On Dec. 3, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods praised the city’s collective efforts over the past year, highlighting notable reductions in violent crime, the swift recovery from October’s microburst storm, and the city’s evolving dining and technology landscape in his State of the City address.
Here are the highlights:
- Decline in Violent Crime: Mayor Woods underscored the city’s success in achieving a drop in violent crime, attributing the improvement to enhanced community policing, targeted safety initiatives, and collaboration between law enforcement and local residents.
- Rapid Microburst Recovery: Reflecting on the destructive October microburst, the Mayor commended Tempe’s emergency response teams and public works crews for their swift action, which minimized disruptions and facilitated speedy restoration of storm‑impacted areas.
- Economic and Cultural Growth: The address celebrated Tempe’s expanding dining and technology sectors, pointing out that new restaurants, tech startups, and evolving infrastructure are fueling both job creation and enhanced quality of life for residents.
“2025 has shown what happens when city government, first responders, businesses and community members — all work together,” said Mayor Woods. “We’ve seen crime go down, we returned quickly and strongly after the storm, supported local businesses, and strengthened Tempe’s place as a vibrant, resilient city poised for growth.”
During the event, the Mayor was served coffee by a DoorDash robot from Tempe’s locally owned shop, Brick Road Coffee. Desks were brought on stage for Tempe Chamber President/CEO, Robin Arredondo-Savage and the Mayor’s take on a Jimmy Fallon-style “Thank You Notes” segment…