Gary Mayor Jerome Prince reflected on his term in office during his final State of the City address Thursday. "I can only and honestly say that I have no remorse, no regrets, and every decision, every action was driven by a deep-rooted commitment to this city and its success," Prince said.
He touted a number of revitalization efforts and infrastructure upgrades, many of them made possible by federal American Rescue Plan money. Those include the city's down payment assistance, small business grant and mobile mental health programs. And he noted there's still money left over for the next administration.
"In the discussions that we've had with them, I'm fairly certain that they are thinking of many ways in which to continue to enhance the lives of the residents of the city of Gary, and certainly, it's going to be up to all of us to join in and pitch in and help them, as well," Prince said.
The mayor became emotional as he thanked his wife DeAnna for her "unwavering support," despite her own battle with breast cancer over the past year. "We're proud to report she successfully navigated the treatments and, to this day, we can certainly say that she is incredibly well," Prince added.
He also said he's encouraged by the increase in young people getting involved in government.