Watch the Speech on the Seattle Channel

This month it was my privilege to deliver my seventh State of the City address and to report that the state of Seattle is stronger than ever. With the City Council holding a meeting to discuss the future of Seattle Center, it seemed only fitting to deliver the address on the Seattle Center grounds at the Pacific Science Center.

It was also fitting to meet at the Science Center because it celebrates a trait that runs deep in Seattle's soul - innovation. And that was the theme of my address - how we solve tough challenges with the innovative spirit and optimism that sets Seattle apart. But it's not innovation just for the sake of innovation. Rather we challenge conventional wisdom and innovate for one purpose - to make a difference in people's lives.

And looking ahead, I announced two new initiatives that will make a difference in people's lives. I pledge to make Seattle the nation's "Green Building Capital" through a new program that will improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings in Seattle. We are already a leader in new green buildings, but now we need to do something about our existing building stock. With three stated goals -- to improve energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings by 20 percent, to provide real cost savings for property owners, and to create new green jobs -- this spring I will convene a diverse panel of community members to help us develop the right approach.

My second new initiative is to change the customer service culture of City government from "sorry, not my problem," to one of rolling up our sleeves and fixing the problem. Some people say government isn't a business; we don't have customers. I think the 600,000 people who live here, pay taxes, and contribute to the life of our city would disagree. Each year the City receives 10 million phone calls and millions of e-mails and letters from our customers in need of help. In the next couple of months I will seek the public's help to create a "Customer Bill of Rights," with a goal of creating an open, responsive and accessible government that serves all of our residents, regardless of their language, their income or their neighborhood.

Sincerely,


GREG NICKELS
Mayor of Seattle

On the eve of the seventh anniversary of the Nisqually earthquake, we officially opened our new Emergency Operations Center (EOC). With the new EOC, Seattle has taken a big step toward becoming the most prepared city in America for disasters. During an emergency, or after a disaster, our state-of-the-art EOC becomes the city's nerve center, from which we can coordinate our response and keep the public informed. Thanks to the voters of Seattle who passed the Fire Facility and Emergency Preparedness Levy in 2003, we are able to invest in facilities and programs we'll need the most during an emergency. The new EOC can accommodate up to 150 emergency responders and is built to not only withstand a major earthquake, but remain operational in the aftermath.
Read the press release
See the new EOC

After a generation of under investment in our transportation infrastructure, we are turning a corner, thanks to the Bridging the Gap (BTG) transportation levy. With a full year under our belts, BTG met or exceeded all of its first year goals. Among its many 2007 accomplishments, BTG paved 27 miles of roads, restriped 1,578 miles of arterials, replaced street-name signs at 1,043 intersections, remarked 789 crosswalks, repaired 14 blocks of existing sidewalks, and built 13 blocks of new sidewalks. In addition, we refurbished bridges, replaced guardrails, repaired staircases and improved signs in school zones. And in 2008 we will accomplish even more.
Read the news release
Read the BTG annual report

Great news for Seattle and the planet. Next year Seattle residents will be able to put meat and dairy products in their yard waste carts, glass in the same container as paper and plastic, and more plastic materials will be eligible for recycling. More than half of Seattle's garbage that now goes to landfills can be recycled or composted. With new contracts for solid waste collection that will go into effect next year, recycling and composting will be much easier and more convenient. And Seattle will once again set the bar nationally for recycling.
Read the news release

Seattle is a city of remarkable neighborhoods so it's fitting that for the 14th year, we set aside the Saturday before Valentine's Day -- to celebrate our neighborhoods. It all started when Judith Wood, a resident of the Phinney neighborhood, saw a feature in her local newspaper about rotten neighborhoods. At her suggestion, then-Mayor Norm Rice set aside the day to recognize all of the good things Seattle neighbors do for each other. This is a great tradition, where people all over Seattle organize block parties, open houses, award ceremonies, and potluck dinners, to recognize and encourage caring neighbors. As part of this celebration, Seattle school children are invited to submit designs for Neighbor Appreciation Day cards. This year's winning artist is Simon Thai, a seventh grader at Asa Mercer Middle School. Congratulations to Simon and to all of the students who submitted designs. The all-occasion cards are free and available at all Neighborhood Service Centers, community centers, Seattle public libraries and the Customer Service Bureau in City Hall.
See the list of all the winning artists and their art

After five years of exemplary service as the director of our Human Services Department (HSD), Patricia McInturff will retire in April. Patricia has been a caring and wise leader of HSD and has helped spearhead our effort to end homelessness in Seattle. She has worked tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community. Thankfully, Patricia plans to continue to serve the public as a volunteer. I wish her well.
Read the news release

Every month I appear on Seattle Channel's "Ask the Mayor," and I look forward to answering questions from viewers asking about City issues affecting them. Many call in live, but we also receive questions via e-mail -- and those can be sent in advance. To ask a question, via e-mail, send your questions anytime before the show is broadcast to askthemayor@seattle.gov Or tune in the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. to the award-winning Seattle Channel for a chance to ask me your questions live. Dial (206)684-8821 during the show.