it is not a tail and interestingly the government only cited in its brief one aniston's for all of today's. here justice. >> 100 times o equals zero. there is no invasion of privacy for one day there is no invasion of privacy 100 days. that maybe unreasonable police conduct the affairs of invasion of privacy there is no invasion of privacy span by justice scalia, a gps on anybody's car without a warrant is like it is like you are not able to get rid of the uninvited guests strangers. >> so is a tale of. do that for one month. >> but the question is if they wanted a tail and

commit the resources but the gps allows the government to engage in the unlimited surveillance through a machine robotic leave. and the record showed that many times the police officers let the machine to go on. >> where do draw the line if it is only used to track the movements for one day or 12 hours or three hours? would that be all right? >> our position is no circumstances should a gps be allowed to put on somebody's car. . .

by the way and, jimmy econ happy birthday. [applause] public advocate and presidents and incidentally helen marshall was a graduate of this high school. [applause] we have some of our district attorneys. i didn't see you there before.

and members of the city council and state legislature and some congress people here. thank you all and my fellow new yorkers, it is great to be in the bronx. [applause] this is the place of legends like injustice when sonya sotomayor and mario rivera and it was also the home of the future superstars like the members of the high school latin band. [applause] the ps 32 chorus and the cultic dreams dance. r&d fantastic? [applause] now, it is a city that is the capital innovation, and this one has given us some of the world's great authors, architects not to mention the pioneers of hip-hop

and salsa. [applause] let us host the green bay packers see plenty of salsa dancing on sunday. the [applause] the bronx have always been a guru of innovators and that we can see most recently in the students here at the academy for collaborative studies, who built a m. -- [applause] they built this award winning message and have the message right. hauer about the robot club? they deserve a round of applause. [applause] now, it's an honor to be introduced by a teacher like ishmael. what an inspirational story. and by the bronx president, with

ruben diaz, jr.. thank you so much. [applause] no matter what you read about reubin, we work together on an awful lot of things and it's also a great pleasure to be here , gouveneur campus. in case you don't recall your history he was a founding father of this country from this section of the bronx, hence morrisania and is credited with drafting much of the constitution and putting the phrase that still defines the spirit of our great nation: we've the people. and that's the spirit that has defined our work in new york city over the past decade and has allowed us to accomplish great things. for instance, and 2011, we said we would fight to make marriage equality a reality across the state and thanks to the leadership of governor cuomo and both parties of the legislature and the hard work of my chief policy advisor, we did that. [applause]

today new yorkers are free to marry the person they love. in 2012 we said we would work to bring taxi service to all five boroughs, and again, thanks to the governor and legislature, especially the bronx assemblyman carl hasty and also david yassky and michah lasher needed. [applause] and in partnership with speaker christine quinn and the city council, we did. [applause] we said we would make new york city safer and healthier than ever and with the commissioners kelly and cassano leading the way, we did it again. [applause] in fact, in fact in 2011 we had the lowest traffic fatalities in history. near record lows and the facilities and of life expectancy rates that are far

surpassing the nation. we said we would place a record number of new yorkers on jobs and with the commissioner leading our small business services, we did. yes, you can applaud. [applause] we said we would launch the most comprehensive effort to connect black and latino men to jobs and education. and thanks to the deputy give this and our commissioners and the support received from george soros, we did. [applause] we said we would seek to attract a world-class university to build the science and engineering campus here in the ec president and deputy mayor of steel, and we did. [applause] we said we would open a new section of the high line, break ground on the new whitney museum and complete the expansion of the museum of the moving image and because of the leadership of the commanders amanda burden and kate ligon and kathryn oliver, we did. [applause]

we said we'd open the 9/11 memorial in time for the tenth anniversary of the attacks and thanks to a great american who served this country in world war ii and has served our country and our city ever since, john whitehead, we did. [applause] thanks to all those leaders and so many other members of the outstanding work force in all of our partners in the private sector we accomplish big things in 2011. but don't worry. we have even bigger plans for 2012. beginning -- [applause] you becerra. the beginning of our agenda for the year ahead is actually written right here in the history of this school. gouveneur morris hi was created of the school reform law of the team 96. 116 years ago when the reform law was being debated. there were protests, rallies,

controversies; sound familiar? welcome here we are today because the work of school reform -- as difficult as it can be -- is still far from done. and now what is more important than ever. [applause] nine years ago this month, on martin luther king, jr.'s birthday i gave a speech outlining our plan to transform a badly broken school system. back then, the graduation rate had been stuck at 50% or less for decades. a violent crime, social promotion, hiring based on political connections -- they all played our schools. parents had few to choices about where to send their children to school and they had even less information about how a school was performing. the worst part was many people have stopped believing that anything in our schools could never get better. well, i know you didn't believe

that coming and we don't believe that either. together, we took a broken system, we took it on by stressing accountability and innovation and ending social promotion, and we have made real progress in turning it around. today graduation rates are of 40% since 2005 versus just 8% in the rest of the state, the whole state of new york. the biggest gains have been made by black and hispanic students whose graduation rates are up more than 50%. [applause] we cut the dropout rate in school crime nearly in half and we've given our parents for more information about their kids' schools and four more top quality school choices. in fact, a recent study by a nonpartisan brookings institution found that we have now the most effective school choice program of any large district in the nation. that's right, the most effective in the united states of america. [applause]

by almost any measure, students are doing better and our school system is heading in the right direction. now of course we still have a long way to go. no doubt about that. but today tens of thousands of students who may have ended up on street corners or in prison at the old system had remained in place or now and colleges are starting their careers. just think about where we are today. ten years ago, the fresh abrasion rate here at morris high was only 27%. now, two-thirds of students graduate and for years, and three-fourths graduate within six years. [applause] and i have to say, those students who purser feared beyond four years -- often while dealing with family obligations or language barriers -- really deserve to be celebrated, because their determination and drive, their hunger for a better life mix their accomplishments,

i think, even more impressive. [applause] we have to students with us today who are on track to graduate and i would like to ask them and the teachers and administrators to stand up. [applause] the success over students have achieved i think demonstrates the promise of education reform. but the unemployment in the neighborhood surrounding the school demonstrates the urgency of fulfilling that promise now, for all students in all schools throughout our city. in point is higher in the bronx than any other borough. people here want to work but jobs are hard to come by. and in too many cases where jobs do exist, they require skills and diplomas that put many of them out of reach for many

people. for my generation, a high school diplomas often enough to get a good job and enter the middle class. today, graduating without the grades to go to college or the skills to enter a trade generally means a low-wage job with limited prospects. or for far too many, it means the beginning of a life of unemployment and crime. we just cannot allow that to happen. if you come from a middle class family, as i do, and if you believe that education is the ticket to middle class, as i do, then there is just no peacekeeping the fact that we cannot accept failing schools. and we cannot accept excuses for inaction or delay. all across this city we face the same challenge -- the challenge of building a 21st century economy and building the 21st century public schools that can drive it. it is the challenge of our time, and how well we need it will define the state of our city for generations to come.

