Cherelle Parker reflects on her first year in Philadelphia mayor's office during State of the City event
With just a matter of days left in 2024, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker reflected on her first year in office during a State of the City address on Friday afternoon.
It's been 353 days since she took over as Philadelphia's 100th mayor with a long list of goals for the city. During her address, Parker, who is also the first woman mayor in Philadelphia history, sought to show the progress she said her administration has made this year.
The State of the City began around 2:30 p.m. at the Temple Performing Arts Center on North Broad Street. Parker kicked off the address by thanking elected officials on the local, state and federal levels along with Philadelphia union workers, including members of District Council 33, IBEW Local 98 and Philadelphia AFL-CIO.
Public safety has long been a No. 1 priority for the mayor, specifically reducing high levels of violent crime. Philadelphia police have reported 255 homicides so far this year, which is down from each of the last two years, and on track to be the lowest number in a decade.
The mayor commended Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer citing that homicides are down 37% and shootings are down 36% compared to 2023. But quickly added, that these numbers aren't enough because 24 people were shot this past weekend and referenced the shooting at the Dilworth Park ice skating rink last Friday that left three juveniles injured.
"These are not statistics I am talking about," Parker said. "These are human beings!"
Parker reiterated her team will not rest until every neighbor and child around Philadelphia feels safe in their homes, hanging out on their front steps and walking to school.
"We now have more than 200 police officers walking the beat, riding bikes, getting to know the communities they are sworn to protect and serve again as our community policing model takes root," Parker said.
Since her first day in office, Parker has said her mission is to make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest and greenest city in the U.S.
And if public safety is the mayor's No. 1 priority, then clean and green is close No. 2. A report from the mayor's office shows through several programs, the city has cleaned more than 40,000 city blocks and removed more than 3,000 abandoned cars.
"We are done with the phrase 'Filthadelphia' and we won't stop until we end that terrible nickname once and for all," she said.
The mayor also touched on her economic opportunity agenda, highlighting the city council's approval of the controversial 76ers arena. But notably left out of Parker's address was any direct reference to Kensington.
"I thought there was gonna be a comment about their Kensington Initiative Plan," Councilmember Quetcy Lozada said.
In April, the mayor released a five-step plan to clean up the troubled neighborhood. Lozada said there has been progress.
"Is the work done? Absolutely not. Do we have a long way to go? Absolutely. But I will consistently say that we are in a completely different place than we were before as it relates to an administration that is committed to providing services," she said.
On the public health front, the mayor said her administration will be opening the newly renovated cottages and buildings at Philadelphia's Riverview Wellness Village to help give people living on the streets a place to live and receive the treatment they need starting early next year.
The Philadelphia mayor touted their first citywide cleaning program, which happened over the summer. Adding over 20,500 city blocks and commercial corridors were cleaned during the program. Parker also applauded the Office of Clean & Green Initiatives' latest pilot twice-a-week trash collection program.
Philadelphia is making efforts to be a greener city by using more renewable electricity, and growing and protecting the city's tree canopy, according to Parker. The 100th mayor also highlighted the Sustainability Office's ongoing efforts to protect the neighbors in the city's Eastwick section from repeated flooding.
Parker also made a vague reference to the incoming Trump administration and whether the relationship between Philadelphia and the White House may change. She said, "No election will change my focus. Period."
