Mayor: City Faces Year of Economic Uncertainty
Community must provide more opportunies for youth, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard said in state of city speech
 |
copy of speech |
"All in all," Bogaard told the crowd of about 400 gathered at the new locker room facilities at the Rose Bowl Stadium, "Pasadena's economic prospects during 2008 are at best uncertain and will almost certainly fall short of the upward movement so far this decade."
Bogaard blamed national and state trends and an expected decrease in state funding.
"The U.S. economy is weak," he said, "and the California economy is even weaker and more uncertain. The governor is grappling with $14 billion budget deficit."
"It is clear," he continued, "that the state's ability to protect children, renters, workers, and the elderly, as well as California's wildlife and its land, is currently in jeopardy, and this will impact the city and our public schools."
Although major crime continued to decrease last year, there "was a rash of violence among young people," Bogaard said. Gangs, drugs and the release of felons back into the community contributed to the violence, he added.
The police initially responded with a heavy "crack down," seizing guns and making hundreds of arrests, he noted. Then the strategy shifted to arresting felony suspects.
"Our young people are our future, and they deserve more than we are giving them," Bogaard said, quoting Pasadena Interim City Manager Bernard Melekian, who was speaking at the time as Pasadena chief of police.
Bogaard described the Committee on Youth Development and Violence Prevention, created by the City Council in September to develop short and long-term solutions to youth violence. The committee consists of representatives from the City Council, the Pasadena Unified School District, Pasadena City College, the Altadena Town Council and others.
"In partnership with other agencies and non-profit organizations, this community must provide stronger educational opportunities, recreation, summer work and internships, and more jobs," Bogaard said. "I see this as a critical goal, a critical effort, and a critical responsibility in the coming year."
The school district has a significant role to play in that effort, the mayor noted, and the city and school district continue to work together in a number of areas.
"I continue to be encouraged by the progress at PUSD under the strong leadership of Superintendent Edwin Diaz," Bogaard said. " He worked with the Board of Education to adopt 'The Approach to Excellence,' a comprehensive strategy to reform the district."
"I believe we are on the threshold of significant steps to move this effort forward," he added.
Pasadena is seen a leader in environmental sustainability, Bogaard said.
"I believe that 2007 will be recognized as the turning point in public acceptance of the reality of global warming," he said. "People know that climate change now threatens not only the environment, but also our national security, our economic stability, and public health and safety."
The mayor closed his speech by noting that several months ago California Planning & Development Report declared Pasadena's downtown to be the best among mid-sized California cities, calling it the "gold standard."