[00:00:39]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I WASN'T SURE IF ANYBODY WOULD SHOW UP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: REALLY, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THIS WILL BE MY LAST ADDRESS OFFICIALLY AS MAYOR, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE SOME BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS WEEK. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MY COLLEAGUES. I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO I'LL START BY SAYING THAT IN 2017, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND CLAIM THAT I KNEW WITH ANY CERTAINTY WHAT THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS WOULD HOLD.
IT WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN FOOLISH TO ASSUME THAT I HAD ALL THE CURES TO OUR ILLS, OR THE ANSWERS TO EVERY PROBLEM. WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND THE SEASONS THAT WE'RE IN SELDOM REFLECT THE WHOLE FUTURE THAT LIES AHEAD, SO I'LL BEGIN TODAY BY WISHING MAYOR-ELECT GINAORTIZ JONES AND OUR ENTIRE NEW CITY COUNCIL WELL. LET'S GIVE THEM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
LEADERSHIP, I WISH FOR OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO CONTINUE ITS STEADY MARCH TOWARD A MORE RESILIENT, PROSPEROUS AND EQUITABLE CITY FOR ALL.
RARELY DO YOU GET TO CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES IN LIFE, BUT YOU CAN CHOOSE HOW YOU RESPOND AND WHO YOU RESPOND WITH. IT'S COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT WITH ALL MY HEART, THAT IN SAN ANTONIO, WE ALWAYS RESPONDED TOGETHER. IT MAKES LEAVING THIS OFFICE EASIER THAN YOU THINK. WE ARE A CITY THAT BELIEVES IN EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT, AND BELIEVES THAT EVERYONE IS DESERVING OF DIGNITY AND RESPECT, AND THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE, A CITY THAT LIVES BY CESAR CHAVEZ'S WORDS, WE CANNOT SEEK ACHIEVEMENT FOR OURSELVES AND FORGET ABOUT PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS COMMUNITY REALIZES THAT PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY BY CONSISTENTLY SHOWING UP AS A FORCE FAR GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE ONE AND A HALF MILLION RESIDENTS. I ENTERED THIS BUILDING, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AS A RELATIVELY YOUNG MAN. SINCE THAT TIME, THIS NATION HAS GRAPPLED WITH OVER A DECADE THAT PUSHED THE AMERICAN DREAM FARTHER OUT OF REACH FOR WORKING FAMILIES, BUT IT WAS A SCRAPPY CITY IN SOUTH TEXAS, ONE OF WHICH -- ONE IN WHICH MORE OF THOSE FAMILIES ALREADY BEGAN WELL BEHIND THE STARTING LINE THAT HAS STOOD UNIFIED TO SAY TO HELL WITH NARRATIVES, LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SO AS POVERTY RATES HAVE RISEN SHARPLY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, SAN ANTONIANS, SAN ANTONIO'S HAS STARTED TO FALL. AS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS SURGES IN CITIES AROUND THE WORLD, SAN ANTONIO HAS BROUGHT MORE OF ITS PEOPLE UNDER SAFE ROOFS. VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN AND GREAT JOBS ARE UP.
EVEN STILL, WE KNOW THAT THE WORK HAS JUST BEGUN. POVERTY WILL TAKE GENERATIONS TO HEAL. SO LONG AS THERE IS ONE RESIDENT WITHOUT A HOME, THERE ARE STILL MORE HOMES TO REPAIR AND TO BUILD. WAGES HAVE RISEN, BUT NOT YET ENOUGH FOR A MODERN CITY. WE WILL CLOSE OUR LAST COAL PLANT WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND BECOME THE NUMBER ONE SOLAR CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BUT LIKE IT OR NOT, OUR REGION IS GROWING AND OUR AIR AND WATER ARE NEVER FREE FROM THREATS.
