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New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell delivered his annual State of the City address in a newly refurbished Zeiterion on Wednesday, touting such long-awaited milestones as the new commuter rail, the completion of Vineyard Wind 1, and even the theater itself.
The yearly sales pitch for the Whaling City sounded better — acoustically, that is — in the recently completed Zeiterion, with fanfare provided by the high school’s jazz band and show choir as perhaps the best performances in the new concert hall.
Mitchell followed that up with remarks to more than 500 business leaders, elected officials, residents, and other stakeholders who attended the event — which city officials said is the second-largest State of the City gathering in Massachusetts.
Mitchell, now in his 15th year in office and the longest continuously-serving mayor in the city’s history, said that “New Bedford is running up the score” with its accomplishments in infrastructure and municipal service.
He highlighted the deal to bring back the Star Store, new passenger rail service, the now-underway Whaling Museum addition, plans for the city’s advanced manufacturing campus, the Quest Center’s soon-to-arrive “marine technology accelerator,” recent housing construction, reductions in crime and fire, improving school performance, and construction on the I-195 viaduct and Congdon-DeValles elementary as among the city’s most impressive recent achievements.
But even in a carefully choreographed show, not everything can go according to plan. A technology snafu left the theater in the dark when a marketing video failed to play. When it came online, the portion depicting snow-clearing (to illustrate the city’s claim of being “prepared”) drew some laughter and snickering — including from the 100 or so students in the audience, who may have enjoyed their unplanned weeklong vacation in February thanks to the largest recorded snowfall in New Bedford history.
New announcements include plans for North End’s riverwalk
The grand stage of this event often gives Mitchell an opportunity to unveil new plans for the city. This year’s edition came with a handful of announcements.
The largest in scale was that Mitchell said construction on a new “Riverwalk” in the city’s North End could begin as soon as next year. The plan to extend a waterfront pathway and linear park along the Acushnet River has secured enough funding from the state and conservation groups to fully fund a ‘Phase 1,’ Mitchell said, which could create new parkland from Market Basket to the Coffin Avenue area.
The EPA’s 40-year cleanup of the river will soon be completed, Mitchell said, and he hopes a second phase of the project could create parkland up to the former Aerovox site. Eventually a 17-mile continuous pathway could stitch together the city’s entire waterfront and coastline, Mitchell said.
“For a part of the city that has borne the burden of shuttered factories, highway construction, and environmental contamination, it’s a long time coming,” Mitchell said.
One year after the new early education center opened at the former Parker Elementary School, Mitchell said the city needs “a quarterback” to coordinate the new demands of the expanded services. He announced his intention to hire an Early Education Coordinator to oversee the continuing expansion of the city’s education services.
“The early years are when the brain develops the fastest,” Mitchell said. “Investments in these services can have a huge payoff for both students and the cities they grow up in.”
Mitchell had barely broached the idea when he assured city councilors — then sitting in the front row — that the position would not come from the city’s general fund, but through a partnership with the school department (that is, it would ultimately depend on state aid).
Other announcements were technical, but targeted promises to improve municipal services.
Mitchell said that starting next year he would increase the investment in roads to $4 million. City councilors asked for more spending after the revelation that current investments would buy less than six miles. Mitchell also announced that he had struck a deal with Eversource to fully repave roads “curb-to-curb” after they complete maintenance work — which Mitchell said would repave $25 million worth of roads over the next two years.
Mitchell also said he has submitted an ordinance that would simplify permitting relating to stormwater runoff, with the goal of easing housing construction. And he promised a new “digital dashboard” where residents could track progress on the city’s many building projects, which could come online within “a few months.”
Biggest wins, most challenging headwinds
Along with the reopening of The Zeiterion, Mitchell pointed out other wins for the city, including a data-driven approach to fire prevention that has exceeded everybody’s expectations.
A few years ago the fire department reconstituted its prevention office and began using data to target inspections on buildings most prone to fire, Mitchell said, and in the last three years structure fires in New Bedford have dropped by over 40%.