so today, i would like to share with you the new strategy is that we will adopt in 2012 to meet that challenge, and they all center on making our schools, our economy, our government the most innovative in the world. let's start with our schools. the education reforms we have pioneered over the past decade, no matter what the naysayers say, have been widely adopted by school systems across the nation, but this year we will be putting our foot on the gas and picking up the pace. because we have to be honest with ourselves. we have only climbed halfway up the mountain, and halfway isn't good enough. we want all of our children to see the view from the top, to see the world of possibilities that stretch out before them. now, getting there won't be easy. the claim gets steeper the higher you go. but we cannot allow fear of what lies ahead to stop us, we cannot allow obstacles to slow us down, and we cannot allow those who prefer the comforts of the base

camp to the acceleration of the summit to horseback. we have to charge ahead. our children deserve to make it to the top of the mountain. and we owe it to them to help guide them there. [applause] today, with chancellor dennis walcott leading the way, we are setting off for the summit. a summit that no other big city in america has ever reached. but if any city can come it is new york city. the course we are charting involves five major steps and let me briefly outline each. step number one, the single most important factor in a student's progress is the effectiveness of the classroom teacher, and we are going to find new ways to attract, every word and retain great teachers. [applause] we already have thousands of

great teachers, some of the best in the world. and i have enormous respect for the extraordinary personal investments that they make in our students. over the past ten years, we've worked hard to invest in them by expanding professional development and raising their base salaries by 43%. a teacher hired in 2002 ready starting salary of $31,000 can now make $78,000, similar to what their peers in the suburbs make. [applause] this year we will attract teachers by helping with their college loans. the burden of paying back college loans can sometimes lead koppel will students to cross teaching of the list of possible careers. but we need their talent in our classrooms. our kids need them and so we are proposing to create an incentive to anyone that finishes college in the top tier of the class. come teach in our schools. if you commit to stay, we will

pay off up to $25,000 of your student loans. our teachers deserve that and so do our children. [applause] the marketplace keeps showing us that we have to be competitive if we are going to attract the best and as everyone knows, college loans that become a major issue for our young people. we expect the uft will support the the part of education in this effort. but if not, there are other ways to achieve it through the private sector. one way or another we will attract those talented teachers to the [applause] we also want to retain the best teachers by offering them a big raise. and today, we are making an offer to all york city teachers. if you are rated highly effective two consecutive years, we will hide your salary by $20,000 per year. now, historic the teachers'

unions around the country suppose rewarding great teachers for the merit pay. but more and more teachers are asking why. and we have seen how well this can work in other cities. a recent article in "the new york times" explain how cities with merit pay have found that rewarding great teachers keeps them from leaving the system. again, our teachers deserve that and so do our children. and with -- yes. [applause] and with an evaluation system now required by law, regarding great teachers out an idea whose time has come and we hope the uft will join us in this effort because it is the right thing to do for our schools and for our teachers. [applause] of excellence deserves to be reported and compensated. how do we determine which teachers are highly effective? that brings us to step number two in the journey to the mountaintop.

here again, we are building on the word that we have already done. two years ago we directed principles to adopt a more rigorous tenure evaluation system. these to be 97 present for teachers got just a matter of course many of them deserved but others did not. it should be something that is earned, not automatically granted, and now that is exactly what is happening in new york city. [applause] principles decide who should and should not get tenure with the school superintendent signing off on it and last june the percentage of teachers receiving tenure dropped from almost every one receiving it, 97%, to about half of them receiving it, 57%. it doesn't mean the rest will earn it some day we have a big investment in them, but we are raising the bar for teachers just as br for students. we are going to reserve for students will not raise it for teachers to the [applause] and this year we will do more to

make sure every classroom has an effective teacher and to remove those who just don't make the grade. [applause] the changes we've made in the schools, evaluating teachers is one area where unfortunately we have to report nothing has changed. teachers continue to simply be rated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. it is a past the old system with a 98% pass rate. our students don't have the luxury of being raided past fail. and neither do people in other professions who have to make a living to see their family. and neither should our teachers. the the date over teacher's evaluation began when the obama administration rightly made them part of the race to the top grant competition. to qualify for the money the state passed a law requiring the district to adopt a teacher evaluation systems. but the law gave the unions the

veto authority. does the governor recently said, the lot just hasn't worked. like many other districts around the state, we are at an impasse and let's be clear about what the stakes are. a recent study by harvard and columbia economists found students with effective teachers are less likely to become pregnant, more likely to go to college and more likely to get higher paying jobs. nick christoff as a column about it today and the new york times. i urge everyone to read it. great teachers make an enormous difference and ineffective teachers are hurting our students future. we cannot allow that to the [applause] common sense says unfortunately not every teacher is a great teacher. we have to help those that need the help, and if they can't get help, then we have just got to say are we here for the teachers or for the stones and i know what side on the imm on. [applause] we need to be able to identify

those ineffective teachers and give them the support they need to grow. i want them to stay in the system and i want them to work but that doesn't work, we need to be able to move them out coming and we have to do it now. waiting another year or two years for a decade would be sending a whole bunch of kids out into the world with all the skills they need to enjoy the great american dream. a real evaluation system that is based on measurable improvement in student performance and principal assessment and allows us to make real changes as the only way that we can do that. now we have a model that works well when deciding tenure and this should be the basis the same similar process. but when we try to get approval for just such a system, for just 43 struggling schools, 43 out of 1700, the you left he insisted on provisions the would make it even harder to remove an effective teachers, not easier but harder. we are supposed to be going in the other direction. as a result, those 33 schools have just lost 58 million-dollar

school improvement grants from the state. if nothing changes it could cost students hundreds of millions of dollars in federal race to the top funds. i can tell you this. we are not going to accept that. we are not going to wait around while they remain in the schools. [applause] under the school turnaround program, already authorized by federal and state law and consistent with the provision of the existing new york city uft contract the city can form school based committees to evaluate teachers on merit and replace it to 50% of the faculty if it is merited. under the process the best teachers say the least effective goes and now that is exactly what will happen. we move the 33 schools that should have gotten state grants and we believe that when we take this action we will have

fulfilled the stat requirements and the schools will be eligible for the 58 million-dollar funding. [applause] the students in the 33 schools desert effective teachers and so does every student in every school. our 1.1 million schoolchildren just cannot afford to wait. there is too much at stake. there is too much at stake and we will not let them down. [applause] now, step number three in the journey involves continuing to give parents even more talk of the school choices. the four new schools here the morris campus on among the 500 schools we created over the past decade including 139 new charter schools. and this year we will phase out another 25 schools and open small schools in the same buildings. all told all our goal was to open 100 new schools over the

next two years including 50 charters and we will do that by asking a most successful charter schools operators to expedite their expansion plans including kid the academy and the success academy networks. we will also begin recording a high-quality charter school operators who have yet to come to new york, and i'm glad today to announce that one of the most successful rocket ship has just committed to opening schools right here in new york city. [applause] step number four in the journey will prepare students for what awaits them at top. college and careers. today for too many of our graduates are leaving without the skills they need to 6 cents succeed beyond high school. not every student wants to go to college nor do the right to every student but all students should leave prepared to succeed in the next phase of their lives. over the past year we work with the state to realign the region exam with college readiness

standards, and that will happen in the years ahead. at or students can't wait. and in the weeks ahead, we will make every public school student complete new study lessons and assignments involve math and literacy that involve the kind of critical thinking skills that are aligned to the college readiness standards and we will share the results of their work with parents at parent-teacher conferences this march. [applause] we are going to begin doing intensive college and career readiness work with 40 additional high schools as part of the young men's alliance as well, the young man's initiative of the department of education we will continue forming partnerships that expose students to exciting career pathways. for instance, last september we opened an innovative new school in partnership with ibm that focuses on computer science. i don't know how many of you know about it but it is a six year high school. it goes grade nine through 14. that's right, nine through 14. so the students graduate with a

degree and an associate's degree and they also get a place in line for a job at ibm. it is a forward we of thinking. [applause] it's a whole new way of thinking about secondary school based on today's economic realities. and now, thanks to the support we plan to open a three more schools using this exact same model, one of them right here in the bronx. [applause] in addition with support from the venture capitalist fred wilson this september will open a software engineering academy one of your own teachers from stivers in high school and we are honored to have both read and mike with us today. [applause] the new school will be located in union square the home to a growing community that includes companies like the general assembly. and these are the kind of companies we want our students to work for or to start. and to encourage the next

generation of entrepreneurs in every field we've launched a pilot for the students developing business plans with other students how about the world. over the next two years we will open at least a dozen new career and technical the education programs aligned with the trends in the global economy students will get out of school internships tailored around their course work in the interests. to this, we do need more private sector partners. in the recent weeks many of our city's leading corporate citizens have joined a mentoring program for high school students called on a mentor. it's part of our initiative innovative effort with the service to reduce school truancy to the and issuing a second challenge to them and to the leaders of our hospitals, hotels, businesses, nonprofits, every kind of organization including our growing technical community. join us in this effort to connect high school students to the career paths and one of the

companies that has always agreed to participate i'm proud to say is bloomberg. i'm glad i still have some poll over there. [applause] i can tell you from personal experience how much an internship means when i was in high school i was lucky enough to get a job working for a small electronics company and the job is the only reason i applied to johns hopkins university and without it, i am not sure where i would be today. i am pretty sure i wouldn't be kissing lady gaga on new year's eve. [applause] the fifth and final step for our journey to the educational mountaintop is making sure that when our children are ready to continue their education and training they can afford to do this and under new partnerships with the obama administration we will be informing about which of our students helping to attend college fail to apply for federal financial aid and help make sure we get the applications in. [applause]

we will also help lead the charge for the new york state gerry to. some children who are brought here illegally -- [applause] the children who are brought here illegally can apply to the state-sponsored college loans, grants and scholarships. look, we can't blame them for being brought here as intense or teens and since they are going to be here to stay, it is in the new york city's best interest to make sure that they become productive members of the society. i took out loans to get to college. [applause] i took out loans to get to college. i know how important that money is and i believe that all of our students should be eligible for the financial lead the need to succeed and if they succeed, we

will succeed. [applause] they are not just about a politics they are about children. when we sit down there are two groups in the room. the u.s. t and our school children. they are who we work for and we will. we have an obligation to stand up for their lives, their future, their hopes and dreams. their voices, the voice we listen to, and i felt all of us should hear it today. ♪ i would like to be a baseball player. a pile wet. >> new york city, home of aspiration. to be the mayor or a least somebody that works with the president.

>> education to respect my favorite is science. >> social studies. nafta. writing. >> new york city, capital of innovation. i would invent the kind of flight that could move and change the place. spec i would invent beans so that if other people need beans they can eat beans. >> medicine to cure all sicknesses >> that equality, what education matters. ♪ [applause] >> these are the leaders of

tomorrow, the doctors, lawyers, the mayors. they will lead the economy of tomorrow. if we give them the tools to dewitt putative and if we begin building the economy right here and now. that is the second major challenge i would like to address. making our economy a global capital of innovation for the 21st century. last month we took a big step to redefining our economic future to begin by forming a historic partnership with cornell university and the institute of technology to build a new science and campus on roosevelt island. [applause] building the new campus will generate up to 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent jobs and those are not just the ph.d. but for building stuff and office workers and every other discipline in the middle. cornell will also create educational programs for 10,000 of our new york city public

school students and 200 of our new york city public-school teachers annually. partnership i'm happy to say will begin this fall. they don't have to wait until they build a building. they are running states and doing it now. [applause] and it's going to be a transformative project. today we are glad to be joined by the dean of computing and information science at cornell and the director-general. [applause] as we work to create the jobs of tomorrow, we will also plan for and create the space that companies need to grow. in lower manhattan we will work with pat and david samson at the port authority to keep progress going on the new towers of the world trade center to get on the far west side we will work with bringing the new jobs and housing and we will complete the signature theater's new home on 42nd street. and the area around grand

central will work with the city council on the package for tiberi changes and incentives that will attract new investment, new companies and new jobs. to expand the space for the film and digital media companies we will open a new incubator that will help us build on the last year's records success and film and television and continue to compete with hollywood for post-production business. [applause] and we are launching the new non-profit called space works that would create long-term affordable rehearsal studio space for artists citywide in putting on the governor's island. [applause] as we planned for future growth we will also create the jobs new york needs today. here in the bronx the first wave of the 2,000 construction workers will break ground on the next great shopping destination the $270 million mall at the plaza will open their first east

coast plan with more than 100 new yorkers go to work assembling the the zero emission trucks and vans. a new supermarket -- we have more to go on the bronx. a new supermarket store offices and charter school will bring 200 new jobs to the long vacant spot in the bronx of on 149th street. we will begin renovating work on the bronx river arts center creating a new media center photography studios and galleries. we will begin reforming the east road to allow for more private investment and export economic development possibilities on webster avenue. and to do that, we are working as a group of neighbors we call the blogs called the new york botanical garden, the bronx zoo, the medical center, and of course the emerging basketball powerhouse. [applause] i knew the father could do it. just don't ask him dhaka

football team. and if anybody thinks that reubin diaz and his administration have been to working just listen to the list we came up with. we have been working together. we are also stepping up efforts to keep some 3600 good paying jobs where they belong, at the produce market. [applause] new jersey is seeking a big picture of the market away. but we are fully committed to modernizing the market and keeping those jobs here. so today, in partnership with speaker christine we are getting the $25 million to what will now be the city's 87 million-dollar commitment to rebuild the market. [applause] and that's not the only big news here in the bronx. we are also launching a new effort to bring jobs to the most talked-about empty building that cambridge hari. [applause]

and in collaboration with reubin today we are releasing the request for the proposals for the new operator of the army. when you're putting aside our differences to do what is best for the city and that is what leadership is all about. it's not about a series of running argument. it's about getting things done. we've heard from a variety of interested parties including those who want to develop its recreational space and we are hopeful that the cambridge armory system for some 15 years will soon be transformed due to a place that benefits the community and in place, and the members. [applause] in every borough in 2012 will bring new jobs online and make investments that will attract more visitors. in queens, jeff will open its new headquarters in long island city. and the expansion of the queens museum of art will double its size. on staten island we will create

a new blue-collar friend of the industrial business zone and redesigned the aquarium and we will help break ground on a major apartment and retail development at the home port creating more than 1100 construction jobs. in brooklyn, more blue-collar jobs will come to the waterfront both in sunset park and the navy yard. we will bring new jobs to county island the new rise and attractions and the war played center at the atlantic bringing big league sports back to the row where they belong. [applause] these attractions will also bring even more tourists to the city. last year we had a record of 50 million. but you and i know we can do better. this is new york city. there are countless foreign tourists who want to come to this duty to the committee only to find it painfully difficult to secure the visa. that is not only hurting them it is hurting us by costing us jobs

at a time when so many of our people are out of work that is just unacceptable. so this year we will work with senator schumer and jul brandt to make it easier to get tourist visas especially for those coming from the growing markets like india, china and brazil. millions of people not want to spend money in our hotels, restaurants and stores. we shouldn't stand in their way. now, as we create those new jobs it will also do more to help new yorkers fill those jobs. last year the city's work force career center made a record 35,000 job placement. this year we will help even more new yorkers find work with for new work force centers and all free public library systems. [applause] to obtain licenses and certifications the need to find work here and in the city. we will create an incubator that will offer foreign entrepreneurs the tools and legal support they

need to develop their businesses right here and increased opportunity for the cities, minorities and women owned business is so that those firms can compete for and win more city contracts. [applause] most important of all we are going to mount a major new effort to help the new yorkers who defended our nation's freedoms find the jobs and housing the desert. today there are some 9,000 unemployed veterans in our city. it is no excuse for that. and that is why this year with the help of the robin hood foundation our work force centers will offer new services to connect to veterans to jobs. [applause] and and we will work with a property management called urban america to attract more private landlords to the rental discount programs they run for returning veterans. our men and women in uniform stood up for our country and now it is our duty to stand up for

them. [applause] [applause] the cost of housing is something many new yorkers struggle with since the national recession in 2007 the cost of living in new york city like everyplace else has gone up. but not just housing, food, transit and all of the key parts of the family budget. but there's one thing in all fairness that hasn't gone up, the ability of those of the bottom of the economic ladder to pay for those in essential needs. [applause] in america we want people to work. we want them to set the alarm

