Albany's first female mayor, Kathy Sheehan, gave her final State of the City address Wednesday night.
"We started with some pretty significant challenges. We were the most fiscally stressed city in the state," Sheehan said.
Speaking at UAlbany's ETEC Center, Sheehan looked back on her nearly dozen years as Albany's 75th mayor.
"We had a looming issue with the landfill closing and not knowing where we were going to put our garbage. And what we were going to do with the debt that we had incurred to expand the landfill. And so when I was sworn in, I had a list. I had a list of the challenges that were top priorities, including our aging infrastructure, the fact that we had no rainy day fund left the structural deficit that we talked about. We had very high levels of poverty. The landfill was closing. There was a perception and a reality, in some cases, to the feeling that there was an inequity in how the city delivered its services. We were dealing with a very outdated City Hall, with systems that had been purchased in 1999. Vacant and blighted buildings were something that people were very concerned about. Many of our public spaces hadn't been touched for decades, and we were dealing with the impacts of climate change," said Sheehan.
The third-term Democrat says she left no stone unturned as the years progressed, overcoming high poverty rates and a $16 million structural deficit. Balancing the budget. Pushing the landfill closure to 2028. She noted that under her leadership crime dropped 21% since 2013. On her watch blighted buildings came back to life and back on the tax rolls. She says more than 20,000 new affordable housing units were created, setting the bar for more development.
"Steamboat square is one that's really special," Sheehan said. "This started with a $42 million rehabilitation of 88 modern, highly energy and efficient homes, with 14 that provide supportive services. And the innovative thing about this project is it includes a geothermal system that provides heating and cooling to low income apartments at a price that those individuals, individuals living there can afford. And that geothermal loop is eventually going to power hundreds of units in Steamboat Square, including townhomes that are across the street from steamboat square, really bringing hope to families and giving them the help that they need.”
Sheehan also noted investments in parks, infrastructure, and economic development, including a $153 million water and sewer infrastructure upgrade and the remodeling of the 100-year-old Lincoln Park Pool.
Elected in 2013, Sheehan says she dedicated her administration to creating a city of opportunity.
“When I took office, 29% of our residents live below the poverty line. We have lifted more than 6700 residents out of poverty, including 3800 children. The numbers are still too high, but the work that we are doing and the way that we are approaching it is working, and so I want to thank my team for recognizing how important it is to remain focused on these numbers as we move forward, we've also grown our tax base," Sheehan said. "We've added billions of dollars of taxable property to our tax rolls. We have done an incredible amount of work lifting people out of poverty by focusing on our youth. 8500 young people have participated in our Summer Youth Employment Program since 2014 and they are 60% more likely to graduate from high school when they participate in that program.”
Sheehan tipped her hat to local, state and federal lawmakers she says helped move the city forward, among them Democratic Congressman Paul Tonko, who said "It's fun to celebrate the investment and to see the brighter future that comes along with that. But, you know, doing a lot of work with them, with lead pipes, doing a lot of work with Park restoration and improvement, working on all sorts of environmental and climate change activities, housing, geothermal, to cut the cost for housing. You know, just a lot of efforts that we've enjoyed. And ARPA funds mentioned over and over.”
Throughout her address Sheehan gave nod to American Rescue Plan Act funding, in part for helping rehabilitate old homes and build new ones as well as new spaces like the Clinton Market Collective and the Albany Skyway.
Perhaps inspired by a 1925 letter found in a time capsule buried under the Philip Schuyler statue that Sheehan ordered removed from outside city hall decrying Albany as "backward" compared to other leading cities in the state, the mayor concluded her talk by reading a letter she penned, expressing her love for the city and her vision for its future.
"I love that you are always changing yet comfortably familiar. It is not surprising that those of us who choose to live here feel so strongly about you. We fight for you and cheer you on, because as much as we love you, we know you love us back with love yours truly. Kathy Sheehan."
A number of candidates have launched campaigns to succeed Sheehan. She did not give any indication about what she will do after leaving office.
