2014 BAILEY STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

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State of the City 2014 Now that truly is the Riverside Way! Thank you all for that warm Riverside welcome and thank you for joining me here today in this stately Soldier's Memorial, especially all you students in the balcony. It doesn't get any better, than being mayor of your hometown! I am honored to be back in front of you once again, by demand of the city charter, and by invitation of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce. Thank you, Cindy Roth, Judy Carpenter and the entire chamber team, for putting this event together, and for your authentic partnership with the Mayor's Office. As the spokesperson for our city, it is my hope that this speech will act as a lens, providing you with insight into City decision - making and the perspective of your mayor. When I came before you last year for my first State of the City address, I shared with you my hopes for Riverside in 2013. What I didn't expect was that tragedy sometimes strikes amid hope. In the first part of 2013, our community suffered a terrible loss as a result of a tragic act of violence. And we grieved together. Please join me in paying tribute to fallen Officer Michael Crain and recognizing his loving widow, Regina, and thanking Officer Andy Tachias, and their families, for their service, and sacrifice, to our grateful city. But our city is nothing if not strong, resilient and forward - thinking. In 2013, together, we saved something very near and dear to us. Thank you Totally Mount Rubidoux, for organizing the effort to ensure our historic cross remains standing like a beacon of hope and strength over our blessed city. I can say to you with confidence, that my hopes for 2013 were realized: Riverside Seized Its Destiny. You all responded to last year's challenges, and seized your destiny, as a city that honors and builds on its assets, to become a location of choice, one that that catalyzes innovation in all forms, enjoys a high quality of life, and is unified in pursuing the common good. The Riverside Team responded with efficiency and professionalism to more than 200,000 calls for service, opened the new downtown fire station, completed another grade separation and increased our commitment to veterans and their families at Camp Anza. Our community came together to unveil the statue honoring Cesar Chavez on the Main Street Mall, to bring a network television show — "Splash" — to the new Riverside Aquatics Complex and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. Our elected officials on the state level — Senator Roth and Assembly members Medina and Linder — carried the football into the endzone with the UC Riverside School of Medicine. And we are poised for even better times ahead with the opening of the newly- renovated Riverside Convention Center. I can't wait for the community to get a look inside this landmark building that will attract visitors — and their wallets — to our city. And so I begin this State of the City Address where I left off last year - We really, are better, TOGETHER, in Riverside. 1