clock and punch the time clock. that's what america is all about, being in charge of your own destiny and working your way up. and that is why we want to incentivize work through programs like the earned income tax credit. you work, we help. the minimum wage is another way to help those who can only find jobs with entry-level wages by incentivizing and recording -- rewarding work. like the eitc, it helps those who are trying to help themselves. setting up the minimum wage is a balancing act as we all know. setting it up so people can get by on it without having a negative economic impact. right now, i believe that we are slightly out of balance. the genius of the free market is always perfect. two of our neighbors, connecticut and massachusetts have raised their minimum wage above the federal standard to address the higher cost of living to the and so while we prefer the federal government to act to keep us competitive, this year our administration will join with the speaker shall the silver in pushing for a response

will raise the minimum wage. [applause] our city just cannot afford to wait for washington. not when it comes to illegal guns, not when it comes to climate change, not when it comes to creating jobs, and not when it comes to raising the minimum wage. [applause] now, economic studies have shown that raising the minimum wage can reduce youth employment. and so we will work to counteract that by continuing to increase our summer youth employment opportunities and to drive at the heart of the unemployment problem we will go to the neighborhoods where the problem is the worst like here in the south bronx and central brooklyn we will launch a new effort to mobilize the businesses, community groups, nonprofits and the city agencies to create new job opportunities in those communities. for instance with a young man's

initiative we will develop opportunities for them to earn a while they learn the skills required by a knowledge economy. we will also create incubator's especially to help low-income entrepreneurs get off the ground. if we can succeed in raising employment in the most depressed neighborhoods, and i believe we can, we can not only improve people's lives, not only the safety and stability of those neighborhoods, we can build on the work of the center for economic opportunity in helping the next generation of residents practice cycle of poverty that has plagued those communities for too long. [applause] make no mistake about when you are going to have to work, but if you work, we are there to help. if ever there was a community that knows how powerful targeted investments can be it's where we are today right here in the south bronx. this area was once so amanda and that it was compared to dresden after world war ii. today the south bronx is a

poster child for the urban revitalization and one of the people who really deserves enormous credit for that is with us today. [applause] now, i will get a lot of grief afterwards if i don't once again urge you to take the bridge on your way home wherever you live. [laughter] he showed that investment in affordable housing is the key element of a successful economic development agenda and of the past decade we've created or preserved 40,000 in units of affordable housing here in the south bronx alone and more than 100,000 units across the city. this year we will take steps to bring a more affordable housing to a lower east side around to cite the largely vacant for half a century will begin building of affordable housing and retail space on lavonia avenue in east new york at salt and cleans up

randolph houses and central harlem and across the entire nitrous system we will significantly reduce the backlog of repairs that has resulted from substantial, sustained federal budget cuts. this is all part of our strategic plan to improve services to the residence and preserve public housing for generations to come. [applause] and the community will also be the site of one of our newest waterfront reclamation projects. using land that now relies mostly vacant will begin to create 2300 units of housing a waterfront park and the supermarket next to the history houses on the east river. and all across the city we will continue reclaiming and revitalizing our waterfront and the park in queens will complete the reconstruction in williamsburg and the first phase of the park we will transform

tier five of the park into the open spaces and here in the south bronx will begin construction of the sound view park and in the harbor continue transforming the island time passed by with 30 acres of park land that will make the island one of the great waterfront destinations in the world. [applause] all across the city we will join with at&t to bring wi-fi services to a dozen city parks. so even if you are enjoying the beautiful day you can still work or study or plate words with friends. better in the park than on the plan. sorry. reclaiming the waterfront and wiring our part or just two of the ways we are reinventing the city around the needs of people today, not the needs of people 40 years ago. and that brings us to the third and final major change i would like to address and that is making our government the most innovative of any in the world. by creating an administration

that empowers team members taking risks and leads in the front i think we are already saving the standards and so many areas. when people read the will talk of the most innovative public policies, the most cutting edge policies and programs are taking shape, they talk about new york city, there isn't a second place. in the year ahead we are going to give them plenty more to talk about. [applause] yes, you're going to be happy with this. we will begin using technology to keep our city safe. the nypd counterterrorism program will add more than a thousand advanced cameras to sensitive areas, deplore or license plate readers to bridges and tunnels and expand the use of radiation detectors wired to the lower manhattan security coordination center which can respond immediately to any questionable readings. we are safe and we are going to keep ourselves safe. first responders will begin sending real-time information over the city's wireless network from an ambulance to an emergency room saving precious

seconds and likely saving lives and strongly pushed to support to expand dna collection which will build on the 2006 law that we helped pass and we will launch a data analytics team that will use the latest technology to fight crime and poverty and an assist businesses and entrepreneurs. to get more people working on construction sites will streamline the inspection process just as we've done for restaurants and retail shops in partnership with speaker christine krin. we've already open and online hub for reviewing and improving the visual construction plans and now we are teaming up with the industry to form the partnership to build a and together we will strengthen safety and reduce waiting times for building inspections city-wide. our goal. [applause] our goal is ten days or less and we are not talking about cutting corners, we are talking about cutting red tape and we will also do that by streamlining the city planning review of the land

use applications. the city government will get smarter so more yorkers can get to work. [applause] we will also make our city smarter and safer by deploying traffic enforcement agents to safety hot spots at key intersections doubling the number of the 20-mile per hour zone for schools and by continuing to add miles of protected by clients. now i realize that the date of the bicycle and sometimes it's been hot and heavy. but the reality is more and more new yorkers are biking and the more by plans we put in the future of deaths and serious injuries we have on the streets. [applause] it really does save lives. [applause] this year we will take steps to enforce the law requiring every delivery writer to have proper safety equipment and clothes that identify the name of his or her business. at the same time we will launch

the largest bike share program, the largest lecturer program of any city in the country and those will create another option for getting around town faster and easier and so will the new sill of the bus service in brooklyn which will launch an partnership with the german and of course -- yes, he does deserve a round of applause and of course yet another option will be the new taxi cab but new yorkers have been waiting decades for. [applause] finally, if we are going to be the most innovative city in the world we also have to be the greenest. because that's how you attract the most forward-looking individuals at the most forward-looking companies. so today we are announcing the next phase in the three key areas where the plan new york city environmental and infrastructure agenda, recycling, clean energy and clean air. to begin we will double the amount of residential waste we divert from the landfills by

2017 and by taking steps like recycling and schools and streets and expanding the recycling program we will reduce our waste disposal cost by $50 million annually and help protect the environment. [applause] we will also become one of the first in the country to turn waste water into renewable energy and explore the possibility of cleanly converting trash into renewable energy. [applause] and to attack air pollution we will overhaul the city's air quality codes the buildings and the zoning codes and accelerate the work with property owners that phase out dirty heating oil which the city council has been so helpful with already. [applause] all of this work that will help move us closer to our goal of having the cleanest air of any large city in america. we breathed the air and drink that water. it is the congestion that is hurting our economy and we are going to improve in all three

cases. now has ambitious as our agenda is for the year ahead we will continue -- we will achieve it by continuing to do more with less. we all know we have budget problems but when i first took office city government had 312,000 employees. today we have 292,000 from a 6% cut. i think it's safe to say and nearly every category we are getting far better results than we did ten years ago. [applause] and this year we will continue to keep the head count down but we will not sacrifice public safety or public integrity. we don't tolerate misconduct or corruption anywhere. we have the very highest standards for those we entrust to enforce the law. our police forces the best in the world and commissioner kelly at the customer an outstanding job of making sure the york's finest are also the most outstanding and to ensure that we need -- yes, they deserve a round of applause. to make sure we maintain and

