Mayor Gordo Delivers State of the City Address: ‘A Time Like No Other’

Calling the past year “a time like no other,” Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo delivered the first “State of the City” speech of his term standing alone in the living room of his home in District 5.

Introduced by Vice Mayor Andy Wilson from City Council chambers, Gordo delivered an upbeat message, tempered with the harsh realities of the pandemic.

As the pandemic touched every aspect of his address, Gordo praised local community leaders and businesses for working hard through the crisis, while calling on Sacramento to provide a sufficient amount of vaccines to inoculate the City’s residents.

“Now is the moment to call upon our resilient spirit,” said Gordo, “and our willingness to work together to overcome and ensure that all Pasadena residents—including those among us who are less fortunate—have an opportunity to not only rebound, but to thrive, as Pasadena returns to the vibrant, special place we all love.  

“And you should be certain,” he continued, “as a City and as a people, that we will return stronger than ever.”

Speaking first to the topic of housing, Gordo said that the pandemic has brought “unprecedented challenges,” but added that  “the crisis has also rallied our community to work together to help one another.”  

With regard to the exacerbated problem of housing, Gordo pointed out that, in partnership with Union Station Homeless Services, over 100 unsheltered persons were moved into hotel rooms in the past year, while the Mobile Showers program was expanded, and hundreds of hygiene kits were distributed to those in need.

The City’s  Emergency Rental Assistance Program allotted nearly $1 million to assist COVID-19-impacted renter households for up to three months, said Gordo, and the City made significant progress in affordable housing development with its newly completed Decker and Gill Court projects, providing 16 low income households with first time homebuyer units.

Gordo also reiterated how the City helped support local restaurants back in the spring, once indoor dining was no longer allowed,  with an online directory for take-out and delivery, outdoor dining guidelines, grants, and reimbursement programs.

The City’s Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department helped facilitate the  delivery of healthy, nourishing meals to Pasadena seniors through the Great Plates Program, as Gordo detailed

“That program helped subsidize several local restaurants that stepped up to assist for months with this effort,” said Gordo.” 

The City also provided funding and distribution of 152,600 grab and go lunches every week at seven PUSD sites for PUSD students and their families, and has contributed $572,000 to ten food banks, pantries, and feeding programs, which in turn has provided sustenance to over 27,000 residents of Pasadena, Gordo added.   

Addressing the Coronavirus pandemic directly, Gordo said, “I am calling on the state and federal government to distribute more vaccine to cities like Pasadena that quickly prepared for a distribution system, only to be failed with insufficient supply.  When provided with an appropriate supply, Pasadena can and will do its part to effectively distribute and administer the vaccine.” 

Gordo also took up the touchy issue of reopening schools, saying, “We must work to ensure that our schools reopen in a manner that is safe for students and educators alike and consistent with all appropriate guidelines so that students have the opportunity to participate in activities that allow them to socialize, compete and simply laugh and smile together again.   

Gordo said he is asking the City Council and staff to take up the subject at an upcoming joint meeting with the PUSD School Board.

“We must work together to ensure every child in this City has an opportunity to participate in programs that are of interest to them and enrich their lives, like science, music, athletics, and the arts,”  he emphasized.

But Mayor Gordo was also mindful of the nation’s turbulent summer of protest and demonstrations over racism and policing, especially in Pasadena, which saw protest marches nearly every weekend from June to September

“If we are truly to create lasting change,” said Gordo, “the social equity dialogue must extend beyond policing.  Evident is the need to get back to basics:  doing all we can to provide children and youth with positive alternative activities, supporting quality education, and helping people of all ages with access to job training and viable employment, which leads to a successful career and improved quality of life.”  

The discussion regarding policing also pointed up the fact that  the City has seen a 20% drop in overall crime.

But Gordo was quick to point out that “we should all be disturbed that Pasadena—like much of the rest of the country—is experiencing an increase in violent crime.  Nationwide, violent crime has increased 35%.” 

2020 saw a 50% increase in people who were identified as victims of a shooting and were actually shot,” Gordo explained, and added,  “In 2021 we have already seen seven shootings and five victims, including the recent shooting of an innocent 10-year old boy.  This activity is not acceptable, and my expectation is that the Pasadena Police Department will work with law enforcement agencies at all levels to identify and bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.”

Finally, the mayor approached the City’s revenue situation, in light of the nearly year-long pandemic.

“The City has lost approximately $30 million in revenue and spent approximately $30 million in COVID-19 related expenses as a result of the pandemic,” he said, “and there is no question that our 20% reserve policy has served us well.” 

The City Council also took action to replenish the City’s reserve fund, and will continue to do so, said Gordo.

Currently, the City’s current General Fund Reserves are as follows:

• 5% Operating Reserve:  $2,500,000.00 
• 15% Emergency Reserve: $41,339,700.00
• Section 115 Trust: $12,800,000.00 

Fortunately, said Gordo, Pasadena’s sales tax payments have continued to be received according to the initial revenue forecasts, and no additional adjustments are being made at this time. 

A number of businesses, while suffering on the brick and mortar level, continued to see success selling online, the Mayor said.

Amazon reported more than 60% year-over-year growth from the same Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend in 2019, while the City sales tax revenue through the end of 2020 was $11,187,012. Additional revenue from Measure I sales tax through the end of 2020 was $8,151,128.00.

Gordo called the City’s financial position  “stable at this time,” but cautioned, “we must continue to be cautious and guarded with our spending.”