COLUMBUS – Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther says the city is on a path to a “full-throttle” comeback after more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his virtual “State of the City” address last night, the Democratic mayor described the city’s recovery from the pandemic and the economic shutdown as “an equitable, full-throttle, better-than-we’ve-ever been comeback.”
He sounded a theme of a unity in what he was still a “divided city” in a divided nation.
“We need to move together toward dynamic, inclusive growth and shared prosperity for everyone,” he said in a message aired on the city’s YouTube channel.
Ginther mayor outlined plans to address neighborhood violence by investing in youth programs, including an additional $500,000 commitment to diversion programs, and calling on neighboring communities to follow suit.
Ginther vowed to cut in half the number of Columbus residents paying 50% or more for their housing by 2030.
He also pointed to the appointment of a civilian review board and the hiring of a new police chief as indications of the city’s efforts toward police reform.