____#____#____ Thank you all for sharing this day. I have to make a few acknowledgements.

First, I want to acknowledge and thank Councilman Jeff Smith for his many years of service to the City. I want to thank my parents, who traveled a long way to be here today, and who always made everything possible. And I want to thank my wife Pinky, who continues to make everything possible. There was no way I could run for election, and there would be no way I could serve in this office, without her. Thank you, dear. I want to thank Mayor Graham and the City Manager for being so welcoming. Over the last few weeks, they put me through quite a rigorous orientation with the many City departments. I learned so much through those sessions, and I have to say how lucky we are in this City to have such dedicated, professional, and outstanding staff. We have significant challenges ahead as an organization. And I very much look forward to working with the team to address these issues. I want to thank Barbara Wheeler, and her staff and board members, for hosting this ceremony in this beautiful library. And I want to thank the many, many good people of this City who came forward so enthusiastically to support me, so many of you here today. Im very grateful for your support. ___________________________________________________________________ My campaign platform was about taking a critical look at our City through data indices to better understand the people, our neighborhoods, and our economy, and using these data to figure out where the greatest opportunities lie to improve things. The City of Watertown has more people in poverty than any other

comparable city in the state. One in five of our families are in poverty, and 44% of the citys households with children in poverty are headed by women. Many of these families live in concentrated neighborhoods, typically neighborhoods in and around the center of our City. Their dwellings are often rental properties in old, run-down buildings or once single-family homes now cut up into apartments. The data also tell us that these are the same neighborhoods plagued by the highest concentrations of unemployment, the lowest levels of education attainment, crime, drug abuse, and drug overdose deaths. There is a correlation here between the poverty and all of the bad things that magnetize to it. And unless we take a different approach to addressing these problems, our distressed neighborhoods will continue to deteriorate further and spread outward. Our neighborhoods are further threatened by growing inventories of new housing mostly built outside of the city over the last few years. This new housing places Watertown neighborhoods already in deep distress at graver risk for even worse decline and deterioration. It stands to reason that renters and buyers will gravitate toward new housing and better neighborhood options, driving our already fragile neighborhoods into further spiral. This year, as the first step toward neighborhood revitalization, Im calling for creation of a housing strategy for the City of Watertown with a priority on distressed neighborhoods. There is no question in my mind that we need a strategy now to stave off further housing decline. I pledge to work with our City team and all of our community partners to put a strategy in place that improves City housing over the long-term. To save neighborhoods, and as an extension of a housing strategy, we must adopt a broader revitalization approach that directly engages the residents of these distressed areas. Representatives from all community sectors must sit at the same table with residents to plan and realize neighborhood-driven and sustainable improvement strategies. I am committed to working with our City team, community partners, and our neighbors in these distressed areas to develop and implement plans that achieve revitalization.

Its been said that Public Square is undergoing a renaissance. Its true, and new housing is the key component of the Square and Mercy revivals. Weve got a housing renaissance; now we need a business renaissance and a plan to make it happen. We must diversify our business base if we want to improve and sustain the citys economy and improve our quality of life. I pledge to work with our economic development partners to develop a plan for our City center. We have other challenges and opportunities. The City of Watertown is more reliant on unpredictable sales tax than other comparable New York cities, and our revenue streams must be brought into greater balance. Our recent designation as a Metropolitan Statistical Area places the city and region on a significant learning curve to understand its complexities and capitalize on its advantages. MSA status could facilitate greater access to federal funds for transportation and economic development, and raise the marketing profile of the region. Watertown is the economic hub of the region. We are part of and impacted by multiple regional influences, and what we do as a City influences the region. But at the same time, the benefits of being an MSA must support city neighborhood revitalization and economic development. Over time, enhanced federal aid and improved commercial and residential property values should help offset sales tax reliance and stabilize the citys revenue base. I will work hard and do all I can to help achieve this. Wealth building communities are the healthiest and safest communities. Communities that improve the multi-dimensional capacities of its residents are the most likely to thrive. Every activity Im involved with as your Councilman, and every vote I cast, will be with an eye toward building the wealth and health of this City. I am honored to join this Council, and I look forward to getting to work with my Council colleagues, our outstanding City staff, community partners, and the citizens to improve the integrated status of our economy, our neighborhoods, and all people in this City.

Thank you very much.

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