'Salem Wants Solutions': Mayor Pangallo Eyes Challenges Ahead In State Of The City Address

SALEM, MA — Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo laid out a list of 2024 priorities that includes substantial work on affordable housing, climate initiatives, and a new high school — while allowing that the "fiscal pressure is real" — as part of his first State of the City address.

Pangallo, who was elected to serve out the final three years of former mayor and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll's term in a special election in May, stressed that "Salem wants solutions" as a city looking to move forward while carrying an appreciation, yet not the burden of obsession, for its history.

"While the past is always present in Salem, the future is our own to write," Pangallo said. "We stepped up because of a shared hope for an even brighter future for this city.

"Salem has long been served by those who looked to our horizons, not just our history, for our north star."

The annual municipal inauguration for the mayor, City Council and School Committee included a reading of her poem "Sidewalks of Salem" from Collins Middle School eighth-grader Liana Galvin.

Pangallo then proposed "to advance regulations for single occupancy units and to allow builders more leeway to create housing instead of chronically unused parking spaces" as part of a meaningful campaign to increase affordable housing and eliminate family homelessness in the city.

"Salem Public Schools are teaching 247 homeless students in our classrooms, over 100 more than this time last year,104 families, close to 350 people — including homeless infants and toddlers — are living in former dorms at Salem State University," he said. "Neighbors are living in cars, in tents, in crisis.

"You and I — we represent everyone in this city, whether they have a roof over their head or not — they're our constituents and we have a shared responsibility to help them."

Pangallo said the city will look to enforce its short-term rental rules "with greater intentionality" as it implements new condo conversion regulations.

He cited the pending offshore wind terminal construction and the forthcoming South Salem Commuter Rail stations as ways the city will look to create clean energy jobs and meet carbon emission goals.

"We also must prepare for the reality of climate change and its negative, life-changing impacts on our community," he said. "We'll invest in resiliency projects along our coast and in our infrastructure, to ensure our city is best situated to weather the coming storms — both metaphorically and literally."

On education, Pangallo said significant progress will be made on a new high school over the next year, as well as a new teacher contract that "supports them and the important work that they do for our kids every day."

He also acknowledged the challenges of an end to federal COVID-19-related funding, and a reduction in cannabis-related revenue, as state leaders have told local officials they should "prepare for difficult times ahead."

"The fiscal pressure is real and it's just one of the reasons why responsible growth to our tax base and aligned goals are so important," he said.

"Salem wants solutions," Pangallo concluded. "Solutions for affordable, livable neighborhoods, for a vibrant economy, safe streets for all, and great schools. For sustainability, resilience, and equity.

"The state of our city is hopeful. Hopeful for local leadership that works, collaboratively and constructively, for everyone. Hopeful for a community that all can afford to call home if they wish to. Hopeful to ensure we remain a city that is welcoming, thriving, and vibrant."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)