See Highlights And Read Full Text Of Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla's State Of City Speech

HOBOKEN, NJ — Now well into his second term as mayor of mile-square Hoboken, Mayor Ravi Bhalla gave his annual "State of the City Address" Tuesday night. As Bhalla is running for the Democratic nomination for Congress, the speech took on extra importance.

Bhalla has recently gotten positive press for reducing annual traffic deaths from 1 to zero through a variety of "Vision Zero" safety measures, and for continuing anti-flooding safeguards including new retention parks.

On the negative side for the mayor, voters may be distracted from his campaign with a potential rent decontrol referendum looming.

Bhalla addressed the potential referendum, brought by a landlords' group, on Tuesday night, noting, "I will forcefully oppose this existential threat to Hoboken’s affordability protections with every ounce of energy in me." (What's it all about? Read more.)

In the speech, Bhalla touched on affordable housing accomplishments, anti-flooding measures, programs for seniors, and more.

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You can read the speech below and view the video on social media here: https://www.facebook.com/Hobok...

Mayor Bhalla’s State of the City Speech, as prepared for delivery: