CITY OF STOCKTON
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WELCOME
Stockton is a community on the rise. Earlier this year, the U.S. News
& World Report ranked Stockton, a city of more than 311,000, as
the most diverse in the nation. Stockton represents what is possible
when a community embraces diversity and invests in people.
Our surrounding San Joaquin County represents one of the
fastest-growing regions in California. With about 30 percent of
Stockton’s population younger than 18, it is vital we invest in our
youth. In 2018, I secured $20 million to launch Stockton Scholars.
In our first year, we delivered more than $800,000 in college and
trade school scholarships and nearly tripled the number of our local
community college grants.
Stockton is also home to the Stockton Economic Empowerment
Demonstration, the nation’s first city-led, guaranteed-income pilot program. This program provides 125
individuals $500 a month, with no strings attached, and it’s dispelling myths around unconditional cash sti-
pends. The majority of our recipients are employed but struggle to make ends meet. Early results show that
the money received was used for food, merchandise and utilities.
Like many cities, Stockton has seen an increase in homelessness. We are working with the state to
expand our shelter capacity, and we were among the first cities to partner with the governor, using surplus
state land to build affordable housing. We’ve also hired a record number of police and invested in programs
such as Advance Peace, which mentors individuals most likely to commit violent gun crime. So far, we’ve
seen a 40 percent decrease in homicides, and the Stockton Police Department reported in its 2020-2022
strategic plan that 2017 marked a 15-year low in crime.
Making Stockton safer has helped to spur our downtown renaissance. Our Waterfront Warehouse has
seen a 99 percent occupancy rate, and buildings that have been vacant for decades, like the 12-story Med-
ico-Dental Building, which is home to the city’s latest mixed-use project, the Medici Artist Lofts, are being
revitalized. Stockton also has 19 “opportunity zones,” where we hope to see even greater economic invest-
ments.
To fully bring the city forward, we must focus on education. Only 17.7 percent of Stocktonians have a col-
lege degree. My administration, along with other community leaders, are working to build the next California
State University campus here in Stockton.
Today, Stockton is a trailblazer for economic and social innovation. We are reaching new heights, which
will catapult us forward, firmly establishing our community as an emerging California city.
Sincerely,
Michael Tubbs
Mayor, City of Stockton
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comstocksmag.com | May 2020