I thoroughly enjoyed attending Mayor Bogaard’s State of the City address. It proved to be a very educational and interesting experience. We were treated to a great presentation from one of Pasadena’s jewels, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It was very engaging and gave the audience a better understanding of some of the amazing things JPL does. We also got the chance to go on a tour of the city on the ARTS buses with KPAS a local news station. We traveled to city hall, The Department of Water and Power, The Rose Bowl and many more places all from our seats in the auditorium in Caltech. Now to the Mayor’s speech. In his speech, he discussed the past, present, and future goals of the city.

The overall theme was very positive and showcased the great successes of the city in 2012. The Mayor discussed the renovation of the Rose Bowl, our impressive record of keeping a balanced budget since 2008, and transportation projects. He went on to speak of his goals for the future which included some visitor accommodations, the school-city work plan, as well as creating a more industrial city. I learned so much about the city, some transitions that are being made in the city and about past successes. I am very satisfied with my experience at the state of the city address and I look forward to attending next year.