Mishawaka mayor delivers 2017 State of the City address

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -

Major developments, economic growth and an expanding population were key points Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood touted during his sixth State of the City address on Monday night.

“Frankly it seems like we have less and less time [to prepare the annual address], because we’re so busy trying to keep up with our projects and our growth,” he told residents during his speech.

Mishawaka realized that growth on many fronts in 2016.

The city also ended the year on an economic high.

More than $4.7 million dollars were left in the general fund by the year’s end.

It’s a 60 percent increase from the previous two years, due in part to cut backs in anticipation of the effects of the state’s circuit breaker.

The city’s tax rate increased by six percent.

And wage increases remained stagnant at one percent.

The city also recently increased its water rates in order to pay for needed capital improvements.

And then there’s the issue of sewer costs.

Taxpayers are looking at paying hundreds of millions in upgrades thanks to an EPA mandate.

But the mayor says he’s planning on heading to Washington to renegotiate that deal.

“We’re going to go back to the federal government this year and we’re going to try to plead our case so we’re able to keep those rates low,” said Mayor Wood.