Mayor Wharton delivers State of the City Address
http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/7147/1/br-Mayor-Wharton-delivers-State-of-the-City-Address/Page1.html
By Tri-State Defender Newsroom
Published on 01/26/2012
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. presented ambitious plans and recounted recent accomplishments in his State of the City address Monday (Jan. 23).
For Wharton, this moment is his time
by Tarrin McGhee
Special to Tri-State Defender
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. presented ambitious plans and recounted recent accomplishments in his State of the City address Monday (Jan. 23).
“This is our moment. This is our time,” Wharton reiterated during his speech.
In front of a standing-room only audience gathered at the downtown campus of Southwest Tennessee Community College, Wharton also outlined key initiatives that he will work to implement over the next four years to move Memphis ahead.
Economic development, neighborhood revitalization, talent development and retention, and creating a culture of excellence in government were the top priorities, said Wharton of his 100 days plan to achieve future progress.
Wharton opened with an expression of gratitude and appreciation for members of business, civic and grassroots organizations with a shared sense of purpose to address the challenges that Memphis face. He also welcomed the members of the Memphis City Council, saying that while they may often disagree, there is one sentiment they can share.
“This is a defining moment in the history of this great city,” said Wharton. “We will prove that government can work and we will prove that the confidence of our people is well-placed.”
Wharton showed optimism while reflecting on key gains made during his previous partial term as city mayor. He cited impressive jobs growth and business investments in the face of global recession, as well as new programs for community revitalization and a continued reduction in crime as some of the accomplishments the city can take pride in. Wharton said that because of a renewed sense of confidence, no-excuses government, involved citizenship, and a can-do attitude, the state of the city is strong and resilient.
“We are proving every day that we have the power in our own hands to make Memphis a city of choice,” he said. “This is no mere slogan or bumper sticker.”
Wharton conceded that as mayor he is sometimes frustrated and angered by persistent issues that present challenges to him doing his job with long-term impact. Over the next 100 days, Wharton said, his administration would announce an aggressive plan to reinvest in neighborhoods and address issues of crime, poverty and education with a sense of urgency.
“Our city’s long-time income disparity is ice on our economic wings,” Wharton said. “The number of Memphians living in poverty has essentially been the same for 30 years, and it is simply unacceptable.”
Wharton said the fight against juvenile delinquency, gun violence and gang activity would continue, acknowledging that crime reduction plays a major role in neighborhood revitalization. He mentioned the expected continuance of programs aimed at community policing programs, second chances for felons, and alternatives for troubled youth.
“In addition,” added Wharton, “the Police Executive Research Forum will begin to examine the Memphis Police Department’s systems, priorities, plans of attack and manpower deployment.”
The Mayor also vowed to invest in youth, saying that with the merger of Memphis and Shelby County schools set to take place in 2013, city government’s role in education will change, but the commitment to youth will not wane. He shared that he is working to convene a special task force that will focus on identifying ways to expand Head Start and invest in early childhood development.
“Our progress as a city can be no faster than our progress in education,” said Wharton, noting how the improved performance, accountability and efficiency of government leaders, and economic development would help to get results in other areas.
“In the coming 100 days, we will unveil our Blueprint for Prosperity plan – our strategic program to reduce the number of Memphians living in poverty and give them the training, human services, encouragement and help that they need to move from dependency to self-sufficiency,” Wharton revealed.
The blueprint, he said, will build on the success of economic development initiatives such as Memphis Fast Forward while continuing to develop the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) – an umbrella organization formed last year to streamline efforts to advance the local economy through job creation, business recruitment and retention.
A new initiative to assist small, minority and women-owned business called MORE – Mayors Office of Resources and Enterprise – is also being established to expand opportunities for entrepreneurship and business development.
The mayor emphasized the need to support minority businesses to level the playing field for economic growth and to capitalize on opportunities for job creation and workforce development. Wharton cited trained workers, better connections to jobs, and more entrepreneurs as the key to the city’s success in today’s complex global economy.
“We have much more to unite us than to divide us,” he said, referencing a need for regional leaders, specifically mayors across the Mid-South, to make collective decisions on issues such as transportation, higher education, medicine and health, entertainment and arts, workforce development, emergency preparedness and law enforcement.
Wharton indicated that the city’s fiscal strength and government accountability are two major factors that will prepare Memphis to compete in a regional and global economy. He revealed developmental plans for a five-year strategic management and fiscal program to guide the decision-making process on operations, expenditures and staffing, among other areas.
“We made some difficult financial decisions last year, but in the coming years, the degree of difficulty will only increase,” said Wharton. “(With this plan), we can make the hard decisions about long-ignored infrastructure, investments and incentives that spur our economy and vault Memphis over peer cities.”
Wharton said the initiatives he presented were only starting points to propel Memphis ahead and while many of the strategies outlined in his speech would be implemented in the next 100 days, the ideal outcomes will not be realized until much later.
