Accomplishments for 2007
As we enter the seventh year of Mayor Greg Nickels’ administration, we stay focused on his four core priorities, but we haven’t shied away from new challenges or innovative ways to meet them. Along the way, our efforts were sometimes met with obstacles. But, we forged ahead, and we are seeing the fruits of our labors. We are proud of our accomplishments and we look forward to making a difference in people’s lives with the kind of innovative spirit that sets Seattle apart. We are truly an innovative city.
In the past year alone, Seattle was in the national and international spotlight as a leader in the fight against global warming, bringing to Seattle more than 100 U.S. mayors, former President Bill Clinton, and former Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore to share ideas about what cities are doing, and can do, in the absence of leadership at the national level. And Seattle brought together more than 160 people from throughout the state for a first-ever statewide summit to find ways to work together to reduce gun violence in our communities.
We continue to make progress in our fight to end homelessness, and to provide more opportunities for affordable housing for people at all income levels. We continue to be one of the safest cities in the nation. With our Bridging the Gap initiative, we are catching up on maintenance of our transportation system. South Lake Union is booming, exceeding our projections for jobs and housing growth. We've opened more new libraries and parks, and we are making a difference in the education of our children through our Families and Education Levy programs.
We hit some major milestones in our Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy, bringing us closer to being the most prepared city in America for disasters.
We are proud of the progress we've made in six years, but there’s more to be done. We will continue to do the things that work, but we will also continue to be innovative when tackling problems old and new. We will do what it takes to make a difference in people’s lives for today and the future.
The highlights in the blue box on the right provide a snapshot of our progress.