Yesterday, Mayor Linda Gorton delivered her State of the City County address, looking back on 250 years of Lexington’s history while celebrating recent victories + looking to the future.
Gorton began by touting the success of Lexington and Fayette County’s merged city-county government. “Over the years merged government has helped us use public resources wisely and efficiently,” addressing challenges such as:
- Protecting the environment
- Protecting our neighborhoods
- Keeping cost of living low
- Engaging in planned growth
- Keeping downtown vibrant
- Investing in quality of life
Public Safety
Mayor Gorton said that the first priority of our local government is public safety. Recent highlights include:
- The creation of the Community Crisis Co-Response Team for mental health related calls.
- The addition of a 13th emergency vehicle to the city’s fleet + 12 new firefighters to operate it in training.
Mayor Gorton went on to thank ONE Lexington for its work addresssing youth and young adult gun violence through community based strategies and interventions. In 2024, the city saw a 10% decrease in homicides paired with a 68% decrease in reported shooting victims between the ages of 10 and 29 years old.
Education
Mayor Gorton credited Lexington’s long history of higher education as a valuable local resource. Transylvania was founded in 1780, with the University of Kentucky joining it in 1865 — Gorton said this history is to thank for Lexington’s informed populace + workforce that is “attractive to local employers, and to companies around the world looking for a new home.”
Economy
In fact, October 2024 set an all-time record for Fayette County employment with a workforce totaling 174,328 people.
According to Mayor Gorton, in 2023 one in 12 Lexingtonians were employed by the agriculture industry, which amounts to $2.3 billion of the city’s annual economy.
With a 5.5% rate of growth since 2020, Lexington’s economic growth is outpacing much larger cities like Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.
Median income has increased by $1,311 dollars a year, while the cost of living stayed low. Davis Park workforce (link).
“Our economy is booming,” the mayor said, citing a regional business park as a recent major accomplishment.
Sustainability
Solar panels were recently installed at Lexington fire stations, with a full solar farm being planned for the Haley Park. “As we grow it’s important for each of us to work toward a goal of making our growth more sustainable,” said Mayor Gorton.
Housing
Mayor Gorton said that housing must be “safe, well-maintained, and affordable,” adding that in 2024 an additional 577 affordable living spaces opened in Lexington. The Office of Affordable Housing is leveraging $9 dollars of private funding for every $1 dollar of public investment. By leveraging private funding with public investment, the city council was able to add $4.7 million towards affordable housing in the current budget.
Development
Mayor Gorton gave a shout out to the 17-acre High Street Redevelopment, which is slated to begin construction this year. A joint effort between Dallas-based Lincoln Property Company and local developer Dudley Webb, this area will soon see:
- Multifamily residential
- Pedestrian oriented retail
- Grocery
- Hospitality
“The need for continuing change and improvement drives us forward as we move into our next 250 years,” Gorton said.
