JOBS & ECONOMIC PROGRESS
Since Jon took office:
- New Bedford’s unemployment rate has fallen by more than half.
- Greater than 5,000 more New Bedford residents are working today than when Mayor Mitchell took office.
- The American offshore wind industry was launched from New Bedford.
- We have modernized the Port of New Bedford with over $1.2 billion invested in port facilities, dredging, and environmental remediation.
- The city’s economy is on a sharp ascent, with new restaurants, start ups, and factories in place, and more on the way.
- The City’s arts scene has taken off, and the New Bedford has been recognized nationally for its leadership in the arts.
- Decades-long projects have been completed: the development of the Eversource site, the harbor clean up, the restoration of the First Baptist Church, BCC’s offshore wind training center, the restoration of the Ernestina and passenger rail service to Boston.
- The city’s population has grown to over 100,000.
EDUCATION PROGRESS
Since Jon took office:
- The graduation rate at New Bedford High School increased from 58% to 82%, one of the sharpest improvements in the country.
- Citing the district’s progress, the state ended its monitoring of the school system.
- Increase in competitiveness of New Bedford students to America’s top colleges.
- Major school construction projects are underway or complete: two new elementary schools, major upgrades to athletic facilities and millions of investments to upgrade and rebuild elementary schools.
FINANCIAL PROGRESS
Citing strong financial management, Wall Street rating agencies upgraded New Bedford to its highest bond rating in modern history. By holding the line on spending, the city has closed every fiscal year with a budget surplus.
INVESTMENTS IN QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS
- Built five new parks.
- Completed major upgrades to existing parks.
- Established the Blue Lane corridor that includes the HarborWalk and CoveWalk.
- Planted over 4000 street trees.
- Repairing our crumbling roads and sidewalks by increasing funding by a full fifty percent, with more roadwork being done now than at any point in the last twenty years.
INVESTMENTS IN QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS
- Built five new parks.
- Completed major upgrades to all major parks.
- Built HarborWalk and CoveWalk.
- Planted over 5000 street trees.
- Repairing our crumbling roads and sidewalks by increasing funding by a full fifty percent, with more roadwork being done now than at any point in the last twenty years.
PROGRESS ON NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGES
- Through data-driven policing, crime has dropped more than by 60% in the last decade.
- Neighborhood Task Force has strengthened neighborhoods by increasing enforcement of codes designed to protect the public and crack down on absentee landlords.
- The Problem Properties Ordinance has made absentee landlords treat their properties as they would their own homes.