The true privilege of being Mayor is that I have the opportunity to be everyone's neighbor.
Thomas Menino
Currently, Boston has only nine percent of the state's population - but we provide more than 16 percent of the jobs and 19 percent of the state's revenues.
Boston is the engine of the state's economy.
2004 was a great year for Boston! The Patriots won the Super Bowl! Boston hosted its first national political convention! And - the Red Sox won the World Series!
Let's use the energy of this historic year to propel us toward our shared vision of a greater Boston.
We must be vigilant in our actions towards criminals, and innovative in our approach towards solving crime.
Tonight, I am pleased to announce that I have secured $1 million from the Convention Host Committee to fund the beautification of Boston's neighborhoods.
Diversity gives our city a competitive edge.
We were the first urban school system in the country to wire all of our schools for the Internet.
The true value of sport is more than the skills that young people learn.
And for the city's birthday, we will host events in every neighborhood of the city, inviting all of our residents to share in the celebration of Boston's great epic - the story of neighbors who support one another where it matters most.
One of our key strategies has been to restructure traditional high schools into small learning communities with personalized attention and a range of options.
I'm proud to report that in 2004 alone, we approved 3,600 new units of housing - our best year ever!
Preparing our city to achieve its destiny will require strong leadership.
And it was from Boston that one in every six American families began their journey into the land of the free.
Boston is known for its innovation.
My fellow citizens, the state of our city is strong.
Children need continuity as they grow and learn.
These are national problems that require national solutions.
I brought together experts from health care, business, academic institutions, and the community to develop a comprehensive blueprint for eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care in the City of Boston.
In the 1990s, we introduced Boston's community policing strategy. We reversed the tide of violent crime that threatened our city, and we established a national model for preventing and fighting crime.
Boston is safe. And we're going to keep it safe.
I am working hard to ensure that working families can continue to afford to live in our city.
I am also committed to providing city employees with housing assistance.
For every $5 that Boston's economy sends up to Beacon Hill, the state gives only $1 back to us.
Here's what I see all across this great city - people working together to make Boston a better place to live and to raise children, to grow and pursue dreams.
This is a bad day for Boston, but I think if we pull together we'll get through it.
