The mayor of Arlington says the city is becoming safer as it grows. Jim Ross gave his "State of the City" speech this week at Esports Stadium.
Since taking office in 2021, Ross said 20,000 more people in Arlington are working, and 1,983 businesses have opened or moved into the city. He said private companies are also planning $4.1 billion in investments.
"Jobs, jobs, jobs, that's what we wanted to accomplish here in Arlington," Ross said.
Ross said when he took office, the city developed a formula to attract business. He said that the formula includes public safety, education, and great neighborhoods.
"It's more than just the housing, it's how we treat each other," Ross said.
Ross said Arlington is now the fifth most diverse city in the country.
"We have to look at diversity for what it really is. It's the source of our strength. It's what makes us unique with one another," he said.
In 2020, Arlington launched a unity council that made 57 recommendations. Ross said the city has either already implemented or is working to implement all of those recommendations.
"We are making progress on working together," he said.
Ross said the unity council is now working on a new agenda that will include recommendations for how to better treat seniors, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community.
"Those are important factors in showing businesses we're working together," he said.
For public safety, Ross said overall crime in Arlington has dropped 8% this year, and violent crime has dropped 21%.
The city plans to hire 95 additional firefighters over the next three years and has transitioned the fire department to four-man squads.
"We now can respond faster. We now have the ability to attack the fires quicker, and it's safer for our firefighters," Ross said.
Arlington has renovated Fire Station No. 1 downtown. The city will start construction on an 18th station and renovations on Fire Station No. 8 next year.
Fire Station No. 8 is near Lamar and Collins in North Arlington. In 2024, Arlington plans to start construction of a police substation which will also be in North Arlington.
"The police department's been busy doing some really unique things," Ross said. "Human exploitation and trafficking has become a huge problem nationwide. Arlington created the HEAT [Hotspot Enforcement and Assistance Team] Unit to address those things. The HEAT Unit works specifically on those individuals who like to exploit children and traffic human beings."
Ross said the unit worked with federal agencies this summer to make dozens of arrests in Arlington.
In the fall of 2021, Ross created an education coalition.
"For the first time ever, we were able to bring together all of the educators here in Arlington from private schools, public schools, charter schools, homeschooling, Tarrant County College, UT-Arlington," he said.
This summer, Ross said the coalition created a "see something, say something" campaign to focus on school safety. He said the group is now working on a program to encourage parental engagement that focuses on early education.
"They worked together in a way that benefits every single kid in Arlington," he said.
Ross said development was growing across the city.
In June, General Motors announced plans for a $500 million expansion at its facility in Arlington in June. UT Arlington plans $300 million in capital improvements, including $180 million for its life sciences building.
While the Rangers have moved to Globe Life Field, Ross said Choctaw Stadium across Randol Mill is still evolving with new restaurants and offices moving in.
"Choctaw Stadium has taken on a life of its own and is continuously reinvigorating what's happening all around that area," Ross said.
In the Entertainment District, Ross said Loews Arlington Hotel is scheduled to open in February 2024. The Jones family plans $300 million in renovations at AT&T Stadium ahead of the World Cup in 2026.
The National Medal of Honor Museum is expected to open in 2024.
"Everybody believes in helping our veterans. It reaches across party lines, it reaches across racial lines, religious lines. Everybody wants to help veterans," Ross said. "Now, we are positioning ourselves to be the most patriotic city in America by taking care of our veterans."
Ross said the city is also building its infrastructure with $355 million in road construction over the next several years and $48.9 million in drainage and stormwater projects.
Despite the infrastructure projects, Ross said Arlington has now cut its property tax rate for eight straight years.
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