Maricopa State of the City Address | October 4, 2017 | Photographer Jonathan Williams

 

[quote_box_right]IF YOU GO
What: State of the City
When: Oct. 24, 6 p.m.
Who: Mayor Christian Price
Where: Maricopa City Hall, 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza
How much: Free
Info: Maricopa-AZ.gov[/quote_box_right]Bragging points and hopeful predictions always comprise the annual State of the City address. All that changes, sometimes only slightly, are the topics.

Mayor Christian Price is prepared to deliver the goods again at this week’s address, set for Wednesday at City Hall, but with the entertainment value for which his particular presentations have become known. The address is part speech, part PowerPoint and part video, with help from councilmembers and staff.

“Every year, it’s like, how are we going to top last year?” Price said.

Last year’s zipline entrance followed the previous year’s pseudo-skydiving entry and theme. This time, in the middle of increased pressure to improve State Route 347, the presentation is taking the famous last words from the movie “Back to the Future”: “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

Transportation will be a topic, of course, both in what has happened during the past year (voter approval for a county transportation improvement plan) and what may happen in the future (a funding mechanism for the county transportation improvement plan). The city also continued to evolve its transit system, including the installation of six bus shelters.

Big on the list of accomplishments was the beginning of construction on the SR 347 overpass at the Union Pacific tracks.

“That’s a $55 million project that’s literally being built before our eyes,” Price said. “Two years ago, people were still saying it was not going to happen.

“It doesn’t happen until it happens.”

The mayor said he will also be talking about everything from planned pickleball courts to infrastructure and the fire administration building. He will also focus on-behind-the-scenes activity at City Hall that is effecting change without being obvious to the outside.

“It doesn’t mean things aren’t moving underneath.”

The State of the Union starts at 6 p.m. It is free, but registration is requested as seating is limited.