Education also presented great progress. The four-year graduation rate now stands at over 87%, a jump from a 58% rate back in 2012.
“Then there’s the manufacturing sector,” continued Mitchell. While many people know the big names like the Acushnet Company and Joseph Abboud, Mitchell celebrated the more than 100 manufacturers in New Bedford that employ over 12% of the city’s workforce, about twice the state rate.
At the same time, the city faces significant headwinds — in everything from budgeting to economic development.
Mitchell told the gathered crowd that the offshore wind industry was in a slump: “Given the president’s personal hostility to the industry, it is safe to assume that no major projects will advance in the 33 months remaining in his term,” said Mitchell. “But I’m here to tell you today and to remind everybody in New Bedford: we play a long game.”
Mitchell elaborated in remarks to reporters after his speech, saying that he still believes increasing energy demands will require smart investments in renewable energy, and that New Bedford is the best-positioned port.
“Trump may have unwittingly helped” New Bedford’s competitiveness, Mitchell said, by pulling out investments and eliminating federal offshore lease areas in other states, leaving New Bedford as among the only East Coast ports with the capacity and permitting to take on offshore wind projects.
Meanwhile, another decline in scallop landings in New Bedford last year does threaten New Bedford’s fishing industry, Mitchell admitted. But the mayor said he saw a “leveling-off” in the decline, and that he would continue fighting for interventions including permit-stacking and the opening of new fishing grounds.
Finally, headwinds within the city include the ever-increasing pension and healthcare costs, which Mitchell said could increase 10% or more this year. Already, the city could fund a second police department with the amount it spends on “unfunded pensions” — or the pensions of already-retired employees.
Asking for civic participation, especially from young people
At the end of his remarks, Mitchell said the most important pillar of a city doesn’t have to do with government at all, but with what residents, businesses and everyone who loves their city are willing to do, as “everyone’s got something to offer.”
“If a city is to thrive, if it is to achieve its aspirations, if it is to long endure, its residents must understand that they can and should contribute to the greater good,” said Mitchell, encouraging residents, especially youth, to get involved. Volunteer to a worthy cause. Join a neighborhood organization, or even start one of your own. Run for office.
“Citizenship is rooted in the idea that we have obligations to others. In a city, these obligations are tied to the place itself. It’s not just the city’s location on the map or its physical attributes. It’s more about our relationships to the people, institutions, and the stories associated with the place that prompt us to call it home.”
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org and Eleonora Bianchi at ebianchi@newbedfordlight.org.
The Mayor is a good speaker and a nice person, but New Bedford is in trouble. On his watch the city budget has more than doubled and his administration continues to spend money he does not have, he continues to expand government, there has been no economic growth to bring in badly needed revenue, and with dwindling state aid, IT MEANS HIGHER TAXES. After more than a decade of this administration, our city is in need of new leadership, and new vision for the future.
what number should the budget be? Which city of similar size has the right sized budget? You keep saying the same things as if a big number is wrong. Whats the number?
What a joke as I read this. The mayor doesn’t control the Commuter Rail or should take a bow for it’s completion. The Z project was almost shut down, the infrastructure is a mess i.e. poor water quality, streets are a mess and some can’t be traveled and the housing market is unstable at best.
$4.8 million was touted as the first profit the city has had in decades yet, there is a over $15 million deficit. We deserve some reality and politicians that can fix this mess.
I think that the most important thing that needs to be done is fixing the potholes into Bedford. Some of em are a foot deep, which which is ruining our cars and trucks. Also, taxes are way too high, for someone on social security. That owns a house.It’s pretty tough to pay your taxes when you retire.Especially when they go up two hundred two four hundred dollars every year.
Take a picture of the pothole. Take a picture of other cars passing over it, you being on the sidewalk videoing straight forward. Apply for reimbursement with the city by submitting a copy of the bill. Tell them you have pictures and video or the area. I did, I got refunded!
Pot holes are filled weth tax dollars.
