AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Mayor Steve Adler delivered his final "State of the City" address Thursday evening.
The mayor wrapped up his last term with a reflection on affordability, equity and mobility. He has said efforts to address these three issues combined have set Austin up for a bright future.
"I am so proud and grateful that on one difficult problem after another, the buck has stopped with us. The 10-1 council has stood resolute and taken action supported by the community, including on some of the most difficult challenges our city faces," Adler said.
He praised the council's work on the three issues over his time in office.
"There is no statistic or metric, however stellar, that can capture the story of these past eight years. It is a story of big plans and hard decisions that make them possible," he said.
He also mentioned new infrastructure projects that have been completed or are in the process of being created now, saying that the projects have required the council to address Austin as a large city, rather than "the small city it has not been for a long time."
"That era has passed and Austin has put away childish things. A great city must make bigger plans, start them faster, and do more of them. And over the past eight years we have done just that," Adler said.
Adler began his first term as mayor of Austin in January 2015. He was re-elected in 2018. His current term expires on Jan. 5, 2023. The mayor is term-limited so he cannot run for reelection.
"I will leave this office with a glad heart because I believe that today's Austin is a little bit more just and a little bit more prepared than the city that we inherited. And the city that we leave to our children and grandchildren is one that they will be proud to call home," Adler said during his address.
He also thanked the community for attending town hall meetings and making their voices heard during his time in office.
Seven candidates are running to replace him. Those candidates are Anthony Bradshaw, Phil Campero Brual, Celia Israel, Erica Nix, Gary S. Spellman, Jennifer Virden and Kirk Watson.
Austinites will choose their new mayor on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
You can watch the full address here:
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