South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg stressed community engagement and a strong local government at his state of the city address on Tuesday.
He said his government is striving to improve all parts of life in the city.
“Our work here in this community on a daily basis touches every issue of importance in how people live. Today, South Bend is on a roll after a long and challenging transformation. We are now seeing the strongest growth in a generation when it comes to jobs, population and prosperity.”
Buttigieg outlined a six part plan for the next year including initiatives aimed toward improving neighborhoods and policing, growing the economy and mobility in the city and bettering education.
“Our intention is to organize cooperation around four central components of the educational system in South Bend; empowered students, strong schools, career-ready graduates and an engaged community.”
He also took the opportunity to talk up the City’s ID card program.
“This card allows anyone who can prove who they are to identify themselves for purposes ranging from routine retail transactions to interactions with law enforcement, something that makes all of us better off and safer. Best of all it lets anybody say they are a card-carrying resident of the city of South Bend.”
His state of the city speech stressed the importance of local government taking the lead instead of waiting for state and federal government mandates.
Buttigieg also encouraged South Bend residents to remember that the city is, “big enough to matter, but small enough to be nimble and creative in how we solve problems. Our city will continue to be a place where everyone is empowered to thrive.”