Newton Mayor To Address City Challenges In State Of City Speech

NEWTON, MA — The state of the city is strong, but, according to Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, she sees challenges on the horizon. The mayor announced she intends to share ways to address those challenges in her third State of the City address.

"We have excellent schools, low crime rates, a broad range of services, financial stability with triple A bond ratings, new school buildings, and a wonderful community," the mayor said in a statement. "I also see changes coming and challenges ahead."

Next Tuesday Fuller will give the State of the City Address and outline what those challenges are and what she sees as a vision to tackle them.

Her annual speech will be at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Newton City Hall in the City Council Chambers. You can also watch online at NewTV.org, which will be carrying the event live and will re-stream it later.

Her speech last year focused on highlighting ways the city was a strong city. She also highlighted the launch of all day kindergarten and announced a plan to help seniors who face mobility and driving challenges, which birthed NewMO. >Newton Introduces Ride Share For Seniors Around.

In 2019, Patch asked city council candidates up for election what they thought the biggest issue facing the city is. Managing transportation issues, mitigating the effects of climate change, and proactively addressing development and zoning needs topped the list. Other challenges that made the list: managing the budget, affordable housing, and ensuring transparency in government.

Here's her speech from last year:

State Of Newton? Strong, Says Mayor Ruthanne Fuller (2019)

And more related:

• Newton's Biggest Issue, According To City Council (2019)
• Newton Officials Share Their New Year Resolutions (2019)
• Mayor's State of the City Address (2012)

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).