Mayor Linda Gorton’s State of the City-County Address

a photo of Mayor Gorton

The mayor addresses the city virtually | Photo by LFUCG photographer Amy Wallot

Amy Wallot/LFUCG/Amy Wallot

On Tues., Jan. 18, Mayor Linda Gorton gave her annual “State of the City-County Address” virtually; the topic — “Moving Lexington Forward.”

Today we’re breaking down her key talking points from Tuesday’s speech — giving you the rundown, without getting lost in the weeds.

The pandemic

The mayor acknowledged the hardships of the pandemic while highlighting key community success in fighting Covid-19.

Public safety

After discussing the pandemic Mayor Gorton began discussing public safety — calling it the most fundamental building block for any city.

  • Violent crime is down 16% from the last five years
  • Implementing mental health professionals + social workers to support police response
  • Establishing ONE Lexington to prevent youth violence
Economics

Mayor Gorton was pleased to discuss the strength and resilience of Lexington’s economy.

  • Unemployment has fully recovered from 2020 — our current unemployment rate is 2.4%
Parks & Recreation

Mayor Gorton promised to keep downtown lively and fun while working to improve the quality of life for all Lexingtonians.

Racial justice and equality

The mayor spoke proudly about the city’s effort to combat systemic racism.

Environment

The mayor closed her speech by discussing the environment and the importance of protecting the beauty of the Bluegrass.