January 13, 2009 Menino: "Boston's best days are ahead of us" Play video

(NECN: Boston) - Mayor Thomas Menino focused on the economy during the annual State of the City address at Faneuil Hall. He said that while Boston did not create the current economic crisis, it must deal with it. He is asking municipal unions to accept a one-year wage freeze, as the city tries to cope with the estimated $140 million budget shortfall.

He says the wage freeze would avoid "core service reductions and painful layoffs." Menino also highlighted positives such as population increases, reduced property taxes, lower foreclosure rates, and reduced gun violence.

The following is prepared text of the second half of Mayor Menino's address:

That attitude, paired with police work we all can be proud of, is making a difference. We reduced crime by 8% in 2008. We cut homicides for the third year in a row. We will improve on these gains in 2009, because protecting Boston’s residents is my top priority. I will not allow a handful of criminals to threaten our communities. We will take your guns. We will break up your gangs, and we will lock you up. Violence has no place in Boston’s neighborhoods.

Keeping our streets safe must start with putting bad guys behind bars, but it’s about more than enforcement. It’s about intervention and prevention, too. That’s what our community service officers, our neighborhood crime watch groups, and our non-profit partners do so well. Together, they work to prevent retaliation and build trust

with residents, which lies at the heart of community policing. Please join me in thanking all our public safety personnel and our dedicated neighborhood partners.

Boston is more than a city of neighborhoods. We are a city of neighbors. Just look at Michael Ferchak. He’s the nurse who rushed to the aid of firefighters last Friday. On behalf of the city of Boston, thank you.

Not every neighborly effort will be so brave. But every time we reach out to a fellow resident we bring our city closer. Last spring, my team, together with volunteers, hit the streets to knock on over 2,000 doors to enroll our kids in summer and after school programs. This winter, we will do even more. We are calling every single senior in Boston. We want to make sure all our seniors stay warm, safe and healthy.

This commitment to each other has made Boston a center of diversity and culture, of tolerance and inclusion, of innovation and forward thinking.

Look at our investments in green technology, where Boston has become a national leader. Not only are we creating a healthier city and a legacy of sustainability, we are also driving economic growth, and introducing new opportunities for our residents. We are investing in training for new green jobs.

At the same time, we are working hard to support green businesses in Boston. Companies like Next Step Living, which improves residential energy efficiency. Or entrepreneurs like Marty Walsh, who owns Geek House Bikes in Allston. Marty received a City of Boston loan to help fund his shop’s expansion. These progressive businesses represent a key component of Boston’s economic future.

I know folks are truly worried about their jobs. Yet, even as this fog of economic uncertainty lingers over the nation, there is a great light shining on Boston. People look to our city for inspiration. They look to us for reassurance and for leadership, and it’s through strong leadership that we are well-prepared, so that Boston emerges from these challenging times on solid footing.

My administration is doing everything we can to grow Boston’s economy. In 2008, the City helped launch 100 small businesses by providing financial and technical assistance. In 2009, we will make available $40 million in HUD loan funds to jumpstart construction in Boston.

I am reaching out to CEOs of our largest employers to ask them to do everything they can to save jobs through these tough times. When we talk about economic opportunity, we need to talk about bringing more of that opportunity to Boston’s neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods are where I love to be. I am out there every day, from Roxbury to Brighton, from Bunker Hill to Mission Hill. I know residents find opportunities in our schools, parks and libraries.

Now more than ever, people rely on these neighborhood institutions. Right now, we’re seeing a surge in library use – a one-third increase in requests for new library cards citywide. I am proud of how hard I have fought to allocate library resources where they can make the most difference – at your neighborhood branches. Within these buildings, you can uncover the past and discover your future.

That’s why, despite a tough financial climate, I am thrilled to announce the opening of new libraries in Grove Hall and Mattapan. Libraries are central to learning, and nothing matters more than education.

Tonight I was introduced by Moriah Smith, a high school senior from Dorchester. Moriah has served as the student representative on the Boston School Committee. Through the Boston Public Schools, she’s had the opportunity to discuss the Constitution with Supreme Court Justices, and she’s received a great education. She’s learned how to think critically, independently and creatively.

Moriah reminds us that all children dream, and that the Boston Public Schools are a place where young people learn the skills to realize their dreams. I look at students like Moriah in classrooms throughout our city, and I see Boston’s future doctors, teachers and even a mayor or two. All of Boston’s students energize me to keep pushing for progress every day of every month of every year.

We have come a long way from the days when 7 of our schools were in danger of losing accreditation. Today, test scores are up. One in four juniors and seniors take Advanced Placement classes, and eight of our high schools are nationally recognized by US News & World Report.

We achieved these gains by being creative and collaborative, and we will keep our focus on addressing the achievement gap and pushing the envelope of excellence.

Tonight, I am announcing a new partnership that takes us even further in that direction. The Cloud Foundation is making a $1 million commitment, so that we can match 2,000 of our most driven students with leading innovators in art and science. I would like to thank the founder of the Cloud Foundation – Dr. David Edwards – for his commitment to Boston’s youth.

These students will learn how to develop and implement cutting edge ideas. This is exactly what drives Boston’s dynamic economy, and what will strengthen our position as a hub of innovation in the years ahead.

Our City has made great strides. In our neighborhoods, we have decreased foreclosures and increased safety, decreased property taxes and increased opportunity. In our schools, we have decreased the achievement gap and increased learning.

But I must remind you: unless we work together and take urgent action, our hard-won gains will be lost.

In the worst of economic times, we must show the best of Boston. We have to work together to move our city forward. The State of the City is in our hands, and, for that reason, I know that the state of our city is strong.

When we dare to dream and are willing to work, our boldest aspirations and our greatest hopes soar over the wall of uncertainty and despair. Time after time, we have found new ways to work together unselfishly.

Today is such a time. Today, we must renew our core principles. Today, we must awaken our revolutionary spirit that sparks Boston’s enduring hope and confidence.

Boston’s best days are ahead of us. I pledge to you that I will continue to work tirelessly to move our city forward this year and in the years ahead.

Thank you. God bless the great city of Boston.