WE CONTINUE TO WEATHER THE STATE AND NATIONAL POLITICIZATION OF DISEASE, GENDER, AUTONOMY AND THE SIMPLE FREEDOM OF CHOICE. WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE OUR LIVES HOW WE WANT TO LIVE THEM, AND UNTIL ALL ARE ABLE TO DO SO, THE WORK MUST CONTINUE. IT DOES REMIND ME OF SOMETHING I SAW IN A RECENT NEWS ARTICLE THAT SUGGESTED THAT MY LEGACY AS MAYOR APPEARS TO BE UNFINISHED, AND TO THAT, I SAY WELL, YES, THAT WAS THE POINT. REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.
[00:05:08]
VOTERS IN OUR CITY COLLECTIVELY SAID YES TO THE CITY'S IRST EVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND AND EXPANDED PRE-K FOR SA, AND OVER $1 BILLION IN NEIGHBORHOOD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AND THE NATION'S LARGEST CITY-FUNDED JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.WE BROKE GROUND ON THE ALAMO REIMAGINING AND DOUBLING THE SIZE OF OUR AIRPORT, AND WE HELPED ALAMO COLLEGES BECOME TUITION-FREE WHILE CHARTING A NEW PATH FOR DOWNTOWN THAT'S THE ENVYOF THE WORLD. ALL WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO YEAH, PARDON THE DUST BUT WE'RE BUILDING, WE ARE BUSY BUILDING THE BEST DAMN CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
CONTINUOUS INVESTMENTS IN THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE THE ONLY WAY WE CAN FINALLY PULL OURSELVES OUT OF THE HOLES THAT WE S BSHGEMOANEDFOR SO LONG.
WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE WORK WE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER OER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IT HAS BEEN TOGETHER. SO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, IT TAKES A MAJORITY OF THIS BODY TO DO ANYTHING TRANSFORMATIVE.
WE HAVE BUILT A LEGACY TOGETHER THAT IS YOURS TO OWN.
IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME TO SERVE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO BRING AN HONEST PASSION TO PUBLIC SERVICE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, YOUR STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO YOUR RESIDENTS ADDRESSING HEALTH CARE INEQUITIES AND CREATING AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTS PRESENTS SOME MASSIVE SHOES TO FILL. IF ANY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED SOME TIPS ON HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR THE WORK ON THAT DAIS, LOOK NO FURTHER. WE HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR COUNCIL MEMBER MUNGIA TO CARRY ON YOUR STEUDIOUS, THOUGHTFUL LEGACY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, I DIDN'T ALWAYS RECOGNIZE WHEN OR FRANKLY WHY WE WERE SPARRING, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS TRUSTED YOUR INSTINCTS AND HEART TO BE PURE.
THANKS FOR WORKING WITH ME TO REALIZE A NEW ERA FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENSURE REAL SECURITY FOR SAN ANTONIO'S WORKING FAMILIES. COUNCIL MEMBER VIAGRAN, I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR A COLLEAGUE WHO DOESN'T HOLD BACK. I HAVE LEARNED THIS OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OMIT OR FORGET THE SOUTH SIDE WHEN THERE'S A VIAGRAN ON THE DAIS. TO BE HONEST, THE NORTH SIDE DESERVES TO HEAR IT FROM YOU EVERY SO OFTEN. I HOPE YOU WILL COUNT ON ME AS AN ALLY AND A FRIEND AS YOU BUILD A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR DISTRICT 3.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAVRDA, THE COMMUNITY WILL REMEMBER YOU FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY TO PUBLIC POLICY AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY ON THE DIFFICULT ISSUES AT CITY HALL. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED OUR ONE-ON-ONES. YOU ARE A GENUINE ARTICLE AND THE REGULAR EXCHANGE OF IDEAS HAS AFFORDED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE EAST SIDE HAS A SERIOUS CHAMPION AS YOU TACKLE TOUGH QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATIONS OVER THE YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBER KAUR, YOU WERE THE FIRST IN LINE TO TACKLE THE ORANGE CONE EPIDEMIC HEAD ON. YOUR BRAVERY AND EAGERNESS TO LEARN ARE A POTENT MIX FOR A PUBLIC SERVANT, AS IS YOUR ABILITY TO BECOME A VERITABLE EXPERT IN ALMOST ANY POLICY THAT HITS YOUR DESK. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF YOU STEWARDING OUR CENTER CITY. COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER KAUR, YOU HAVE PICKED SOME OF THE TOUGHEST ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AS YOU WORK TO MITIGATE OUR COMMUNITY'S STRAY ANIMAL POPULATION.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND YOU DO MAKE YOUR FAMILY'S LEGACY PROUD. COUNCIL MEMBER WHYTE, WHILE WE OFTEN DISAGREE, YOU HAVE SHOWN THAT YOU BRING AN OPEN MIND TO YOUR WORK. OUR BEST MOMENTS TOGETHER ARE WHEN WE ALL DO THAT. THANKS FOR KEEPING OUR GOOD-NATURED BANTER THROUGHOUT ALL THESE DIFFICULT POLITICAL TIMES. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, YOUR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY ARE SECOND TO NONE. THANKS FOR SERVING AS A VOICE OF REASON, AND AS A CHAMPION FOR THE AVERAGE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBOR.