strengthen that track record we will increase the staffing for the public commission to combat police corruption led by the chair michael armstrong the former counsel to the commission. we will find ways to finance all of these initiatives - wind today. some of them which will come with very little cost like continuing to make the government more efficient and continuing to consolidate the city operations. for instance this year we will put the city owned office buildings in lower manhattan up for sale and expect this will bring more than $100 million next year for the capitol budget, 100 million private sector tax revenue cost savings over the next 20 years by converting public buildings to private buildings and will bring new jobs and housing for the downtown community. we will seek budget savings by doing everything we can to support the governor and his push for the mandate relief including what has long been one of our top priorities, pension reform. [applause] new york city work force is the

finest work force in the world. and currently city workers have earned from current city workers earned their pension. but we cannot afford to continue offering the same benefits to future workers. right now more than 12% of our budget is dedicated to tensions. that's more than $8 billion. we are not using to reduce our tax burden or to spend on salaries for teachers, police officers and firefighters were job creation or social services. governor cuomo is right to make pension reform a top priority and he will have our full support. [applause] now it won't be easy. none of this will be easy but everything i've talked about today we can complete our make meaningful progress on in 2012. we will work collaboratively with our partners and city government and in albany to achieve great things and pioneer new innovation and that's the way that it should be because this is a city where the line

between the possible and the impossible is routinely he raced. and where the art of human fate is spent by the ambition and ingenuity and hard work. [applause] that has always been true and it's never been more true than i think it is today. the sense of possibility that leads us to pursue big dreams and high ideals. that is the essential spirit of our city and we see it every day. we see it in the immigrants to continue to come here and stay here to build a better life. we see it in the artists and entrepreneurs to spend every waking hour pursuing their passions. we see it in the parents to work like mad to get their children a better life. this spirit of promise and possibility is all of around us. today and every day. a dozen people like christopher and damian brown who founded the blogs brewery just a few months ago. [applause]

and a nod to the door of the bronx sunshine incubator that i visited last week. [applause] thanks for being here. [applause] its been educators like joe and david less and of the academy, one of the most successful charter schools. [applause] its been housing leaders like jonathan roads and adam who helped build one of the most environmentally advanced affordable housing developments in the nation on east 156. [applause] it is an all of the people across the five boroughs to do so much to make this city great. you want to know the state of our city, come on every become a stand-up. this is the state of our city. [applause]

never more full of promise and possibility. because in the words of gouverneur morris, there is nothing that we the people can't do. there is no mountain we cannot climb, no summit week, the people come can't reach. if we, the people, decide to do today let us commit to one another we will not stand still when our children need to step forward. we will not deny the dreams of students no matter where they live or where they go to school or whatever country they were born. we will not be my desire so many have to work and jobs that will allow them to build a better life for themselves and their families and we will not deny the demands that every new yorker has for safe streets free from the plague of gun violence and strong neighborhoods full of life and energy. together, we the people will build our future and we will not rest, not for one second until

we have fulfilled the promise and possibility of every great city for every person in this city like every single new yorker. thank you and god bless. [applause] ♪ ..

♪ ♪ ♪ almost 40

minutes. [applause] thank you. thank you so much. thank you. thank you so much. mr. president, mr. speaker, mr. chief justice, distinguished guests, my fellow vermont, thank you. it has been such a privilege to serve as your governor over the past year perch above community, courage and common purpose that has in progress through the unprecedented challenges dawned upon us by mother nature

combined with our willingness to make the tough choices necessary to grow jobs and economic and virginities for all vermonters has made us stronger. i want to recognize a few of the thousands of vermonters made us so proud of this last year that serve as symbols of the vermont at its best. we are so grateful to the dedicated women and men of our armed forces who served as both overseas and during the irene recovery has been exemplary. please join me in honoring our vermont troops and national guard led by general michael so much. [applause]

we appreciate your service. the magnitude of devastation from tropical storm irene astounded the general and me as we landed in the community in the days after the storm. i knew that we needed effective experienced leaders to help us cut through the bureaucracy and as we raced the winter weather. to the recovery officer took

from the job to join the team in vermont's time of need all vermonters join me in thanking you for your selfless service to the state you left. thank you. [applause] she will get me for that later. this has been an especially tough year for vermont's local government leaders. i want to acknowledge four of our storm tested hard-working mayors, thomas from, chris from mary cooper from month earlier,

please come stand so that we can acknowledge your service to vermont. thank you so much. [applause] i also want to acknowledge an outstanding legal mind and a pioneer in civil rights who made history this year by joining the the vermont supreme court. justice robinson, thank you for your service to justice and vermont. [applause]

today i report to you on a state of the greatest state in the nation, one that has demonstrated over the course of the past year what it means to the united as one community to overcome tragedy. in the wake of a deep recession, the two storms in the tropical storm that devastated our infrastructure and exacted on an unimaginable toll on the lives of thousands of vermonters, i can tell you without reservation or exaggeration the state of our state is strong, vermont strong peery [applause]

from halifax to hartford, wilmington to waterbury, roxbury to richmond, to the individual actions of bravery and courage in the days and months after irene will be forever etched in my memory. i want to share one of them with you. the mayor who like most local leaders was working long days without sleep after irene called me every few hours with progress updates on the unfolding tragedy. the search for mike arredondo and his son who went missing during the storm. reform was nothing but a stream in sections where the roadway once ran and i came in by the

national guard helicopter to join the mayor louis and give his son a big hug from all vermonters. tommy's dad, mike, senior, grew up in routt monday and went to work for the city for over 50 years rising to become the manager of the water plant, a job to which he dedicated his life. mike and his wife sally had two sons, mike jr, known also as little like come and tommy. mike also had a son rodney. raviv lost his life in a tragic accident in 2010 and their tight bond with their mom and dad helped them all in the face of such extraordinary diversity. on the evening of irene mikey and a little like braved through the storm to the water plant to

check the inlet valve that mike had closed the previous day to make sure that water wouldn't enter the city's reservoir. it was a risk, but they were determined to protect the water supply. carving craters where the solid ground once stood the banks gave way. sweeping them both away. mike smadi was retrieved the next day. the search for little mike went on for weeks. while sally was comforted by family and friends tommy heroically drove the search and rescue effort digging through mountains of irene's diprete looking for his brother. today on behalf of our state, we honor the two were not heroes, michael gariffano and jr with

the promise that we will never forget. joining us in the chamber or sally and tommy, to sally and tommy and the families of the six others who lost their lives as a result of the tropical irene, our admiration and support will never cease. thank you. [applause] [applause]

[applause] as the mayor and i gave what comfort we could to tommy on that day something else happened that characterizes the want. with the roof for shutdown and community after community isolated islands where roads and bridges once served, brothers john and doug have an idea. doug said governor tommy you the department of motor vehicles to lift the ban on hauling heavy equipment across what is left of our roads and get us permission to retrieve some of the rock and gravel that ollie lost in the

streams and we will partner with other private contractors like murkowski excavating, the agency of transportation and the national guard and we can have group for open in three weeks. as soon as i got high enough in the shopper to health self-service and vermont i call the secretary soros, secretary markowitz and commissioner and within hours our team applied bugs request not just to rutland, but to the whole state of vermont and and guess what, guess what, nine days later we arrows from wilmington to bennington, 18 days later from woodstock, opened and today all roads destroyed by irene ar open

triet [applause] you know, we have got members of the team, murkowski here today, and i would like to ask you to please stand. you represent many construction companies who are in the vermont national guard and the guard troops around the country. we built us vermont strong and vermont honors you stand up. thank you so much. [applause]

in his public-private partnership we did it right with the vermont ingenuity common sense. we rebuilt for 35 cents on the dollar total estimated damage down to under 50 million a month hundred 40 million for town roads for the skill of the congressional delegation in america senator leahy welch that

he would get federal aid that we needed more time we need reducing our objective cost to the general fund to $30 million. please come join me in recognizing the great work of senator patrick leahy, senator bernie sanders and, peter welch and the partners at fema. [applause] there are two lessons we must seize from our experience over the past four months. the first lesson is clear. if after irene which can rebuild

