RICHMOND, Va. -- It's nearing the end of an era of leadership for Richmond as Levar Stoney rounds out his eight-year tenure as Mayor.
On Tuesday night he shared his reflections during his final State of the City address.
Stoney focused his speech on how the city has changed since he first took office 7 years ago.
He said the city was written off then but believes it is a city that now has the ability to dream of what’s next.
He said he believes his administration was able to transform the city by lowering the poverty rate, increasing school funding, repairing broken roads, and transforming parks.
Stoney touted his administration's stance as being tough on crime which he says helped to lead to a decrease in violent crime.
He said the city’s economy is thriving and will only expand with projects like the Diamond District and Riverfront Amphitheater.
He also recognized the projects he supported that didn’t make it like Navy Hill and the casino.
"There are some folks who want to measure the success of the last seven years by two or three projects. But our success is so much more than that – it’s the strategic business attraction, expansion, and redevelopment efforts that have created more than $3.8 billion in announced capital investment and more than 6,500 announced jobs," he said.
Stoney also acknowledged recent community concerns on the city's collection of taxes. He said the city is moving in the right direction by refining current policies, reducing late fees, and adding automated systems.
“I recognize there will always be areas where we need to do better, such as our tax collection practices.” "Getting by is hard enough – and filing your taxes shouldn’t make it harder," he said.
Residents also reflected on Stoney’s leadership ahead of the address. Some applauded his work on expanding GRTC bus routes While others stressed concerns with the handling of the meals tax and the homeless population in the city.
"People can't even get into shelters sometimes, and it's really hard seeing people struggle to not even have basic necessities — food, clothing, shelter. He seems like he's not doing enough," said one man.
While Tuesday night marked one “last” for Stoney, he said it won’t be the last of the work he plans to still accomplish in the next 11 months.
"I promise you that as long as I am your mayor, I will fight for this city. I will fight for that dream. I will believe in Richmond, because that is what you deserve and what this city deserves. Nothing less," Stoney said.
If you missed the full State of the City speech you can watch it back on the city's YouTube page.
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