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Gallo declares Kingston is on the right path to being a model city

Kingston’s mayor Shayne Gallo spoke for nearly two hours during his 2015 State of the City address, delivered Thursday night at City Hall, to a room full of supporters and constituents.

The speech broke down the city into various sections, financially, geographically, and by department, adding to the mix a general rundown of his administration’s policies, challenges, and accomplishments.

This was Gallo’s 4th State of the City address, having been elected in Nov. 2011. Among his top achievements are bringing transparency & accountability to departments, meeting the 2% tax cap, improving the bond rating, and revitalizing the business sector.

“When we look in the mirror, and we see its reflection, are you better off than four years ago? Yep, I would think so, because of our partnership, which is inclusive, not exclusive,” Gallo explained.

“Why has it been successful? We’re listening to each other, including each other, working together, cooperating. That translates into positive change for our entire community,” Gallo said.

Gallo acknowledged his critics. “The naysayers and cynics will still contend nothing good is going on here, there’s been no meaningful productive change. To those folks I say, please become a stakeholder, please work with us, you can see all the good things we’re doing,” he said.

“Everything I’ve talked about tonight has been embraced by the City Council by 7-2 votes, there is no divided government in Kingston,” Gallo maintained. “They ain’t doing it for me, they’re doing it for the entire city.”

“I can’t do it without all of you, and without all of you, we don’t have a model city, and ‘I’ means ‘we,’ that’s what it boils down to,” Gallo said.