over 500 miles of damage to roads and 34 bridges for a fraction of the normal cost with dwindling federal resources in the future we must apply the same lessons to maintaining and rebuilding firm of's transportation infrastructure from this point forward. we will build faster, smarter and more economically. [applause] instead of having to state workers and their individual agencies processing paper, we broke down the silo, formed a partnership between aot, anr, private contractors and as the levees, contracting procedures were modified, access to stone and gravel was expedited, dangerous debris was removed from the streams as the

engineers work together with environmental experts to get the job done. projects that would have taken years, gotten done in months, environmental quality was preserved, taxpayer dollars were saved, and roads and bridges were built to expend the assault of extreme whether looms even larger in our future. [applause] the second lesson comes from the remarkable tenacity of the hundreds of small businesses that were drowned in water and mud putting the hard-working vermonters out of court. i pledge the following my jobs agenda will expand the ability of the emerging entrepreneurs and businesses to get access to capital when they needed the most. when the lieutenant governor

scott and i traveled the state together, reaching out to hundreds of small businesses, hundreds of them shuddered by trouble storms, our message to our job creators was we stand with you, we stand by you and the state of vermont will do its part helping you get back on your feet. partnering with the development economic of 40 we've created in the emergency low-interest loan program that with minimal bureaucracy and maximum effectiveness got credit of up to $100 to the job creators within days. more than 340 businesses and farms were granted loans totaling $15.3 million with liquidity vermont ingenuity and hard work, merkel after miracle happened and business after

business reopened. the books in wilmington opened. leaders opened, simon pearce, windsor open, the wagon company opened, welcome home marketing open. sunrise general store in bridgewater corners, open. northfield, opened. nelson's hardware, open. the rochester cafe come open. wage field, open just down the street, open, and the list goes on and on. the lesson for vermont government hoping to grow jobs in vermont is pretty simple. getting credit to entrepreneurs when they need it most grows prosperity in the gross jobs. in fact there's nothing standing in the reaffirm on's job creators that cannot be made right by a partnership with

state government that is built on a foundation of common sense, trust expedited with capital for businesses when the others won't lend to them. [applause] vermont's response to irene perfectly illustrates the strong state of our state. perhaps the greatest lesson we can take from the challenges of the previous four months is that despite the devastation, despite our part >> and payne, we are bound by a common purpose. we are also bound by tragic loss. to the hundreds and hundreds of vermonters who lost so much, lost their houses, lost their

belongings, lost the land of their homes rested on the or the land that they killed, we stand with you in the long recovery that lies ahead to help you close the gap between your hopes and dreams that were washed away the $2,200 maximum reimbursement of for that to you by the federal government. why all we know that we can never make you hold on our results as your neighbors and friends to continue to help you rebuild your lives is as strong as ever. [applause] we are so grateful to everyone that has stepped up and contributed to the students at martelle elementary school who passed it during class to the countless high church groups

nonprofits and private companies who contributed millions of dollars. vermont musicians like fish and gray spot held a concert that raised over a million and tony who just recently pledged an extraordinary generous $1 million for the vermont disaster relief fund at and useful 93 tony is here today and we thank you for your generosity in vermont. [applause]

vermonters have been so generous but we have many miles to travel before we rest and many dollars to raise before we sleep. in that spirit, we are pleased to introduce our new vermont strong license plates which can be purchased at vtstrong.gov the proceeds will go to the vermont disaster relief fund to help those who still need us. so by one and put it on the front. vermont strong. [applause] you know, i could devote this entire speech to the recovery because i believe that tropical

storm irene represents a defining moment in history. but now is our moment to apply the same courage, strength and ingenuity to our most pressing need with jobs and prosperity for all vermonters. having witnessed what vermonters can get done when we get together, i've never been more optimistic about our ability of getting tough things done and helping us growth jobs and 2012. if we can rebuild destroyed roads and bridges in less than four months, we can meet my promise of connecting every corner of vermont to high-speed internet and vastly improve the self-service by the end of 2013. in the past year we connected 7500 locations and installed 1600 miles of fiber in our ongoing effort to connect vermont.

we are going to keep our promise of closing vermont's connectivity gap, and we are going to grow jobs as we connect. [applause] if we can rebuild our transportation infrastructure and 35 cents on the dollar, we can read the nation and arresting the skyrocketing cost of health care that's hurting job growth and picking the pockets of our struggling middle class. the health care board is hard at work building that system. [applause] if we can reopen hundreds of the businesses and 14 weeks, we can transform vermont into the innovative education leader wherefrom early child education to higher education to the

continuing education we train employees for the jobs of our future. in my budget address next week in addition to addressing the challenges and opportunities of replacing a state hospital and state complex, i would propose significant state investments in higher education and dual enrollment all aimed at making vermont students even more competitive and creating opportunities for employers to recruit to the employees that they are now seeking. we must do that together to the [applause] if we can turn the lights back on in just three days for over 70,000 utility customers, thinks by the way to the hard work of the utilities, we can create jobs by harnessing the sun,

wind, water, forests and fields to produce community generated renewable power. we have made progress in the past year, but we need to keep building. this session would propose requiring an affordable and achievable renewable energy portfolio standard that sets the goal of obtaining 75% of electricity from renewables in 20 years and we must get that done. [applause] i will also recommend that vermont build on the standard author program so that we can keep building the renewables for vermont future. if we can reconnect hundreds of miles of dirt roads in just days so that milk trucks can get to the dairy farmers who like to dump milk during the storm we can create jobs by fueling the

renaissance and locally grown vermont food. this year will continue to focus on our efforts on former to fork by local farmers markets while addressing the challenge of producing enough vermont marone immelt to meet the needs of our value-added dairy companies that are spreading all over vermont. [applause] if we can build a partnership between state and municipal government to keep our citizens safe and secure, we can work together to address to of the most serious problems we face. winning the war on recidivism and spending the academic abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opiates tauter driving crime and destroying the

lives of too many of our neighbors. [applause] next week i will also propose changes to the prescription drug monitoring system. access to the system by law enforcement needs to recognize an individual's right to privacy while giving wall enforcement the tools they need to track down abuse so that we can fight prescription drug of the death tax. this growing problem is so frightening because the fda approved prescription drugs and opiates in particular are easy to get, but many of them are just as addicting and dangerous at a street heroin and crack cocaine. since taking office a year go, i've visited countless businesses throughout the state

and we've met small-business owners from more who have a simple idea to put the phrase eat or kill on t-shirts and now works 14 hour days to fill orders from across the country to biotech a global leader in the medical a applications technology i'm so optimistic about our jobs future and everyday i see evidence of vermont's entrepreneurial success. [applause] but we have a lot more to do. too many vermonters continue to struggle to make ends meet for themselves or their families. but to those who say that vermont is a bad place to do business, that our policies for

job growth aren't getting results, that our optimism about vermont's job future is not matched by progress, i ask you to consider these facts. our unemployment rate at the peak of the recession, 7.3% today it is among the lowest in america at 5.3% the county now enjoys the fourth lowest on duty to unemployment rate in america. over the past year new jobs in vermont grew by 62 per cent over the prior year. more than any other state in the nation. [applause] vermont ranked second in a recent study on how states use

tax breaks and economic development subsidies to actually create jobs and this legislature gets the credit for that. [applause] now if you don't believe the data off a invite you to join me on the road. region not to vermont's job creators here are just a few that i visited over the past year. a newport, bill sinner is working on several projects in orleans county in issue to building a world-class four seasons resort that employees hundreds of vermonters. they are bringing anc by yo and other projects that represent three injured $50 million worth of investment that will produce 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in the heart of the northeast kingdom. ge continues to expand.