YOU REMINDED US THAT A BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT AND EVERY DECISION MADE IN THIS BUILDING SHOULD BE TO HELP THE ENTIRE CITY. COUNCIL MEMBER PELAEZ, BEHIND ALL THOSE JOKES IS A TRULY COMPASSIONATE HEART AND A DEDICATED DAD.
[00:10:01]
WE ARE ALL BETTER FOR HOW YOU WEAVED THAT INTO YOUR WORK. YOU HAVE BEEN DEEPLY SERIOUS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH SAN ANTONIO'S ROLE AS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY, AND I'M ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR DISTRICT 8, THE PLACE THAT NURTURED MY PASSION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE. SO I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF US TO GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE CITY COUNCIL THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS EVER ELECTED.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: BUT WHAT GOOD IS OUR VISION IF THE ORGANIZATION CAN'T PUT IT INTO ACTION? SO IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME FOR JUST A MOMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY STAFF LEADERSHIP. ERIK WALSH, MAN, I WILL SERIOUSLY MISS TAMING GOAT RODEOS AND COWBOYING UP. FOR EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM, THAT MEANS FINDING COMMON SENSE AMID THE CHAOS AND MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS, NO MATTER HOW TOUGH THEY MAY BE. YOU WERE MY WINGMAN AS A DEPUTY WHEN WE PULLED TOGETHER A PLAN TO SAVE THE CAVE AND SINCE THEN YOU HAVE BEEN A PARTNER AND FRIEND THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES OUR CITY HAS EVER FACED. GIVEN THE HEIGHT OF OUR ASPIRATIONS, THE SEVERITY OF OUR CHALLENGES, AND T THEAUDACIOUSNESS OF OUR IDEAS, I THINK WE HAVE THE BEST CITY MANAGER IN THE COUNTRY, Y'ALL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO ERIK, PLEASE TELL SANDRA AND THE KIDS THAT WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THEM, TOO. TO MARIA VILLAGOMEZ AND HER TEAMS, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU? THE ANSWER IS NOWHERE. I KNOW THAT LEADERS IN CITY HALL SOMETIMES MEASURE THEIR DEDICATION BY WHETHER OR NOT THEY STAYED AS LATE AS MARIA THAT DAY.
THROUGHOUT HER REMARKABLE CAREER, SO THANK YOU, MARIA, FOR YOUR ENDLESS RESERVES OF PROFESSIONALISM AND CANDOR, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR COMPASSION.
