Text of Rocky Anderson's State of the City Address

State of the City Address

Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson

Mayor of Salt Lake City

January 16, 2007

Progress through dialogue and action, strength through diversity. That, along with an uncompromising standard of excellence, has been the guiding principle of our administration during the seven years we have had the honor of serving the people of Salt Lake City.

In this, my last State of the City Address, I am pleased to report that our great, richly diverse city is extremely safe, healthy, and strong - a place where the quality of life is unsurpassed. I am pleased to report that, although the road is not always smooth, the progress in Salt Lake City continues.

We tend to expect progress, and some even assume that, somehow, it will necessarily occur. However, progress is not at all assured.

Things have been moving backward for most people in our nation. Add to that the unjustified invasion and occupation of Iraq that has had mind-numbing costs in lives, tragedy, and national treasure; the historic deficits and accumulated debt we will be foisting upon our children; the incredible damage being done to our delicate atmosphere, with long term ramifications for the health and safety of our planet; and the wholesale demolition of our nation�s moral standing in the world as our federal administration justifies horrendous human rights