one of the largest manufacturing plants of jet engines in the nation for both commercial and military aircraft. hubbard and forage is on track to meet its goal of doubling sales and just five years. in the electronics it is up and running with capacity to produce parts for 100,000 heiberg of vehicles within three years and they are shipping all over the world including china. coffee roasters are building a plant that will employ hundreds of vermonters and help fuel the exceptional growth to one of america's most successful companies. in the junction ibm continues to innovate and create jobs in the ibm plant that's right in and adding jobs is now one of the world's largest producers of the conductive technology employing 6,000 vermonters.

in arlington, continues to hire and expand, but wrench is retiring. and ethics junction where i was at last week it is thriving and has developed a new combat helmet that if adopted by the u.s. military will allow them to vastly expand manufacturing and vermont. up and newport we will be building new facilities to expand manufacturing jobs. from the massachusetts line, to the canadian border, companies that open this year include the forum and woodstock, swan valley cheese and many other small value-added agricultural businesses are growing their customer base, creating jobs and adding fidelity to the dairy industry that i believe is placed for revitalization. [applause]

my administration and by commit ourselves every day to attracting entrepreneurs and growing jobs one job at a time coming and we slowly but surely will grow our way out of the most painful recession in our nation's history. let me say one last word about staying competitive and creating jobs. our tax policy has a direct impact on our shows future. you heard me say this before but vermont's problem is not that our taxes are not high enough. it is that they are too high. i am a proud and strong supporter of vermont's progress of income tax structure. the most progressive in the country. we're unlike the federal

government, we require our wealthiest citizens to pay their fair share of income tax. but we cannot correct the failure of washington from the state house in what dillinger, and you must be always mindful that every day we compete with our neighboring states for the same jobs. therefore, i remain determined not to increase broadbased tax on vermont as we begin to see signs modest economic growth. [applause] keys and clapping because it is his birthday. [laughter] looking back on last year, looking back on the last year we have so much to be thankful for

and so many opportunities ahead. as we enter the new year, partisanship continues to paralyze our democracy in washington, d.c.. at a time when many of our american cities and communities beyond vermont's borders often seem more divided than united, our little state has distinguished itself. indy 500, there is nothing wrong with america that could not be made right by the ingenuity and caring spirit of the people of the state of vermont. [applause] by continuing to set aside what divides us and finding common

ground to unite us. we will rebuild our state better than the way that i mean found us while making a bold decisions that will lead us to continued job growth and a bright future to vermont an hour.

[applause] thank you. thank you. [applause]

madam lieutenant gabbard, mr. president, mr. speaker, leaders, justices and judges, legislators, elected officials, distinguished guests, families, friends and fellow iowans come to the it is my honor to stand before you and deliver this, my 17th state of the state address in this great chamber. and while 17 doesn't sound like such a big number to me, my wife chris would say i just don't know when to quit talking. [laughter] i stand here today older and wiser than during my first such opportunity in those years ago, but with a heart full of pride, a head full of ideas and with a state full of new opportunities to grow and prosper as never before. last year, we, like many of your states, faced serious budget challenges and unacceptably high levels of unemployment. 89 programs were funded with one

time money that was due to run out to the tune of $900 million. in other words, it amounted to nearly one sixth of our entire general fund budget. more than 100,000 iowans were out of work and seeking jobs and thousands more have simply given up hope. my charge to each of us was simple, yet significant: to restore predictability and stability to our state budget, to ensure our decisions were sustainable for the long term; to the stage for a period of unprecedented economic expansion. together we took these challenges -- as iowans always do. and while the process was messy -- as it always is, and though none of us got everything we saw -- as we never do, we took the necessary steps to put the state's fiscal house back in order, ended our dependency on one time revenue come from the dannel balanced budget using the ongoing revenue and passed a lie annual budget that funds most

areas for two years. [applause] here in iowa we are a model for the nation on how republicans and democrats can work together for the common good of our people. iowans deserve a budget that works, a budget that focuses on the essentials, a budget that reflects the character and the ideal of iowa's are working taxpayers, and together, we delivered just that. so take this moment, before the hard work of this session begins, and congratulate your fellow legislators for a good job well done as i congratulate each of you. [applause]

now, with our fiscal house much improved, and our fiscal year 2013 budget already substantially completed, we have a tremendous opportunity to focus the next few months on to other critical priorities. first, creating new jobs and careers for iowans to significantly raise family incomes, and second, adopting common sense solutions for our schools to give our children a world-class education. we must share the urgency of iowans to revitalize our economy and improve our schools. ..

i met with vice president xi jinping. he actually visited iowa in april of 1985 as a party official. he is now the vice president and later this year he will become the president of china.

out of that meeting one thing was very clear. for iowa to compete in the future we must compete globally. on that trip i met with companies in each country that i visited. i was able to communicate a message that iowa is open for business and poised for growth. a message that iowa is full of hard-working citizens who are ready to work. as a result of those efforts, we convince the south korean company cj, to invest $324 million in the fort dodge area and bring 180 and 80 great jobs to iowa. however companies -- [applause] however companies abroad should not be the sole-source of our growth. american companies have seen the work we have done collectively to enhance stability in our

state through our fiscal discipline. as a result numerous companies have announced the relocation or expansion plans in iowa. cargo purchased the tate and lyle's plant in fort dodge and will create over 100 day jobs in webster county and provide another market for iowa corn. >> caller: is investing nearly $300 million in their davenport factory where they will begin producing automotive aluminum to meet the rising demand for lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles. the combination of our strong agricultural, bioscience manufacturing and financial sectors means iowa is in a better position than most states for economic expansion. [applause] but i believe being better is not good enough. we must try it to be the best.

i'm convinced iowa stands on the trespass of major economic expansion but that expansion is not guaranteed. our opportunity for unparalleled growth is like the opportunity that a good iowa field affords a farmer, but work must be done before a harvest can be reaped. are job creators are ready. the question is, our week? are we ready to plant the seeds for growth and prosperity? if the answer is yes, and the answer must be yes, then we must develop the permanent tools -- the permanent tools that job creators and hard-working iowans so critically need. that is why today i am proposing a 4.plan of action, a focused initiative designed to help create the jobs that we need today and the careers that we need tomorrow. [applause]

the first piece of my action plan should calm to know -- as no surprise to anyone. this year i will submit to the general assembly ever buys plan to reduce commercial and industrial property taxes by 40% over the next eight years. commercial property taxes and iowa are the second-highest in the nation and i believe there is an agreement within this chamber that these taxes must be reduced, not because they cost businesses money, but because they cost iowans jobs. [applause] [applause]

what has been lacking in this discussion i believe is an understanding of the consequences for small business owners who struggle to keep their doors open and their workers employed, due to this back raking business burden. today, sitting with my family is being sought. i met her at the immigrant entrepreneurial summit. she is a leader who has helped hundreds of him at her and entrepreneur start and successful businesses including her own. she and nearly 500 other iowans met to discuss their experience of starting businesses and their dreams of success here in iowa. i was honored to address their summit and to wreck lies 125 immigrant entrepreneurs who started new business in iowa last year here in the state of iowa. thank you. [applause]

[applause] she is a relatively new american citizen. she has a growing cpa business, but she does not own her own office space. rather, she leases the property and she, like thousands of other small-business owners across iowa, feels the brunt of our high property taxes through the net-net leases where he and she pays the full cost of the property taxes attributable to her footprint. we are proud of you. you represent thousands of other hopefuls small business owners, iowans who are in most need of commercial property tax relief.

