Gordo Talks State Of The City Speech

Mayor Victor Gordo will deliver his annual State of the City speech Wednesday evening. According to the Pasadena City Charter, the Mayor must give a thematic budget message for the upcoming fiscal year no later than February. The theme for this year’s speech is, “Pasadena: A Resilient Community.”

That resilience has been on display since the Eaton Fire started on Jan. 7. Just one week earlier, people around the world were focused on the City during the New Year’s Day celebration, which includes the Tournament of Roses Parade and the iconic Rose Bowl Game.

Then, the world watched as firefighters from Pasadena and Altadena battled the Eaton Fire. The fire has led to at least 17 deaths and the destruction of 9,400 structures in Pasadena and Altadena. It has also burned 14,000 acres. Gordo, along with the City Council, helped lead the City through the fire and is now focused on the recovery.

The fire and recovery are a big part of Gordo’s speech. Gordo agreed to answer several questions on Tuesday.

Pasadena Now: Your first State of the City speech was in the middle of the Covid pandemic. Now, the first State of the City speech in your second term comes as Altadena and Pasadena recover from the fire. Did you consider this when writing the speech?

Mayor Gordo: “Absolutely. As I prepared for the State of the City and thought about the wind and fire storms, I reflected on the similarities and differences existing during the COVID crisis and today’s crisis. During COVID, I felt prepared and, frankly, grateful to be in a position to play a role in guiding our community during such a difficult time. COVID had such a tremendous impact on every aspect of our life: COVID represented a health, housing, and economic crisis that also surfaced long-standing social justice and equity issue(s) that for far too long went unaddressed and left to fester but with the advent of the vaccine we all began to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The fires and resulting devastation also present a health, housing and economic crisis. However, the fire crisis also presents a cultural and permanent physical alteration to our community. How we manage the challenges before us will determine every aspect of the future of the Pasadena and Altadena community we all love and cherish. Having experienced COVID as Mayor, I feel all the more prepared and, again, grateful to be in a position to assist guide our community forward and come out better and stronger—and we will be a better and stronger community coming out of this crisis!”

Pasadena Now: The theme of the State of the City speech this year is Pasadena: A Resilient City. Was that the original theme of the speech?

Mayor Gordo: “No. Originally the theme was to be ‘Building Our Community’s Future.’ It focused much more on the 710 rebuild and economic opportunities.”

Pasadena Now: This speech carries more weight due to the events of the past month or so. Are you preparing differently?

Mayor Gordo: “Yes, the feeling I am carrying and want to communicate focuses beyond the physical rebuild and is intended to also bolster the rebuild of our community spirit and enthusiasm for the future. We have certainly been hit, and it was a hard-hit to the jaw that stumbled us, but we are back on our toes and ready for the next round. We are resilient and, together, we will prove that nothing can keep Pasadena and the Dena down!”

Pasadena Now: So many people lost so much, and you seemed to just keep going. Is there anything you can think of that helped you lead through the crisis?

Mayor Gordo: “I was and am moved and energized by watching people who have lost it all stand up and fight for their neighbors and their community. What keeps me moving is our people and our collective fighting spirit. I have always said: Pasadena is the Center of the Universe because of its PEOPLE! Now we are proving it and, working together, we will ensure no one ever forgets how special our community is.”

Pasadena Now: What would you say to our readers in Pasadena and Altadena that continue to struggle with losses from the fire?

Mayor Gordo: “First, on behalf of every resident in OUR community, I am sorry for your loss. Know this: The Dena is special, resilient, strong and a community of scrappers and fighters who are bound together.