We have nearly the lowest city average single family residence tax bills in the state.
In how many cities in the state do tax bills go up less than $200 a year, on average?
Another gem, always breaking out the pom pom’s for the mayor and the governor. No one is buying it.
If you don’t take care of your home! Value x rate approved equals taxes. I called to have my home reassessed. Not moving, not selling but appling for reverse mortgage. My home went from 263,000.00 to 355,000.00 after 1 year of improvements. That brought my home to 388,000.00 market value! With a mortgage paid off in 2016, we are now receiving over 700.00 a month for life with our reverse mortgage! Yes our taxes went up as expected, but the end result is fantastic. Why save your house for children or relatives, we worked hard for paying it off and keeping it maintained. An extra retirement income.
The only thing that this Mayor is running up is our operating budget without any new revenue sources. And running up your tax bill and rents.SHAMEFUL
No one is surprised that Mayor wants more money again. Over his tenure his administration has more than doubled the city budget ($270 Million to $550 Million) and year after year the City Council has approved them.
How can we move forward, when this political body (the Mayor and Council) continue to expand city government, fund nonprofits, spend money it does not have, and continue to raise taxes?
The higher taxes plays a big part in not having new economic growth when businesses can go to area towns and start a business and pay less taxes. So this means the city gets no new jobs and no new tax revenue to contribute to the city budget,
So here we are again with our backs against the wall, will the City Council continue to be a rubber stamp and approve the mayor’s budget like in previous years, making minimal cuts so they can say they did something, and than go on to pass the budget burdening the taxpayers?
Or will this year be different where the City Council finally stands up against the Mayor’s budget request and does the job for the residents that they boast about at election time. Will this Council finally stand up for the people, say enough is enough, make cuts across the board, and NOT RAISE TAXES.
More than ever our city needs New Leadership and New Vision for the future.
Sadly, New Bedford has been on a progressive decline for decades.
Over 50% of NB households depend on SNAP benefits (NB LIGHT).
Infrastructure has decayed and continues to decay, just drive to see and feel the problems. A coat of paint is needed on NB, yet, it is way too expensive to apply.
The port of NB, its pharmaceutical trade and 18 wheel national distribution system, is the economic hub for many in NB.
Yet, delusional optimism continues, as NB dependency upon governmental programs, at all levels, continues as these programs are audited, theft uncovered and scaled back or discontinued.
Trite, but true, New Bedford is an empty shell of itself and is on “hospice care”.
We do need new young politicians with great ideas to bring down the deficit. Stop spending money on People things we don’t really need till we get things under control without raising taxes on retirees on a fixed budget. People that are in that situation should have a special rate!
People in that situation should take their several hundred thousand dollars in home equity and relocate to Florida if they don’t want to live in a civilized and forward-thinking society.
“Running up the score” in the Dead Whale League against Lowell or Lawrence MA is just about right for New Bedford.
“If a city is to thrive, if it is to achieve its aspirations, if it is to long endure, its residents must understand that they can and should contribute to the greater good,” said Mitchell, encouraging residents, especially youth, to get involved. Volunteer to a worthy cause. Join a neighborhood organization, or even start one of your own. Run for office. This runs hollow. Let’s not forget what happened in the school board race.. Why Did the Mayor, Joe Lopes and Naomi Carney Turn Their Back on Marcus Coward in the School Board race? At a time when cities everywhere say they want new voices in leadership, that decision sends the opposite message. It tells young people—especially young Black leaders—that even when you do everything right, the system may still favor political connections over community trust.
Did the mayor discuss at all any plans to expand public transportation (SRTA)? Seems kinda important especially now considering current events.
The R in SRTA stands for Regional. It is not a city-operated transit system.
Let’s see, refurbishing the Z or fixing the streets of New Bedford. Someone’s priorities are ASS backwoods. I don’t pay taxes to refurbish the Z, you say well it was a grant, well that money for that grant should have been obtained for the City streets, not a theater!
