Spring is coming! 2022 State of the City address

#MessageFromTheMayor

I’m excited to share with you this year’s State of the City address (3/29, noon). As a community, we’ve endured losses and learned how to keep going; faced challenges and adapted to new ways of being and doing; and we are still working towards recovery as we grow our resilience. I’m excited to share with you this year’s theme for State of the City: Beaverton Voices. While it’s disappointing that we cannot be together in person, being 100% virtual means our capacity is limitless and the doors are wide open! You won’t want to miss this.

This year, some of the things we’re working on include affordable childcare, tenants’ right to cooling, advocating for infrastructure package funding for Beaverton projects, locating and breaking ground on our permanent year-round homeless shelter, and preparing to receive Afghan refugees. One thing you might not have heard about is our advocacy work for veterans.

Right now, I’m working to help level the playing field for veteran business owners in Oregon. There’s a federal program that allows businesses owned by disadvantaged groups to bridge the disparity gap by receiving certificates that help level the playing field. Currently, only Service-Disabled Veterans are eligible for those certificates, but I think they should be available to all veterans. Veteran business owners should be able to compete for big contracts more equitably. I’m meeting with legislators on both sides of the aisle to do the right thing for our courageous service members who sacrifice so much.

Lacey Beaty was elected Beaverton’s Mayor in 2020. Prior to serving as Mayor, she served for six years on Beaverton City Council.