LEADERSHIP TO OUR CHIEFS, BILL MCMANUS AND TO ALL OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
THEY ARE TRULY THE BEST OF THE BEST. LORI HOUSTON AND HER TEAMS, YOU BRING BIG DREAMS TO FRUITION, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY'S FIRST EVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND, THE ALAMO REDEVELOPMENT, A RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT BECAME A MODEL FOR THE NATION, OR A NEW ERA OF VIBRANCY AND ACTIVATION WITHIN OUR DOWNTOWN CORE, WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON YOU AND I WILL MISS YOUR CREATIVITY AND YOUR HEART TO SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
JEFF COYLE, WE ARE DOUBLING THE SIZE OF OUR AIRPORT AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, YOU ALONG WITH SALLY, JUAN AND THEIR TEAMS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY'S VOICE AND PREVENT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS FROM SEIZING CITY HALL. NO JOKE. YOUR TEAMS DESERVE EVERY BIT OF PRAISE THEY RECEIVE AND SPECIAL THANKS OF COURSE TO JESUS SAENZ FOR DELIVERING OUR AIRPORT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. ALEX LOPEZ, I THINK IT WAS JUST MINUTES AFTER YOU WERE PROMOTED THAT WE HAD TO GET THE BALL ROLLING ON THE READY TO WORK IMPLEMENTATION. YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SOME OF SAN ANTONIO'S BIGGEST VICTORIES INCLUDING THE $1 BILLION WEEK THAT BROUGHT NAVISTAR AND OUR MASSIVE EXPANSIONS TO TOYOTA. THINGS LIKE JCB, A NEW PLANT OR NEW SISTER CITIES DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. I WANT TO THANK YOUR TEAMS, ESPECIALLY BRENDA SORENSON, SHELLY FOR THEIR TEAMWORK AND FRIENDSHIP, AND A BIG SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE RAMSEY FOR DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS EACH AND EVERY DAY. JOHN PETEREK, WE MISS YOU ON OUR SIDE OF THE SECOND FLOOR BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT WATCHING YOU ADAPT TO A ROLE THAT IS NO EASY JOB. NOW THAT I WILL BE DRIVING AGAIN SOON, I LOOK FORWARD TO TEXTING YOU ABOUT NUISANCE CONSTRUCTION ZONES. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR MY OFFICE AND FOR THE CITY AND YOUR ROLES IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. I DID SEE DAVID MCCARY. I STILL SEE DAVID MCCARY.
I HAVE APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR DEEP DEDICATION TO THE UNCF. YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR EMPLOYEES IS UNMATCHED AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO WATCH YOU RISE THROUGH THE RANKS. I WILL MISS THE GUY WITH THE BEST ATTITUDE IN THE CITY.
WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU. THERE IS NOT A BETTER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN THE COUNTRY, SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR BOOKS AND OUR
[00:15:01]
HEADS LEVEL. ANDY SEGOVIA, THANK YOU TO YOU AND LIZ AND THE ENTIRE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR KEEPING US, ME, OUT OF TROUBLE.YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSED ON DOING RIGHT, NOT JUST BEING RIGHT, AND THAT IS A BLESSING TO EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I WILL MISS SEEING YOUR DEDICATION TO THE LAW AND TO OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
TO EMILY, MEGAN, JOE FRANK, ASHLEY, LORETTA, CINDY, JOANNE AND TO THE 13,000 PLUS EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THIS ORGANIZATION, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS COMMUNITY AROUND THE CLOCK.
WE TRULY HAVE THE BEST WORK FORCE OF ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
OPERATE ALONE. WE EACH SHARE OFFICE SPACE WITH A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK ON THE RESIDENTS' BEHALF TO REALIZE OUR VISION AND TO DRIVE CHANGE.
THEY BECOME OUR FAMILY. THANK YOU TO ZACH, MY CHIEF OF STAFF.
THAT JOB AS YOU KNOW, IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE HARDEST JOB IN POLITICS. TO HAVE A PARTNER IN THE OFFICE WHO YOU TRUST TO HAVE YOUR BACK, WHO SHARES YOUR VISION, YOUR PASSION AND DRIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY YOU SERVE, AND ALWAYS DOES IT WITHOUT GETTING THE CREDIT HE DESERVES, IS TRULY SOMETHING REMARKABLE. THIS, I CAN SAY TO YOU WITH ALL SERIOUSNESS.
I WOULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT ZACH. INDULGE ME, PLEASE, AND LET'S GIVE HIM A WELL-DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
>> AND BY THE WAY, TO PETER, HE'S MOVED ON. TO JOE, GUS, ERIN AND ALL THE PAST AND PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE DETAIL TEAM, THANKS FOR LITERALLY HAVING MY BACK AND KEEP ON ROCKING, FELLAS. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
AND HAVE BEEN MY GUARDIANS EVER SINCE. BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, THEY HAVE ALMOST 90 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS CITY. NINE ZERO.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT THEY DECIDED TO POSTPONE THEIR RETIREMENT TO KEEP SERVING ME, ALONGSIDE ME. SAME GOES FOR BRUCE DAVIDSON. YOU KNOW HE'S A FORMER NEWSPAPER MAN AND AGREED TO UN-RETIRE TO BE MY COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, BUT HONESTLY, HE'S BEEN SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT, INCLUDING A MENTOR, A HISTORIAN, AND A COUNSELOR WHEN THE OCCASION CALLED FOR IT. THANK YOU, BRUCE.
GABRIELLE, JUAN, THERESA, SO MANY MORE, I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND I CONSIDER EACH OF YOU TO BE EXEMPLARY PUBLIC SERVANTS.
YOU COULD ALL BE WORKING WELL-PAID, PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS BUT OUR MISSION WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE ON OUR TEAM AND ALSO, TO VICTORIA, THANKS FOR YOUR ENDLESS SENSE OF HUMOR, EVERY TIME WE LIVED THROUGH PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES. YOU ALL MIGHT KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN PACKING UP MY OFFICE LATELY, BUT I HAVE BEEN DELAYING TAKING DOWN MY MOST PRIZED POSSESSION IN THE OFFICE, AND THAT'S A PAINTING BY CHRISTINA SOSA. IT DEPICTS A PHOTO TAKEN BY MY FRIEND JOHN ALONZO, AND SHOWS ME HOLDING MY 9-YEAR-OLD SON JONAH'S HAND WHILE I TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE EIGHT YEARS AGO. HE'S NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE'S IN JAPAN, WHERE HE WILL CELEBRATE HIS 17TH BIRTHDAY. I HAVE HIM TO THANK FOR MY PASSION IN PUBLIC SERVICE WHICH IS A LIFE I NEVER PLANNED FOR.
BUT HIS DAILY QUESTION TO ME WHEN HE WAS A TODDLER AND I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, HOW HAVE YOU MADE THE WORLD BETTER, CONTINUES TO BE MY BEST GUIDE.
ALLOW ME TO THANK ALSO MY DAD, KEN. MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM.
HE'S HERE. FOR CONTINUING TO REMIND ME ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STATESMAN AND A POLITICIAN. ALONG WITH MY STEPMOM CAROL, THEY ARE TWO OF THE MOST DEDICATED CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS I HAVE EVER HAD. THANK YOU, GUYS.
ME. SOMETIMES WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON POLITICS BUT WE DID AGREE THAT SERVING THIS CITY WAS AN IMPORTANT THING TO DO AND I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS
[00:20:04]
BEING THERE FOR ME. AND TO ERICA, WHAT CAN I SAY? I'M GRATEFUL THAT THIS CITY HAS SLOWLY BUT SURELY GOTTEN TO SEE THE RELENTLESS PASSION AND FEARLESSNESS SHE HAS FOR THE PEOPLE SHE LOVES AND FOR OUR ENTIRE VILLAGE. AND IT MAY SOUND RIDICULOUS, BUT EVEN AS MAYOR OF THE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, EVERY DAY I'M STILL THE 24-YEAR-OLD NEWLYWED TRYING TO MAKE HIS WIFE PROUD WHEN HE GETS HOME. ERICA, I LOVE YOU.>> THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME AND THE CITY YOU LOVE WALK BESIDE YOU.
SO THIS WILL BE MY LAST OFFICIAL ADDRESS AS MAYOR, AND SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE POWER OF THIS COMMUNITY. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS WHERE THEY WERE IN MARCH OF 2020, BUT DO YOU REMEMBER FEBRUARY 2020? UNEMPLOYMENT WAS AT 3.7% AND MONTHS PRIOR, WE HAD JUST ANNOUNCED OUR BEST QUARTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION IN TWO DECADES. OUR CITY WAS THE FASTEST-GROWING IN THE NATION. EVEN THEN, SOME 60,000 PEOPLE RELIED ON OUR FOOD BANK EVERY WEEK TO KEEP MEALS ON THE TABLE. ONLY 26% OF OUR WORKFORCE HAD A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND NEARLY THE SAME NUMBER, ONE IN FOUR ADULTS, WERE CONSIDERED FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE. WITHIN JUST A FEW WEEKS, OVER 120,000 RESIDENTS WERE IN OUR FOOD BANK LINES. UNEMPLOYMENT SPIKED TO 13%.
THE CRACKS IN OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC FOUNDATION, LIKE SO MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WERE LAID BARE. WE WERE FORCED TO RECKON WITH THE FACT THAT SAN ANTONIO HAD A SEVERE UNDEREMPLOYMENT PROBLEM. IT'S WHY SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN OUR CITY WERE CONSIDERED THE WORKING POOR. THEY DO MOST OF THE LABOR, YET THEY STILL BEAR MOST OF THE BURDENS. DESPITE ALL THE GROWTH AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS, INCLUDING THE DIVERSIFICATION OF AN ECONOMY THAT ONCE RELIED ALMOST ENTIRELY ON OUR MILITARY AND OUR TOURISM SECTORS, FAR TOO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS STILL WERE BEING LEFT BEHIND. SO WE HAD TO FACE A PRETTY BLUNT QUESTION. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IN SHORT, WHAT WE HAVE SHOWN IN SAN ANTONIO IS THAT YOU BET THE FARM ON THE POTENTIAL OF THE PEOPLE.
THE PATH TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY LIES AT THE INTERSECTION OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING, AND IMPROVED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE PANDEMIC GRIPPED THE WORLD, VOTERS APPROVED THREE SALES TAX REFIRENDATO EXPAND PRE-K FOR SA, LAUNCH READY TO WORK AND DEDICATE FUTURE REVENUES TO CREATING THE CITY'S FIRST EVER MASS TRANSIT LINES. A YEAR LATER, VOTERS APPROVED A CHARTER CHANGE THAT ALLOWED US TO EXECUTE ONE YEAR LATER THE CITY'S FIRST-EVER HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BOND. AND NOW, 10,000 HOMES ATTAINABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THAT MEANS THAT BETWEEN 2020 AND 2022, SAN ANTONIO VOTERS APPROVED A LITTLE LESS THAN $2 BILLION OF PHYSICAL AND HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGETS, ALL WITHOUT NEW OR INCREASED TAXES.
BUT WE MUST THINK BEYOND THE VOTES AND THE INVESTMENTS. THIS IS ABOUT THE POWER AND THE POTENTIAL OF OUR PEOPLE. TAKE THE AVERAGE READY TO WORK PARTICIPANT.
SHE IS A WOMAN OF COLOR TOTAL. WHEN THAT PARTICIPANT GRADUATES, IT TAKES ON AVERAGE 55 DAYS TO GET PLACED IN A NEW JOB AND THEN THEY'RE EARNING $44,000 A YEAR WITH BENEFITS. THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME NEARLY TRIPLES.
THE KIDS ARE IN A BETTER POSITION TO SUCCEED AND THE CYCLES OF POVERTY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF BECOMING CYCLES OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.
IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE FULL PICTURE YET, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MR. JOEL.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND A FEW OTHER READY TO WORK GRADUATES JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO TO HEAR FIRST-HAND HOW THE PROGRAM HAS ENABLED THEM TO THRIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. JOEL IS AN IMMIGRANT WHO CHOSE TO START A NEW LIFE IN SAN ANTONIO OVER A DECADE AGO WITH HIS WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN.
