<\/p>\n
Mayor Kate Gallego delivered a largely upbeat State of the City address last week.<\/p>\n
(City of Phoenix\/Submitted)<\/p>\n
Phoenix is riding a wave of economic growth driven by semiconductors and biosciences, but faces mounting threats tied to water shortages and federal policy, Mayor Kate Gallego said April 21 in her annual State of the City address.<\/p>\n
Gallego framed Phoenix as a city on the rise\u00a0 while warning that decisions beyond Arizona\u2019s borders could shape its future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state of our city is stronger than it has ever been,\u201d Gallego said.<\/p>\n
Gallego highlighted major investments in advanced manufacturing and health research, pointing to Phoenix\u2019s growing role in the national economy.<\/p>\n
She heralded the city\u2019s significant push in biosciences, including a $50 million city investment in ASU Health, the largest such commitment Phoenix has made in the sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also asked ASU Health to tap into an area that has been historically under resourced: women\u2019s health,\u201d the mayor said. \u201cToo many medical devices are designed for 30-year-old men. ASU Health will design procedures and technology with the unique needs of women in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
The University of Arizona\u2019s \u201ccatalytic investment\u201d in its downtown medical school also was heralded by Gallego.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough a partnership with Banner, the UA Medical School has made a $59 billion\u00a0 impact on our community and has trained nearly 2,000 doctors. UA\u2019s work downtown will grow with the new UA Medical Innovations Building \u2014 formerly known as CAMI.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallego said a UA scientist \u201cmay be on the verge of an exciting breakthrough: modifying stem cells in a way that hides them from the immune system.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd just steps away, at the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in the Wexford Building, some of the most advanced research on Type 2 diabetes is taking place. It\u2019s where scientists discovered that breastfeeding in the first two months of life is associated with a lower risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes later in a child\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s happening at the Bioscience Core is changing the world. Caris Life Sciences, one of our great TGen success stories, is also putting Phoenix on the map for medical breakthroughs. Caris already possesses the world\u2019s highest genome sequencing capacity and continues to push the limits of discovery. This allows for more personalized cancer treatment than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mayor also noted that JelloX Biotech in Taiwan \u201cwanted to work specifically with the Mayor Clinic\u201d and is working to put AI-powered 3D pathology into routine clinical uses that could help detect cancers earlier and more precisely.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpain-based ROIS is also on the cutting edge of cancer research\u2014and Phoenix is its newest manufacturing site,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cROIS makes specialized injectables that can treat rare diseases, obesity and cancer with pinpoint precision, addressing problems at the source rather than shocking the whole system.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the mayor noted that semiconductor giant TSMC\u2019s $165 billion investment continues to anchor the region\u2019s chip industry, while suppliers and related companies are expanding nearby.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, she said semiconductor jobs have grown 31% and bioscience jobs rose by 39%.<\/p>\n
Gallego also announced a new initiative aimed at positioning Phoenix as a leader in quantum technology, calling it the next frontier of economic development.<\/p>\n
\u201cQuantum technology is a promising platform for new economic growth, and by harnessing our assets and having the right approach, we can attract investment and better diversify our economy with industries built for the future.\u201d Gallego said.<\/p>\n
She said one company, EigenQ, \u201cis building the infrastructure for post-quantum security.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEach day our city depends on digital systems \u2014 from traffic signals to water treatment to emergency response. EigenQ is creating the next generation of digital protection, designed to defend against threats that haven\u2019t yet arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even as she emphasized growth, Gallego made clear that water remains the city\u2019s most critical long-term challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWater security is not a challenge that can be \u2018fixed,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cIt requires long-term, thoughtful management.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phoenix has diversified its supply, she said, relying heavily on the Salt and Verde rivers while investing in conservation, groundwater storage and water recycling.<\/p>\n
The city is also advancing new purification projects that could eventually serve hundreds of thousands of households, part of a broader strategy to maintain supply without increasing overall water use.<\/p>\n
But Gallego sharply criticized federal proposals related to the Colorado River, warning they could disproportionately harm Arizona.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat just won\u2019t work,\u201d she said of plans that would impose deeper cuts on the state while requiring less from upstream users.<\/p>\n
The White House is expected to announce a plan within the next few months for the distribution of Colorado River water among the seven Basin States as well as tribes that rely on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Drought Pipeline Project, which we completed a few years ago, helps protect north Phoenix from shortages and gives us the tools to move water where it\u2019s needed,\u201d the mayor said.<\/p>\n
She noted that two advanced water purification facilities, including one in Cave Creek, will soon\u00a0provide a combined 14,000-acre-feet a year of purified water \u2014 enough to serve 40,000 families.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese facilities are the precursors to a larger, regional facility that will serve communities throughout the Valley. Near the turn of the decade, the Pure Water facility at 91st Avenue will deliver around 60 million gallons each day \u2014 enough to serve 200,000 households.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallego also pointed to progress on housing, saying the city has created or preserved more than 65,000 housing units and approved zoning for another 90,000.<\/p>\n
The city also recently launched a housing trust fund expected to reach $15 million, aimed at supporting affordable housing development.<\/p>\n
At the same time, she acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly among seniors and those experiencing homelessness.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeniors comprise one of the fastest growing populations experiencing homelessness,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The mayor highlighted continued investment in transportation infrastructure, including the expansion of light rail into South Phoenix, a planned extension into Maryvale and improvements to the I-10 Broadway Curve, where congestion has been cut significantly.<\/p>\n
She also pointed to the rollout of electric buses and ongoing regional freeway projects as key to supporting growth.<\/p>\n
Gallego emphasized investments in emergency response, including plans to build seven new fire stations and expanded efforts to address firefighter cancer risks.<\/p>\n
She also highlighted the city\u2019s evolving approach to 911 calls, which now include behavioral health response teams.<\/p>\n
Stating \u201cpolice officers and firefighters aren\u2019t the best people to respond to every situation, so we created another resource,\u201d the mayor said:<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, when you call 911 in Phoenix, our operators will ask, \u2018Do you need police, fire or behavioral health?\u2019 Through our Community Assistance Program, we have invested in individuals with social work training who can take the lead when they are most appropriate responders.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what it looks like when government works,\u201d she said, describing a recent crisis intervention that prevented a suicide.<\/p>\n
Throughout the speech, Gallego struck a tone that balanced optimism with caution \u2014 celebrating Phoenix\u2019s momentum while acknowledging external risks.<\/p>\n
She pointed to federal policy, water negotiations and economic pressures as factors that could shape the city\u2019s trajectory in the coming years.<\/p>\n
Still, she closed with a confident message about Phoenix\u2019s direction, noting she was beginning her eighth year as mayor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to say that Phoenix\u2019s best days are ahead of us. But after eight years of working alongside you, I can tell you: They\u2019ve arrived. Because of you, because of our work together, the state of our city is stronger than it has ever been.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe future is Phoenix \u2014 and the future is now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mayor Kate Gallego delivered a largely upbeat State of the City address last week. (City of Phoenix\/Submitted) Phoenix…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":781564,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5131],"tags":[5229,5643,22076,1587,5644,111172,1589,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,5223],"class_list":{"0":"post-781563","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-phoenix","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-arizona","10":"tag-arizona-state-university","11":"tag-az","12":"tag-colorado-river","13":"tag-kate-gallego","14":"tag-phoenix","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-united-states-of-america","17":"tag-unitedstates","18":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","19":"tag-us","20":"tag-usa","21":"tag-white-house"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116538039891493167","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/781563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=781563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/781563\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/781564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=781563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=781563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=781563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}