Here's what I see all across this great city - people working together to make Boston a better place to live and to raise children, to grow and pursue dreams.Collection: Dreams
And for the city's birthday, we will host events in every neighborhood of the city, inviting all of our residents to share in the celebration of Boston's great epic - the story of neighbors who support one another where it matters most.Collection: Birthday
Preparing our city to achieve its destiny will require strong leadership.Collection: Leadership
2004 was a great year for Boston! The Patriots won the Super Bowl! Boston hosted its first national political convention! And - the Red Sox won the World Series!
And it was from Boston that one in every six American families began their journey into the land of the free.
One of our key strategies has been to restructure traditional high schools into small learning communities with personalized attention and a range of options.
I brought together experts from health care, business, academic institutions, and the community to develop a comprehensive blueprint for eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care in the City of Boston.
In the 1990s, we introduced Boston's community policing strategy. We reversed the tide of violent crime that threatened our city, and we established a national model for preventing and fighting crime.
We must be vigilant in our actions towards criminals, and innovative in our approach towards solving crime.
I'm proud to report that in 2004 alone, we approved 3,600 new units of housing - our best year ever!
Currently, Boston has only nine percent of the state's population - but we provide more than 16 percent of the jobs and 19 percent of the state's revenues.
Tonight, I am pleased to announce that I have secured $1 million from the Convention Host Committee to fund the beautification of Boston's neighborhoods.
Let's use the energy of this historic year to propel us toward our shared vision of a greater Boston.
It's like an Alcatraz around my neckCollection: Silly
I'm driven. I have the opportunity to change people's lives.Collection: Suicide
He was a man of great statueCollection: Silly
I grew up with a Christmas tree, I'm going to stay with a Christmas tree.Collection: Christmas