One year ago today -- at this very hour -- we gathered inside this Performing Arts Complex for the Inauguration, ushering in a new mayoral administration, a new city council, and new city auditor, all with new hopes, new goals, and new ideas.

Confronting an historic, soaring deficit and a sagging economy, this group of newcomers faced a tough climb up a steep mountain. So, we did the only thing we could: we asked for help -- help from our citizens and help from city employees.

A year later, the summit is still a long way off, but I think we have climbed farther than any of us thought possible. Of course, we had a pretty good head start -- thanks to the work of Mayor Federico Pena and Mayor Wellington Webb and in particular, Mayor Webb's help in ensuring a smooth transition into office.

I want to thank my partners -- our dedicated City Council -- and the thousands of committed city employees who have faced the challenge of doing more with less and have gracefully exceeded all expectations.

But more than that, I want to thank the people of Denver, who have helped us in so many ways: some small, some large, all important. If we have had any success, we owe it all to you.

Together, we brought a new pragmatic, nonpartisan approach to local politics. Our first year was characterized by action, purpose, a strong sense of urgency, endless energy and cheaper parking meters.

But the higher we climb, the longer the view and the more we see that needs to be done.

So we come together today to renew our collective commitment to taking the mountain two steps at a time; knowing that we must work even harder tomorrow than we did yesterday. Sweat, as it turns out, is a very effective catalyst for change. And, we're going to need it again this year.

Last fall, Denver voters passed a charter amendment enabling us -- for the first time -- to tie the city's compensation structure to the fiscal health of the city. Along with some very tough cuts -- and real sacrifices from our city workforce -- it enabled us to erase a $70 million deficit last year, without massive firings or reductions in services. That charter reform will help with the budget challenges ahead and enable us to modernize our personnel system.

Despite the progress made, we still have another year of hard decisions before us. But the tough issues we faced together in the first year built the momentum that will carry us forward to meet the challenges ahead.

Healthy Economy

Our guiding principle is the understanding that the key to a healthy community is a healthy economy.

From our economic development trip to California with Gov. Bill Owens to our successful negotiations with Frontier and United Airlines. From our regional marketing summit, to our efforts to attract more conventions and more international flights to Denver. From new development and job creation opportunities to the organizational and physical restructuring of our economic development department we have laid the groundwork for a healthy economy to grow.

If we learned anything from our experiences in Lower Downtown, it's that economic development and quality of life can go hand-in-hand. Every part of the city is different, but every part of the city deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Looking forward, Denver's Union Station holds the promise of becoming one of the finest transit hubs in America.

The plans for Gates-Cherokee and the Mountain View golf course site demonstrate how to leverage our investments in transit into smart, sustainable development.

Our unprecedented joint economic development agreement with Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer at HighPointe at DIA, as well as our collaborative efforts, with Aurora, Lakewood, and the leadership of Denver City Council, to return Colfax Avenue -- once America's longest and grandest Main Street -- to its historic glory, signify the powerful potential of regional cooperation. And I'd like to particularly thank Mayor Tauer for his leadership.

There are similar opportunities all over this city that we can transform into places where people can dream, work and play.

Development In The City

One such place is Dahlia Square. For more than 30 years, the Dahlia Square shopping center has stagnated. And for more than 20 years, the City of Denver has tried to redevelop it, while Northeast Park Hill waited for action. Today, the wait is over. We are pleased to announce that under the city's direction -- and thanks to the efforts of our economic development department, the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, and Council President Wedgeworth -- the nonprofit Inner-City Community Development Corporation has signed a contract to buy the Dahlia Square shopping center. Pending city council approval, we will begin the transformation of Dahlia Square into housing and neighborhood retail.

There are other places -- like Alameda Square in west Denver -- where we are committed to working with neighborhoods eager to expand their economic opportunities.

To facilitate these redevelopment efforts, we will continue to make our city government more business-friendly. This year, we overcame years of red tape and bureaucratic obstacles to adopt the International Building Codes, which will allow contractors, developers, and architects to know exactly what to expect when they come to do business in Denver.

We are streamlining our permitting processes. When complete -- and this will take some time -- some developers will choose Denver, not just for the market opportunities, but for the savings achieved through our efficient processs. We will review plans with all essential people at the same time, rather than in lengthy procession. We will limit the changes the City can make after the review process, except in circumstances involving risks to health and safety. And we will cross-train our staff, creating efficiencies in time and resources -- from plan reviews to inspections.

We will continue to support small businesses. We have streamlined the certification process for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, so that a single application is recognized by both the city and the state. We will create a one-stop small business assistance center, in partnership with the Small Business Administration and the State, where small businesses can find the support they need. I want to particularly thank the governor, and his staff, for their partnership on both of these initiatives.

