2026 State of the City
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Martinez State of the City on March 5, 2026, hosted each year by the Chamber of Commerce. This is an opportunity to share the progress city staff and city council have made over the past year, and to highlight the Mayor’s vision for the years to come. Last year, the event became free to attend (thank you to the Chamber’s sponsors!) and I have been so proud of how we have been able to reach even more members of our community.
The City of Martinez is busy, but we are aligned under the overarching umbrella of our Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is a 4-year roadmap of the City’s future developed by staff, the public, and council, by establishing goals, identifying strategies to reach those goals, and scheduling implementation of these strategies over the next four years.
The Strategic Plan details 5 goals:
Fiscal Sustainability – We are using a long-range forecast model so staff can use data-driven decisions to explore new revenue and cost recovery methods to support city services.
Vibrant and Sustainable Waterfront and Marina – Revitalization of the waterfront and marina has been a long-standing priority for Martinez city councils. As a first step towards a public-private partnership, I signed the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement in December 2025, a two-year agreement that grants good faith negotiation rights with a developer. It is not a final deal, and there is no obligation for the city to proceed with a project.
Capital Projects and Infrastructure Improvements – We have completed generational projects such as the Fishing Pier and Pine Meadow Park, and we are now preparing two major plans: the Parks System Master Plan and the Vulnerable Road Safety Plan, evaluating how to better protect bicyclists and pedestrians.
Economic Development and Housing – We have improved code enforcement, launched the Vacant to Vibrant program, and developed toolkits for new businesses. We continue to adopt housing programs to meet our housing needs, because we know people are integral to economic development.
Community Heath, Safety, and Wellbeing – I was so pleased that we incorporated this resident-focused goal! This includes Sesquicentennial celebration events on April 1 (the official anniversary of incorporation in 1876) and August 29 (Sesquicentennial Festival at the Martinez waterfront), as well as advocating for the Martinez community with the Air District and County Health.
We have a busy year ahead of us to make progress towards our strategies, and the public will be brought along every step of the way. Community sessions were held in January and February to solicit feedback on each of the initiatives this year, and you can expect to see additional public meetings this year to provide input on the waterfront, parks, and traffic safety.
Lastly, I had the honor of rolling out a new element at the State of the City: The Mayor’s Impact Award. For my inaugural award, I presented it to Mr. Vincent Pitzulo, music teacher at John Muir Elementary, who is training our next generation of musicians. To bring home the point, he brought his ukulele club to perform. Since I wrapped up my State of the City with a 5th grade ukulele performance, everyone forgot all the great things that I said. And honestly, I was so proud of my community, I didn’t even mind.
Wishing you were there? You can watch the video on the City of Martinez website here: www.cityofmartinez.org/stateofthecity2026.