In his recent State of the City address, Jon Mitchell presented a measured assessment of New Bedford’s standing today, highlighting both tangible progress and the challenges that remain.
On the positive side, the mayor emphasized economic development, particularly the city’s growing role in offshore wind and continued strength in the fishing industry. These sectors, he argued, position New Bedford as a regional economic anchor with opportunities for job creation and long-term investment. He also pointed to improvements in infrastructure and public safety, suggesting that sustained planning and fiscal discipline have helped stabilize city operations.
At the same time, the address did not ignore persistent concerns. Like many cities, New Bedford continues to face pressures related to housing affordability, educational outcomes, and uneven economic gains across neighborhoods. While the mayor outlined ongoing initiatives to address these issues, some may view the pace of change as gradual, especially for residents seeking more immediate improvements in cost of living or school performance.
Overall, the speech struck a pragmatic tone. Rather than offering sweeping promises, Mayor Mitchell focused on incremental progress and realistic constraints. Supporters may appreciate this grounded approach, while critics might argue it lacks urgency. Still, the address reflects a city navigating complex transitions, balancing optimism about new opportunities with acknowledgment of enduring challenges.
You made some good points, but I will disagree with your take on the Mayor’s economic development. There has been no private economic development that could help the crushing affects of a city budget that year after year keeps growing, and has more than doubled ($270 Million to over $550 Million) since he has been in office. The money from wind goes to the state and we get scraps from hotel stays, people visiting restaurants, and buying supplies. The Wind Facility, State Pier, and the Marina on Pope’s Island are owned by the state (the big share of that revenue from those facilities goes to the state). To date mayor’s only attempt at a major private development project was Parallel Products and in the end that would have include creating another Environmental Super Fund Site Disaster. The City Council is as much to blame for this mess as the mayor, they have approved every budget, and have been a rubber stamp for everything that has been done to date. If you think differently please tell me, I would love to hear it. But in my opinion this city needs New Leadership in City Hall and a New Vision for New Bedford.
Agree, Amen to that!
You raise several important concerns, and it’s clear you’re looking closely at the long term fiscal health of the city. Public reporting on the State of the City address does show that Mayor Mitchell highlighted several accomplishments, including major infrastructure projects, crime reduction, and improvements in graduation rates, but it also acknowledged significant financial strain, including an $18 million budget gap and rising costs that are outpacing state aid.
Where I see room for nuance is in how “economic development” is defined. Much of what the mayor emphasized this year involved public sector or state supported projects: the Zeiterion renovation, South Coast Rail, the Whaling Museum expansion, and the completion of offshore wind staging work. These are real developments, but you’re right that they are not the same as large scale private investment that directly expands the city’s tax base. The reporting does not indicate major new private commercial projects of the scale that would materially offset the city’s growing budget.
Your point about offshore wind revenue is also grounded in how the port is structured. The mayor himself has described New Bedford as “playing the long game” on wind, noting that much of the industry’s revenue flows through state controlled assets and that federal policy uncertainty has slowed new projects. That aligns with your concern that the city currently sees only indirect benefits like hospitality spending.
Regarding the budget, the mayor explicitly stated that declining state aid has forced heavier reliance on property taxes, and he warned that “tough choices” are ahead. That suggests the administration is aware of the structural imbalance you’re describing, even if you disagree with how they’ve approached it.
As for the City Council, public records do show that they have approved the budgets during Mitchell’s tenure, which supports your argument that fiscal responsibility is a shared governance issue rather than one resting solely on the mayor.
Whether the city needs “new leadership” is ultimately a matter of civic judgment, but your critique raises legitimate questions about the balance between public sector development and private sector growth, the sustainability of the city’s budget trajectory, and the distribution of revenue from state owned assets. Those are exactly the kinds of issues residents should debate openly.
