Mayor Muriel E. Bowser – State of the District Address

Remarks as Prepared:

Thank you, Khidar.  Thank you so much.

It is wonderful to be here at the fabulous Arena Stage, isn’t it?

I am honored to deliver the 2016 State of the District Address.

Before I begin, I would like to take a moment of silence for the people of Brussels.

[moment of silence]

Tonight, we all stand in solidarity with our family and friends across the Atlantic.

My fellow Washingtonians, I am so proud to stand before you as Mayor of my hometown.

People ask me all the time:  “What surprises you about being Mayor?”  If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that, we could build the rest of the streetcar line!

The thing about being Mayor is that — on any given day, you don’t always set your agenda. You don’t get to pick the issue, the call, or the emergency that requires your attention, or requires you to make a decision, one that could affect hundreds of thousands of people.

You don’t know if a Presidential candidate will try to tread on DC by attacking our reasonable gun restrictions.  You don’t know if a Congressman will try to attack our marijuana laws, access to women’s healthcare, public school funding, or simply by making fun of our streetcar.

Now, we can make fun of streetcar, but we’re not gonna take it from a Senator from Kentucky!

Despite these challenges, every morning when I wake up, until I lay my head down at night, I am laser-focused on the things that Mayors do – that I can do to create opportunity that is equal, and fair, and blind to age, gender, zip code, race, or religion.

I am focused on delivering the fresh start we promised for every single Washingtonian, making sure that no one is left behind, and making sure that hard working, goodhearted Washingtonians like Khidar, will get a fair shot and a pathway to the middle class.

I will go to China, to Cuba, or just out to Fairfax County, if it will drive our economic engine and your prospects at a better future. I will recruit, retain and support the best team of professionals — who share my commitment to all corners of the District, and my belief that we are stewards of our government.  I will set a bold agenda and deliver on it, because that’s what you elected me to do.

I have learned that if the issues are tough, the politics are hard. As an ANC Commissioner, Ward Councilmember, and now Mayor, I know firsthand that nothing stays the same.

And I believe we have three choices.

1.  We can reject growth and accept our decline
2.  We can grow without regard to our roots, and risk losing what makes DC great
3.  Or we can take a third way…..to balance change with preservation and with growth… and do it together across all 8 wards.

I choose the third way.  And I know we can do it together, by making smart and equitable investments in:

○    Schools
○    Public Safety
○    Infrastructure
○    And most importantly, in our people!

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