FasTracks

Our commitment to economic growth and quality of life can find no greater expression than the 119 new miles of commuter and light rail that FasTracks will provide to the metro region. Denver has a history of making bold transportation choices. In the 19th century, it was railroads. In the 20th century, it was Denver International Airport. And, now, it's FasTracks. Rail to DIA. Rail and Bus Rapid Transit to Boulder and the northern suburbs. Rail to Jefferson County and Aurora. All connecting with the existing southeast and southwest corridors.

DIA had many doubters, but Mayor Pena and Governor Roy Romer had a vision for this region's future. This year J.D. Powers named it the No. 1 airport in the country -- and No. 2 in the world, in terms of customer satisfaction. Low cost carriers are growing faster at DIA than at any other of the nation's top airports, and DIA is the only major airport in the country to see a decline in air fares for nine consecutive quarters.

Simply put, the airport has had a lot to do with making the region what it is today and FasTracks will have everything to do with making us the region we can be tomorrow.

Education

We can build a strong economy, but we will have failed if our children are not prepared to take part in it. Education connects to every challenge we face, and every success we achieve.

One year ago tonight many of you joined us at the Botanic Gardens for our inaugural celebration. Together, we raised nearly $300,000 for the Denver Public Schools Foundation and after-school programs. That was only the beginning. I want to thank Superintendent Jerry Wartgow -- as well as Elaine Gantz Berman, Bruce Benson and so many others -- for welcoming me to their team.

Together, we focused our collective energy on Cole Middle School. We saw hundreds of kids show up for tutoring every Saturday morning, even though they didn't have to. We saw hundreds of volunteers show up every Saturday to tutor, even though they could have been skiing. Whether Cole passes their CSAP tests or not, we are not going to quit. In fact, we will be expanding this Saturday tutoring program to three additional middle schools next year.

Some of the most valuable time I have spent as mayor has been my weekly visits to our schools. We have great gifts in this city. The smile of a child inspired by the promise of college, the visionary courage of our teachers' adopting a performance compensation system that will be a model for the rest of the country, and the commitment of our community who voted overwhelmingly to pass last year's bond initiative and mill levy.

We can't stop here. If I do nothing else in my time as mayor, I want to ensure that Denver can provide the highest quality early childhood education to the greatest number of children, and I want to ensure that the promise of college is open to every one of our public school graduates. It's going to take a lot of work from the private, nonprofit, and government sectors to get this done, but it will be one of the best investments this city will ever make.

As the demographics in our schools continue to change, we must respond in ways that create harmony, not conflict. We are partnering with Montbello High School's "Bridges of Understanding" initiative, which will bring together students from different communities to learn about each other, and we will convene on Oct. 20, the mayor's first-ever Summit on Latino Academic Achievement.

The Mayor's Office for Education and Children will also launch "The 5-by-5 Project," an initiative to enable every HeadStart child in the city to experience five cultural institutions by the age of five.

Scientific and Cultural Arts

And while we are on the subject of cultural access, the seven-county Denver metro area can renew its commitment to the vitality of our arts and cultural amenities this November. The Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, or SCFD, produces over $30 million a year for more than 300 cultural institutions throughout the region. These entities generate over $1 billion for the region each year, employ over 7,000 people, and attract both tourists and businesses to our region.

Enhancing our quality of life and strengthening our sense of community were our goals for One Book, One Denver. The program engaged over 25,000 people, and served as a model of collaborative partnerships, bringing together over 30 private sector and nonprofit partners who donated roughly $1 million in cash and in-kind services.

Just over my shoulder is the Newton Auditorium, which with its Ellie Caulkins Opera House, is another great public-private partnership. Along with the nearby Colorado Convention Center expansion and the Convention Center Hotel, these projects will reinvigorate the already bright and bustling arts and entertainment district around us.

Arts and culture and collaborative partnerships are vitally important to our city, but it is our unique neighborhoods that make Denver the place we call home.

New Parks, New Neighborhoods

Over the past year, Denverites have come together to welcome new parks and recreation facilities into their neighborhoods. We celebrated the re-opening of the greatly enhanced and expanded Montclair Recreation Center in Lowry; the opening of the Ashland Indoor Pool facility in northwest Denver; the completed renovation of the Greek Amphitheater in Civic Center Park, and tomorrow -- we will celebrate the re-opening of the completely renovated Skyline Park. Over 200 neighborhood residents participated in the groundbreaking for the Argo Park Pool in Globeville, scheduled to open next summer. And this August we will open the Green Valley Recreation Center Shared Use Facility, an innovative partnership with DPS that Jerry Wartgow and I discussed before I even ran for mayor. Together, we will ensure that Denver's parks and recreation facilities remain the jewels of our neighborhoods.

When it comes to the preservation and revitalization of our neighborhoods, Blueprint Denver -- and its recognition that land use and transportation are interconnected -- is our guiding vision. Our Planning, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Economic Development departments are working together to translate Blueprint Denver's goals into reality. We must look strategically at our transportation planning and our zoning rules and regulations to ensure that we are effectively carrying out the mission of Blueprint Denver.

We need to recognize that some of our neighborhoods suffer from a lack of infrastructure, opportunity and resources. Helping these targeted neighborhoods has long been the goal of Denver's Focus Neighborhoods Initiative, but in the coming years, we plan to kick it up a notch by targeting our most underserved neighborhoods' needs -- like unpaved alleys -- and addressing them head-on.

311 For All City Service Information

Our desire to provide the highest level of customer service, especially to our neighborhoods, propels us to implement a 311 customer service system, which we are announcing today. When completed within the next 18 to 24 months, the 311 call center will give citizens one simple number for all city services -- enabling them to make one call to obtain information, transact business, or make a service request and allowing us to track and monitor the services we provide.

Ending Homelessness

We are also committed to support those who don't have a neighborhood, those who don't have a home. Denver has embarked on an ambitious plan to end homelessness in 10 years. We formed a broad- based commission to develop real solutions; we opened a city office building for emergency winter shelter, and we have gone to Washington to seek more federal funding. Many nonprofits and neighborhoods have been our partners in these efforts, and I want to thank you for your compassion and commitment to ALL of Denver's citizens.

The safety of our neighborhoods and homes, of our schools and workplaces is a top priority throughout the city. In the coming year, we -- as a city -- are going to take up the issue of building a new Justice Center. After touring our overcrowded courts and detention facilities, the Urban Land Institute issued a report calling the conditions "appalling," a "danger" to courthouse visitors and jurors, and a "threat" to the constitutional rights of the accused. While we recognize the importance of diversionary programs, we must also move forward in creating a Justice Center that lives up to its name.

Police Reforms

For the past year, our conversations about public safety have been dominated by police shootings, and the ensuing pain and division that have resulted. We are determined not to let Denver be defined by these tragedies themselves, but rather, by our response to them.

In other forums, I have talked at length about the specific police reforms we have embarked upon this year. I will not say more about them specifically today, other than to point out that no administration in this city's history has done more to ensure that our police receive training in less lethal tactics and are equipped with an array of less lethal weapons than we have over the past year. But, we must -- and we will -- do more, including establishing strong and substantial civilian oversight.

Today, and in the months and years ahead, we as a City face an extraordinary test of our resolve to ensure that our people and our police officers return each night to the embrace of the loved ones who kiss them goodbye each morning. To do this, we need to do more than hire, equip, and train -- we need to remember how in the end we want to think of ourselves as human beings.

Since the shooting of Paul Childs, and in the wake of the shooting of Frank Lobato, I have often thought back to the famous words Bobby Kennedy spoke on April 4, 1968 -- the night Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed. What's so striking to me about these words -- which Kennedy spoke from the back of a flatbed truck in the freezing cold under the Indianapolis night sky -- is that in the face of the assassination of his brother six years earlier, the murder of Dr. King, and the crushing knowledge that he was living his own life on borrowed time ... even then .. Bobby Kennedy was unwilling to yield to the temptation of hatred, and instead embraced the unyielding power of love.

"What we need in the United States is not division," Bobby Kennedy said. "What we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country ... Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago; to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world."

As cities across the country burned, there were no riots in Indianapolis that night. I say to you today that invective and personal attacks, hatred and suspicion, prejudice and ignorance will not construct the change we all seek. We will make this change, and we will do it working with people of good will and generosity of spirit, whether they wear a uniform or not. We are up to this challenge, because the people of Denver are up to this challenge. I ask again for your help, and I offer you my absolute commitment to do everything I can to make things right.

We are joined here today by the governor and by mayors and other elected officials from across the region. Their presence testifies to a regional commitment to build innovative partnerships based on the understanding that the future prosperity of each of our communities is inherently linked. Our most important challenges and opportunities transcend geographic and political boundaries and our ultimate success or failure will be determined by our ability to build and sustain lasting partnerships with our neighbors throughout the region and the state.

As I look into the audience today, I also see many of my 50 appointees, who through their hard work have made the first year possible. Much has been said about our team's diversity, not just in terms of ethnicity, gender, age or sexual orientation -- but also in terms of their professional backgrounds and life experiences. We have brought together private sector executives, nonprofit leaders, and government innovators from around the country to challenge the status quo and deliver measurable results. They energize and inspire me every day, and I thank them for their dedication and commitment to Denver. With the right people in the right places, and with a city workforce committed to excellence, we can set an ambitious agenda for the years ahead.

So, here we are, in the place where our journey began together one year ago. Today, we no longer stand at the bottom of the mountain. And yet, we still have a great distance to go. But our job is not just to climb mountains -- it's to move them. And I pledge to you today, as we embark on the second year of our administration, that we WILL move mountains to get the job done.