“. . . As people of this great city, we will meet every challenge with a soaring optimism and we will celebrate our destinations as well as the journey to get there,” he said.
Special to Tri-State Defender
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. presented ambitious plans and recounted recent accomplishments in his State of the City address Monday (Jan. 23).
 |
| Mayor A C Wharton Jr. found his stride at Southwest Tennessee Community College’s main campus, where he delivered his State of the City address. (Photo courtesy of Southwest) |
In front of a standing-room only audience gathered at the downtown campus of Southwest Tennessee Community College, Wharton also outlined key initiatives that he will work to implement over the next four years to move Memphis ahead.
Economic development, neighborhood revitalization, talent development and retention, and creating a culture of excellence in government were the top priorities, said Wharton of his 100 days plan to achieve future progress.
Wharton opened with an expression of gratitude and appreciation for members of business, civic and grassroots organizations with a shared sense of purpose to address the challenges that Memphis face. He also welcomed the members of the Memphis City Council, saying that while they may often disagree, there is one sentiment they can share.
“This is a defining moment in the history of this great city,” said Wharton. “We will prove that government can work and we will prove that the confidence of our people is well-placed.”
Wharton showed optimism while reflecting on key gains made during his previous partial term as city mayor. He cited impressive jobs growth and business investments in the face of global recession, as well as new programs for community revitalization and a continued reduction in crime as some of the accomplishments the city can take pride in. Wharton said that because of a renewed sense of confidence, no-excuses government, involved citizenship, and a can-do attitude, the state of the city is strong and resilient.
“We are proving every day that we have the power in our own hands to make Memphis a city of choice,” he said. “This is no mere slogan or bumper sticker.”
Wharton conceded that as mayor he is sometimes frustrated and angered by persistent issues that present challenges to him doing his job with long-term impact. Over the next 100 days, Wharton said, his administration would announce an aggressive plan to reinvest in neighborhoods and address issues of crime, poverty and education with a sense of urgency.
“Our city’s long-time income disparity is ice on our economic wings,” Wharton said. “The number of Memphians living in poverty has essentially been the same for 30 years, and it is simply unacceptable.”
Wharton said the fight against juvenile delinquency, gun violence and gang activity would continue, acknowledging that crime reduction plays a major role in neighborhood revitalization. He mentioned the expected continuance of programs aimed at community policing programs, second chances for felons, and alternatives for troubled youth.
“In addition,” added Wharton, “the Police Executive Research Forum will begin to examine the Memphis Police Department’s systems, priorities, plans of attack and manpower deployment.”
The Mayor also vowed to invest in youth, saying that with the merger of Memphis and Shelby County schools set to take place in 2013, city government’s role in education will change, but the commitment to youth will not wane. He shared that he is working to convene a special task force that will focus on identifying ways to expand Head Start and invest in early childhood development.
“Our progress as a city can be no faster than our progress in education,” said Wharton, noting how the improved performance, accountability and efficiency of government leaders, and economic development would help to get results in other areas.
“In the coming 100 days, we will unveil our Blueprint for Prosperity plan – our strategic program to reduce the number of Memphians living in poverty and give them the training, human services, encouragement and help that they need to move from dependency to self-sufficiency,” Wharton revealed.
The blueprint, he said, will build on the success of economic development initiatives such as Memphis Fast Forward while continuing to develop the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) – an umbrella organization formed last year to streamline efforts to advance the local economy through job creation, business recruitment and retention.
A new initiative to assist small, minority and women-owned business called MORE – Mayors Office of Resources and Enterprise – is also being established to expand opportunities for entrepreneurship and business development.
The mayor emphasized the need to support minority businesses to level the playing field for economic growth and to capitalize on opportunities for job creation and workforce development. Wharton cited trained workers, better connections to jobs, and more entrepreneurs as the key to the city’s success in today’s complex global economy.
“We have much more to unite us than to divide us,” he said, referencing a need for regional leaders, specifically mayors across the Mid-South, to make collective decisions on issues such as transportation, higher education, medicine and health, entertainment and arts, workforce development, emergency preparedness and law enforcement.
Wharton indicated that the city’s fiscal strength and government accountability are two major factors that will prepare Memphis to compete in a regional and global economy. He revealed developmental plans for a five-year strategic management and fiscal program to guide the decision-making process on operations, expenditures and staffing, among other areas.
“We made some difficult financial decisions last year, but in the coming years, the degree of difficulty will only increase,” said Wharton. “(With this plan), we can make the hard decisions about long-ignored infrastructure, investments and incentives that spur our economy and vault Memphis over peer cities.”
Wharton said the initiatives he presented were only starting points to propel Memphis ahead and while many of the strategies outlined in his speech would be implemented in the next 100 days, the ideal outcomes will not be realized until much later.
“. . . As people of this great city, we will meet every challenge with a soaring optimism and we will celebrate our destinations as well as the journey to get there,” he said.