If you’re open to it, a useful next step might be to look at what specific policies or structural changes could realistically shift New Bedford toward the kind of private sector investment you’re advocating.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. You clearly care about where the city is headed, and that is something I respect. I do not disagree that New Bedford faces real challenges when it comes to broad based private economic development and the long term sustainability of the budget. Those are legitimate concerns, and many residents are asking the same questions.
Where I see things a little differently is in how we interpret the impact of the current economic strategy. While the major port related assets are state controlled, which limits how much direct revenue the city can capture, there have been smaller scale private investments and expansions that some people view as steps in the right direction, even if they are not transformative on their own. Reasonable people can debate whether that’s enough or whether the city needs a different approach to attract larger private projects.
The budget growth you mentioned is also part of a bigger conversation about rising municipal costs, state mandates, and the city’s limited revenue tools. It’s fair to scrutinize how both the administration and the City Council have handled that, and it’s equally fair for residents to expect a clearer long term plan.
On Parallel Products, the environmental concerns raised by residents were significant, and that debate showed how complicated it can be to balance economic development with public health and neighborhood impact.
I’m not dismissing your point; you’re raising issues that deserve attention. I think there’s room for a broader conversation about the kind of development model that will actually work for New Bedford. Whether that means new leadership, a new vision, or a recalibration of the current strategy is ultimately up to the voters, but having these discussions openly is how the city moves forward.
Great comments and after hearing the news about the offshore wind law suit, everyone should be alarmed. As far as the city budget more than doubling goes, it’s just amazing that year after year not one person stood up (and there are several senior councilors that have been there for the length of this administration) not one said hey what are we doing here, we can’t continue to spend like this. If some financial restraint was shown and less money was spent say 10 Million Dollars less per year, we would have a $450 Million Dollar budget instead of $550 Million Dollar budget and we would be in a far better place today. The bottom line is we can not continue to spend money we don’t have. If the city council is going to be a rubber stamp for the mayor why not abolish the council, the money is going to be spent anyway! There has be a change in how our city is run, New Bedford needs new leadership in city hall, and we deserve a new vision for our city.
Concerns about government spending are valid, especially when budgets grow significantly over time. The statement, “we cannot continue to spend money we don’t have,” reflects a broader anxiety shared by many residents. However, before concluding that a City Council is merely a “rubber stamp” for the mayor, it is important to understand the formal duties and responsibilities that a council holds, particularly in a city like New Bedford. These responsibilities are specifically designed to prevent unchecked spending and ensure accountability.
At the center of a City Council’s role is its authority over the municipal budget. While the mayor proposes a budget, the council is required to review and approve it before it can take effect. This process is not meant to be passive. Councilors are expected to examine spending line by line, question increases, and hold public hearings where residents can voice concerns. Although councils typically cannot increase the overall size of a budget, they do have the power to reduce or reallocate funding. This makes them a critical checkpoint in determining whether the city is living within its means.
Beyond initial approval, the council is also responsible for ongoing financial oversight. This includes monitoring how funds are spent throughout the fiscal year, approving budget transfers, and authorizing borrowing or major capital expenditures. If a city is at risk of “spending money it doesn’t have,” these oversight functions are where that issue should be identified and addressed. Councilors are expected to ask difficult questions, demand transparency from departments, and ensure that financial decisions are sustainable in the long term.
Another essential function of the City Council is to serve as a check on the mayor’s authority. Municipal government is structured with a balance of power in mind. The council can approve or reject mayoral appointments, pass ordinances that guide policy and spending, and conduct hearings or investigations when necessary. This system exists precisely to prevent any single branch of local government from operating without scrutiny. Eliminating the council would not solve concerns about spending; it would remove one of the primary mechanisms for accountability.
Equally important is the council’s role as a representative body. Councilors are elected to reflect the priorities and concerns of their constituents. When residents express frustration about rising budgets or fiscal discipline, it is the council’s responsibility to bring those concerns into public debate and budget deliberations. In this sense, the effectiveness of a City Council depends not only on its legal powers but also on how actively those powers are exercised.
