – WI-FI. I am delighted to announce
today that the Denver Newspaper Agency, whose new headquarters will border =
this
park next fall, will provide the resources to make Civic Center park a wire=
less
internet hot spot. We are grateful to the Denver Newspaper Agency for being
among the first to invest in the vision of Civic Center park’s future=
.
* * *
As we gather here to=
day, with
two years behind us and two years ahead, our values and goals remain the sa=
me
as they were on day one.
I am proud of what w=
e have
accomplished over the past two years, but what makes me proudest is that the
residents of our diverse city came together time and again in good will and
common purpose.
In the last two year=
s, we
have made a conscious and deliberate choice in this city to transcend the
tiresome habits of polarization and blame that have stalemated American pub=
lic
life in other places. We must continue to celebrate the promise and possibi=
lity
of the middle ground and pursue the common self-interest that we all share.=
In the timeless word=
s of
Denver’s first Poet Laureate, the late Lalo Delgado:
“Strength, str=
ength...may
we strengthen one another. Fuerza, fuerza...fortalescamosnos uno a otro.=
221;
The challenges and
opportunities we face require us to think and act in ways that do not
necessarily correspond with the duration of a fiscal year or an election cy=
cle.
We have the privilege – indeed, the obligation – to think beyond
ourselves and beyond the immediate moment and to imagine the kind of
sustainable city and community we want to pass on.
Let us envision Denv=
er as
a hub of opportunity: a place renowned for its superior schools, thriving
economy, and vast philanthropic commitment.
Let us envision Denv=
er as
an example to the world of responsible management of resources: a place whe=
re
public dollars go the farthest, natural resources are conserved, and growth
enhances – rather than detracts from – quality of life.
Let us envision Denv=
er as
the Creative Capital of the West: a place renowned for its urban design,
entrepreneurial spirit, and cultural vibrancy.
Let us envision a De=
nver
as a model of regional cooperation: where success comes not at the expense =
of
our neighbors, but adds to everyone’s prosperity
We will not be bound=
by
fate. The future is in our hands. Let’s go back to work!
# # #