Mayor James J. Fiorentini > Press Release

Mayor Announces State of the city speech Wednesday February 4

Mayor James J. Fiorentini today announced that the State of city speech will be given next Wednesday, at 6:30 Pm.  The Mayor is breaking with tradition and holding the speech outside of city hall at Conover Hall at Zion Bible College.  It appears to be the first time that a State of the city speech has been given in Bradford and may be the first time it was given outside of city hall. 

The Mayor said that he chose Zion Bible College in order to highlight what he called one of the city’s greatest triumphs in bringing Zion Bible College to Haverhill.  In addition, the Mayor said he chose a neighborhood for the speech to outline the city’s commitment to improving neighborhoods. 

The Mayor said that his speech would highlight a number of success stories in the city over the past few years including Zion, Forest City, Target, Lowe's and most recently, Southwick Clothing. 

The Mayor said that the speech would also address the recent budget crisis, and would offer the broad outlines of a plan to meet the challenge. 

“I will outline how with strong leadership, fiscal discipline and a common sense of shared sacrifice, we can get through this fiscal crisis, just as we got through the crisis of the Hale debt five years ago.  

“The fiscal crisis that is before us is worldwide.  It is a manageable crisis because we have worked for years to impose fiscal discipline on the city.  We have reformed the health care system, reorganized city government, cut the number of employees in the city resisted the urge to spend every nickel, and built up our reserves to their largest point in years.  Had we not taken the steps we took this crisis would be a catastrophe. 

As it stands, we have some very difficult budget choices to make, and we will make them.  Before making them, I welcome input from those with ideas on how to meet this deficit.  I recognize that everything that is being proposed will controversial.  It is the job of leaders to offer solutions, even when they are not popular.”