The concern that a city cannot continue to spend beyond its means is serious, but the structure of local government already includes safeguards to address it. A City Council is not designed to be a rubber stamp; it is meant to act as a financial gatekeeper, a check on executive authority, and a voice for the public. If those responsibilities are not being fully carried out, the issue lies not in the council but in how its role is being performed.
Eileen I take exception to your comments about the city councils role. I have been around for a long time, watched the council for years, and seen the likes of Ralph Saulnier, William Saltzman, Etc. always put the people first.
I know the council has many duties but none is more important than being the fire wall to protect the taxpayers from reckless spending and expansion of city government.
This is their most important duty and gives them the power on one night every year to stand up and say no ” IT’S CALLED CUT NIGHT ” and nothing has been done as we have watched this city budget balloon “BY MORE THAN DOUBLE”.
The facts are what they are, there are no excuses to be made, this is just about reckless financial responsibility and Mayor Mitchell and four present senior councilors (Abreu, Carney, Gomes, and Lopes) for over a decade are associated with this mess. NO ONE STOOD UP AND SAID STOP WHAT ARE WE DOING?
Now our backs are against the wall, the present City Council does not say no, that is why I called them a RUBBER STAMP and as Councilor Pereira announced this morning, our taxes are going up, and CUT NIGHT IS NOT EVEN HERE, NO FIGHT, JUST LAY DOWN, AND RAISE TAXES.
!00% New Bedford needs new leadership in city hall and our city residents deserve a new vision for the future of our city.
Jeff you should run for mayor you sound like someone who would stand up to the city council and the various unions in the city
Jeff, you’re arguing against a version of city government that doesn’t actually exist.
A city council is not a one-night “firewall” that shows up on “Cut Night” to slash spending and save taxpayers. That might make for a good talking point, but it’s not how municipal government works. The council’s job is to govern, review a budget *proposed by the mayor*, weigh legal obligations, fund essential services, and make decisions within very real constraints.
You keep framing this as if councilors can simply stand up, say “no,” and fix everything. They can’t. Most of a city budget is tied up in fixed costs, contracts, schools, public safety, state mandates. Cutting for the sake of cutting isn’t leadership; it’s how you create bigger problems down the road.
And “Cut Night” isn’t some heroic last stand; it’s one step in a long, structured process. Treating it like the defining test of courage oversimplifies the job to the point of being inaccurate.
If the budget has grown, the serious question is why, not why no one staged a dramatic refusal. Costs rise, needs change, and cities either invest responsibly or pay more later for neglect.
It’s fine to want different leadership. But criticizing the council for not exercising powers they don’t actually have isn’t accountability—it’s misunderstanding the role.
You’re not describing failed leadership; I believe you’re describing a system you don’t fully understand.
John Mitchell was elected and took office in 2012
2012 – City Budget was $247.3 Million Dollars
2013 – Approved by the City Council
2014 – Approved by the City Council
2015 – Approved by the City Council
2016 – Approved by the City Council
2017 – Approved by the City Council
2018 – Approved by the City Council
2019 – Approved by the City Council
2020 – Approved by the City Council
2021 – Approved by the City Council
2022 – Approved by the City Council
2023 – Approved by the City Council
2024 – Approved by the City Council
2025 – Approved by the City Council
2026 – Present City Budget $561.1 Million Dollars
From 2012 to present this is a gain of $313.8 Million Dollars
2027 Budget shortfall is listed as $15.3 Million Dollars
If passed by the City Council the new city budget will be $576.4 Million Dollars.
Eileen your welcome to your opinion, but maybe it’s you that does not have a full understanding of our city government. It has been quite clear that over the years the council has always been the body that provides checks and balances over the reigning city administrations and there have been so many epic battles that have taken place in the council chambers. Do some research, because your comment could not be farther from the truth. I stand by my statement that the council has been and always will be the firewall for the taxpayers of this city and was created to protect us from where we are right now a city that is in financial crisis with our backs against the wall. More than ever New Bedford needs new leadership in City Hall and new vision for the future of our city.