Taveras Inauguration Speech: Read Advance Excerpts Here
Monday, January 03, 2011
Angel Taveras will call for fiscal responsibility and improved schools at his inauguration, which is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. today. Below are advance excerpts of what he will be saying:
“I know – and you know – that we face great challenges ahead. But I also know that with our collective determination, with our hard work, we have the resolve to meet these challenges head on.”
“We have at our fingertips resources and assets that other cities could only dream of. We walk on streets with history and beauty unruined by time. Our many universities and hospitals supply us with an abundance of talent, energy and innovation. We are blessed with a community of entrepreneurs, artists and activists who challenge and inspire us to dream big and do better. We are a city of creators, who for much of our nation’s history, have defined American arts, culture and industry.”
“As we stand here today, we are in the midst of a financial storm that stretches far beyond Providence, beyond New England, beyond our nation’s borders to much of the world. It is a storm that has devastated cities across America from Atlanta to Newark, from Detroit to Sacramento. All over America, cities and states are struggling to overcome staggering budget deficits while maintaining basic services to its citizens.”
“We struggle with the development of our most precious resource: our children. Many of our public schools are under-performing and in this era, when even the most basic jobs require advanced skills, far too many of our children aren’t even graduating from high school.”
“More than half of our students are not proficient in reading and more than three quarters of our students are not proficient in math. It is unacceptable – and unconscionable – that we provide anything less than the absolute best: a college and career preparatory education for every single child in this city, regardless of family income, regardless of skin color, regardless of zip-code.”
“In the face of all these challenges, and in the midst of this storm, I am confident. Confident that together, we will overcome these challenges, weather this storm and strengthen our city and our state.”
“From Westerly to Woonsocket, from Burrillville to Bristol, we are all in this together. We all have an interest in our capital city – the beating heart of our state. And we need a healthy heart for the good of the body.”
“As Providence succeeds, we all prosper.”
GoLocalProv will continue to follow the inauguration throughout the day.