[applause] will each of you commit to permanent property tax relief solutions for all small business owners in the tens of thousands of iowans seeking jobs? [applause] [applause] passing our plan will give a iowa business owners permanent relief and a fighting chance to compete. in addition, our plan prevents a shift to other classes of property by limiting local government spending and by cutting in half the annual

growth limit for residential and agricultural property. the second piece of my action plan is to give our iowa economic development authority the tools it needs to create our job and help lead our job creation efforts. last year the legislature directed us to create a replacement for her grow iowa values fund and we are proposing a new 25 million-dollar annual investment in our high-quality jobs program. the high-quality jobs program has a proven record of success and a duck and the return on investment of $2 in new tax revenue for every 1 dollar invested. this direct assistance component gives the iowa partnership for economic progress and important tool in attracting high-quality businesses and careers to iowa. in addition, my proposal will be structured so that the state investments in this program will decline over time so the program

will be self-funding within 10 years as a direct result of the jobs that it brings to iowa. the third component of my jobs and careers action plan will encourage those small businesses that supply key components to our strong manufacturing sector to grow their facilities and create new jobs in iowa. often major manufactures have large supply chains filled with companies that produce vital components for the anchor manufacturer. manufacturing must remain an important part of our diversified iowa economy. i will offer legislation that removes the barriers that discourage suppliers from bringing their business is closer to their best iowa customers. we have major anchor manufactures like john deere in waterloo. let's develop a supply chain cluster were in surrounding towns attract those smaller support businesses that feed john deere.

without question, the jobs such suppliers will bring to places like hudson, laporte city, parkersburg and denver are equally as important to those communities is the jobs that john deere provides to the citizens of waterloo. the final piece of this jobs and careers puzzle involves the dilemma faced by rural communities when there anchor businesses put up for sale. when hometown business are sold to out-of-state or out of country buyers the local community often suffers. we must work to keep iowa companies in iowa, even though -- even when an ownership change takes place. this is not just a tool for iowa businesses. it is a tool for iowa communities. iowa communities where these companies represent so much more than jobs, where these companies represent our families, friends and our way of life.

many of these companies have operated in iowa for years, operated by owners committed to the local way of life. when those owners wish to retire, they must have options to keep their company's local. i am proposing legislation that will encourage the formation of employee stock option plans to encourage the sale of these local businesses to the very employees who have made the company a profitable success. [applause] our plan will encourage more iowans to own a stake in their company, to reach a greater share of the fruits of their own labor and to help protect the quality of life in their local community. employee ownership is great for the iowa communities in which these businesses, jobs and careers exists. my 4.action plan to create the

jobs we need today, it will help us create the jobs we need today and the careers we need tomorrow and it is essential that we have your bipartisan support to get this done. [applause] we can leave any discussion about iowa's future without focusing on our most precious natural resource, our children. with four young granddaughters, i understand the importance of commitment, commitment at this time when new technology and other forces are rapidly reshaping the labor market. our children's future depends on whether they learn the knowledge, life skills, need to succeed in it local economy and be well informed, good citizens

of the 21st century. our state's future depends on whether the quality of our schools matches the best performing schools anywhere in the world. today we have with us in the galleries, students from van meter, ankeny, and q. elementary here in des moines. i asked them to be here because today we take a crucial step towards ensuring that they have opportunities to pursue their dreams by being among the best educated anywhere in the world. [applause] [applause] thank you, students. [applause]

the bottom line is, education must be a greater priority in our state has of our schools are not the best, then we will fail our young people and those young iowans who follow them. last week, lieutenant governor kim reynolds and i unveil their updated education reform blueprint. it is the product of nearly a year of hard work. that work included an education summit that brought together the best minds from iowa, the nation and the world. than it was followed by a release of the initial loop rent to start a statewide conversation on how to give our kids the best education. at that point we hit the road to hold an unprecedented number of education town halls to engage students, parents, teachers, jobseekers and other iowans in a true give-and-take dialogue about the future of iowa's education system, with the final

step being revising the blueprint into the actual reforms that are before you now. here are some of the steps we need to take together to turn iowa's good schools into world class schools. one, we need a great teacher in every classroom and a great principal in every building. that starts by being more selective in who becomes an educator. a b college grade point average ford mission to iowa's teacher preparation program is not asking too much. two, all prospective teachers seeking a state license should demonstrate content and teaching mastery to assure they are ready for the crucial work of teaching our children. three, the school administration manager program should be changed to provide more time for principals to be instructional leaders. other staff can take on some management tasks to free

principals to observing coach teachers in their classrooms. four, the iowa department of education will continue to improve the iowa court, our state standards for math, science english and social studies but well-rounded healthy students the more than just these core areas. the department will work with educators to develop new standards for music and other fine arts, character education, physical education come, entrepreneurship education applied arts in foreign languages. five, new kindergarten assessments will assure that students start kindergarten ready to learn and leave prepared to flourish in first grade. sixth, and of course tests in core subjects will demonstrate that high school students are ready to graduate. these will be designed with teachers and will emphasize not just in content but being able to apply it.

seventh, all junior should take a college entrance exam and the state will cover the cost. in addition we should have the option -- they should have the option of taking a work skills readiness test. this will tell us whether iowa's students iowa students are college and career ready for life after high school. eight, let's assure that children can read by the end of third grade. otherwise, they will fall further and further behind. and intensive focus on literacy means working closely with families and providing more set port for reading and writing in schools, starting in preschool and continuing through kindergarten, first, second and third grades. because reading is so essential for later success in school, it is just unfair to promote an illiterate child. [applause]

nine, iowa has some highly innovative schools and we should encourage more schools to to be innovative. youngsters need more opportunities to engage in real life experiences including internships in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. doing well in the subject is the gateway to fast-growing fields with some of the best paying jobs, whether students are headed for career training or a two or four-year college. to encourage such efforts iowa should establish an innovation acceleration fund. schools and partners will identify education problems and innovative solutions. competitive grants will fund the best ideas, which may then be scaled up statewide. 10, on line learning that complements learning in a traditional classroom should be

promoted. associate competency based learning that personalizes education for each child and begins the process of moving away from the time-based industrial model for education. let's do all of this and more for our children, with a bipartisan consensus, with a bipartisan consensus that will stand the test of time. [applause] [applause] don't iowa's students deserve a world-class education? we have a decade of hard work ahead of us. so let's get to work, because this this is not about this administration or the next or the one after that.

it is about our children's future and our states prosperity and growth. let's work together on a bipartisan basis to put in place commonsense solutions that are sustainable by adapting best practices that work and by innovating to find new approaches that fit iowa. let's work together to continually improve because that is what the highest performing school systems due to give their children a world-class education. let's work together to continually improve because iowans will hold us accountable. the solutions i have outlined today are about the future. they are about ensuring the american dream and the iowa way of life will be passed on to our children. imagine filling iowa's main streets with thriving businessed happy customers. imagine creating the kind of long-term careers to that keep young iowans home and attract

those who have left to come back to their roots. imagine schools among the best in the world, providing our children and grandchildren with endless opportunities to pursue their dreams. these are not empty aspirations. rather, they are part of a grand vision for restoring a healthy iowa. as the lute and a governor and i traveled to all 99 counties last year one thing was absolutely clear to us, i'll must strive to be the best. whether in other parts of our nation -- where in other parts of the nation, uncertainty has become the new reality. it is imperative that we make iowa the center for stability and innovation. [applause] and let us never forget as we work together toward these

goals, iowans are going to hold us accountable. we have an obligation to exceed their expectations, begin building on our foundation for growth. i believe our aspirations for a better tomorrow can and will ignite our capacity to innovate. so, let's be unabated today. let's provide the permanent tools that are small businesses and hard-working taxpayers of critically need. let's commit to new jobs and career opportunities for all iowans. let's give our children the best education in the world. let us, republicans and democrats, rural and urban, all iowans, become a beacon of hope for the rest of the nation and show them how a motivated people working together, with the best interests of our children in our hearts, and a set of new tools in our hands, can solve our common problems and bring iowa on resident of economic expansion and on parallel

educational opportunities. that is our challenge. that is our mission. that is our obligation. thank you. god lest you and god bless the great state of iowa. [applause] [applause] [applause]