CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Thursday, City of Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo addressed several developments and improvements being made during the 2023 State of the City event.
Guajardo celebrated City Manager Peter Zanoni's efforts to increase the economic development of the city with a record-breaking $1.5 billion budget, in hopes to continue improving city priorities including no increase on property taxes.
Street repairs has been on the minds of all residents. Guajardo emphasized a new infrastructure maintenance plan will offer a new approach on repairing more than 400 residential roads in less than 12 years. The investment will total at least $190 million.
"In 2023, the city of Corpus Christi is investing more than $137 million in street repair," Guajardo said. "That's nearly $100 million more than when I was first elected. In the last six years, the city has invested over half of a billion dollars in street repair. We are making serious progress."
In addition to the prioritization of repairing streets and lowering property taxes, Guajardo said investing in local police force will help improve public safety.
For the first time ever, there will be 500 uniformed police officers protecting the city. There will also be a groundbreaking of a new police training academy.
"This will be the first state of the art police academy that we will build as a city," Guajardo said. "It will have the latest in technology and fitness in order to provide our cadets and training officers with a modern training environment."
The city has also partnered with Del Mar College to bring the new training academy to the Oso Creek campus. Within the partnership of Del Mar, police cadets will also be able to earn credits while training in the academy and apply them towards a degree plan. The new academy facility is expected to open summer 2024.
Guajardo also discussed further investments into more mental health programs and another partnership with the Hon. Connie Scott to bring education and awareness to the youth of the dangers of fentanyl and opioid abuse. The effort continued as she mentioned efforts to help small businesses through the city's newest Economic Development Department.
She further discussed the city's water resources, improving the downtown area by investing in more local businesses and organizations and adding new features to city parks and other tourist attractions.
Finally, Guajardo ended the event by thanking community members who have supported the city's efforts to move the economy forward and make progress for generations to come.
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