Mayor Nan Whaley delivered the annual State of the City address to a full house at City Hall on Wednesday morning. In the 15 minute speech, Whaley touched on multiple issues, including the local and regional economy, downtown revitalization efforts, infrastructure, and education - a focal point of her administration since she took office three years ago.
The mayor noted that Dayton had seen some "dark days" with business closures, unemployment, home foreclosures and vacant and abandoned buildings, yet, proclaimed in her speech, "Dayton is roaring back!"
Whaley named several new businesses and outlined major investments in infrastructure, as well as the growth of several downtown healthcare facilities, including Dayton Children's Hospital and CareSource.
Revitalization of the city's west side also got a tremendous boost last year, she said, when the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued Dayton a $1.5 million "Choice Communities"grant.
"With all these signs of growth and renewal, our city continues to face a number of serious challenges," she said. "Issues such as neighborhood blight, drug addition, and workforce development require serious focus and attention."
Whaley praised Dayton residents for the passage of Issue 9 on the 2016 November ballot.
"The passage of Issue 9 places Dayton on solid financial footing for many years to come," she said.
Issue 9 was a quarter percent earnings income tax increase and the first income tax increase in for the city of Dayton in 32 years. It brought the city's income tax rate to 2.5 percent.
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