ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens highlighted the success of his first term and outlined priorities for his second term during his annual State of the City address.
“The state of our city is strong,” Dickens said.
The mayor pointed to several areas of progress, including a drop in crime and improvements in education. He said homicides are down 40% and shootings are down 30% across the city.
Dickens also highlighted gains in Atlanta Public Schools.
“Graduation rates are the highest they’ve ever been in the city of Atlanta’s history,” Dickens said.
Calling Atlanta a “group project,” Dickens said his administration will continue to focus on improving quality of life for residents, particularly in underserved communities.
“The points on our north star are clear; affordable housing, investments in neighborhoods and community, investment in our youth, investments in safety through our policing and non-policing strategies,” Dickens said.
He acknowledged that inequality remains a major issue in the city.
“We are at a moral crossroads. We’re the economic capital of the south, yet inequality is still a prevailing force in Atlanta,” Dickens said.
Dickens said he plans to continue working to address disparities between neighborhoods.
“These two children may be separated by less than five miles, but their lifespans can be separated on average by as much as 20 years,” Dickens said.
The mayor emphasized neighborhood reinvestment, youth programs and continued crime reduction as key priorities moving forward.
WSB Radio’s Mary Ryan Howarth contributed to this story.