HE HAD ROUTINELY WORKED MULTIPLE JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET, INCLUDING MANY HOURS AS A HOUSEKEEPER FOR UNIVERSITY HEALTH. SO WHEN THE COMMUNITY BET ON OUR NEIGHBORS, JOEL GOT A CHANCE TO BET ON HIMSELF, AT A LOCAL CAREER FAIR, AND
[00:25:05]
ENROLLED IN READY TO WORK TO EARN AN IT CERTIFICATION. UPON GRADUATION, UNIVERSITY HEALTH WAS ROLLING OUT A NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM TO SCHEDULE ITS HOUSEKEEPERS.THEY NEEDED A NEW MANAGER THAT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK AND WHO HAD ALSO HAD THE REQUIRED TECHNICAL SKILLS TO MAINTAIN THAT SYSTEM. SO I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING. JOEL DOUBLED HIS PAY, A YEAR LATER HE RECEIVED A PROMOTION AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE'S RECENTLY BEEN PROMOTED AGAIN.
NOW, JOEL ONLY NEEDS ONE JOB TO PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY, AND JUST THROUGH JOEL ALONE, THIS COMMUNITY THAT LIFETIME OF INCREASED ECONOMIC MOBILITY WILL DELIVER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN NEW ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO THIS COMMUNITY. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, A FAMILY'S LIVES, INCLUDING THOSE CHILDREN, HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOREVER BECAUSE SAN ANTONIO SAID YES TO JOEL.
YET JOEL'S STORY IS ONE OF THOUSANDS NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TAKE THE WEST SIDE. OLGA'S PARENTS BOUGHT THEIR ONE-STORY HOME ON SAN ANTONIO'S WEST SIDE IN EARLY 1960S, WHERE SHE AND HER SIBLINGS WERE ULTIMATELY RAISED. NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER, OLGA WAS THE SOLE OWNER OF THE HOUSE, BUT IT WAS FAR TOO MUCH TO HANDLE AND THE HOUSE WAS IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR AND NEARING DEMOLITION. IT'S A STORY WE HAVE SEEN TOO OFTEN.
FROM THE DAIS BEHIND ME, WITH A LITTLE PUSHING FROM TERI, WE PILOTED OPERATION REBUILD WHICH ULTIMATELY SAVED THE HOUSE, MAKING IT AS GOOD AS NEW.
ON THE NIGHT OF HER WELCOME HOME PARTY, OLGA TURNED TO HER SISTER AT ONE POINT AND SAID LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO MOM'S HOUSE. HER SISTER REPLIED IT'S NOT MOM'S HOUSE, IT'S YOUR HOUSE N NOW.
THESE STORIES HIGHLIGHT THE FULL POWER OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU ARE A MULTI-GENERATION SAN ANTONIAN OR LOOKING TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE WITHIN OUR CITY, WE TRUST YOU. WE CARE ABOUT YOU. AND WE ARE GOING TO BET ON YOU, EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR BUILDING HOMES FOR OUR FAMILIES. AND THANK YOU FOR BETTING ON ME ALL THESE EIGHT YEARS. BECAUSE IT'S THE RAW TALENT THAT HAS ALWAYS LIVED WITHIN SAN ANTONIO. WE JUST NEEDED TO GIVE OUR NEIGHBORS THEIR SHOT SO LET'S KEEP DOING THAT. THERE'S A SECOND PART TO THAT CESAR CHAVEZ QUOTE I HIGHLIGHTED AT THE TOP OF THE SPEECH SO I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH ITS CLOSE.
OUR AMBITIONS MUST BE BROAD ENOUGH TO INCLUDE THE ASPIRATIONS AND NEEDS OF OTHERS, FOR THEIR SAKES AND FOR OUR OWN. SO KEEP REACHING HIGHER FOR YOURSELF, SAN ANTONIO, BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE TWO HANDS.
IT COSTS NOTHING TO REACH OUT FOR A NEIGHBOR, BUT IT COULD MEAN EVERYTHING TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY, FOR ALWAYS HAVING MY BACK. I SEE MANY OF OUR FRIENDS HERE.
MIKE, MARTHA. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LENDING A HELPING HAND AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE. SAN ANTONIO, GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.