Dear Friends,

As you travel around town this summer you've probably run into a few construction projects. That's our “Bridging the Gap” program, on target to pave 41 miles of city streets this year -- a vast improvement over the days when the City used to do fewer than eight miles a year.

On a drizzly morning last week, I was excited to kick off a major project in the South Park community. The press didn’t pay much attention, but residents and business people came out with their umbrellas to join us. We’re rebuilding 14th Avenue South, upgrading traffic signals, adding new sidewalks and curb ramps, planting 36 new street trees, and adding more street art. This long-neglected thoroughfare will be easier to navigate whether you’re on foot, bike, truck or car. We were joined by Jorge Madrazo, former Mexican counsel general, now vice president of Sea Mar Community Health Centers, as construction crews cut out the first piece of old concrete.

Watch the video

The people of South Park can be proud of their progress. In the summer of 2005, we expanded our efforts in the neighborhood and in 2006, community members invested hundreds of hours to help us develop a South Park Action Agenda. We are seeing the fruits of this commitment. Two years ago, we built South Park’s first library. This year, we dedicated the Cesar Chavez Park, extended community center hours and hired community organizers and youth ambassadors. Now we’re delivering asphalt and cement.

This kind of progress may not make the headlines. But in South Park and across the city, we’re making big improvements in roads and pedestrian safety. Thank you to the people of South Park and to folks in all of our communities, who work everyday to make our neighborhoods better places.

Sincerely,


GREG NICKELS
Mayor of Seattle

It was an honor to join Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske for the eighth annual Seattle Police Department Citizen Appreciation Awards ceremony. This event gave us the chance to thank and recognize 57 outstanding residents who worked with SPD to address crime issues and 22 heroes for helping save lives. Keeping our neighborhoods safe is one of my top priorities and these 79 award winners exemplify a willingness to personally take on the responsibility to make our neighborhoods safe. Congratulations and thank you.
Find out more about each of the award winners

Expecting the demand for electricity in Seattle to increase more than 1 percent each year, we just launched a program that will double City Light’s conservation during the next five years. Instead of building a costly new power plant, we are investing $185 million in dozens of efficiency programs that will save customers more than $310 million in their residential and business bills during the next five years and create more than 1,000 green jobs. One example of what’s in store is an energy monitor that will let people see their electricity use in real time in dollars and cents, allowing them to adapt their behavior to save energy. City Light energy auditors will help residents and businesses identify ways to save money, like the Seahawks who found ways to improve lighting at QWest Field to the tune of $118,000 in savings a year. Our goals are simple: a healthy economy and a healthy environment. The power is in our hands. Let us use it wisely, for the planet and our pocketbooks.
Read the news release
Watch the Video

This month the City Council passed legislation to change our taxicab code to ensure a greener fleet and a fairer and more open industry. In March I proposed requiring all Seattle taxis to meet new fuel efficiency standards of 30 mpg, and changing the taxicab code to protect individual licensees. The vast majority of the approximately 1,500 taxicab drivers in Seattle are immigrants and for them the industry offers a foot in the door to the American dream. These new regulations will help protect that dream and will also mean improved service for customers. It’s a winning situation all around -- it’s good for the environment, good for customers, good for drivers and good for the industry.
Read the news release

Here’s a tip for anyone who’s been thinking about participating in a class or an activity at one of our many community centers around town. During the months of September and October you can “Try it for $2.” Our Parks and Recreation Department has a long list of opportunities for you to sample a variety of activities -- from canoeing to stress reduction to toddler break dancing. Try it, you might like it.
See the complete list of available activities