CARLSBAD — With an eye on the future, Mayor Keith Blackburn turned to some of the city’s youngest residents during this year’s State of the City, asking children what they love most about Carlsbad and their thoughts on civic issues.
In a video shown during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Keith Blackburn asked children across Carlsbad what they love about their city and their thoughts on various local topics. The video was part of the State of the City presentation, which highlighted public safety, city projects, sustainability efforts, quality of life and business activity.
Several kids drew laughter from the council chambers after telling the mayor they hadn’t met any notable people that day.
Before the video, Councilmember Kevin Shin, a retired fire captain, praised the city’s Emergency Operations Center, a hub of emergency response.
“It’s new, it’s revitalized,” Shin said. “And for a person that’s had to work in an EOC, I’m letting our public know that we have one of the most state-of-the-art operations centers out there.”
The city also partnered with local schools on e-bike safety training and developed wildfire mitigation plans with brush management. Six emergency medical technicians were reclassified as firefighters, and the city noted that cardiac emergencies in Carlsbad were three times more survivable than in the rest of San Diego County.
Nearly 40 miles of streets were resurfaced, more than 40 new parking spaces were added in the Village and Barrio areas, and new streetlights were installed in the Barrio to improve safety and walkability.
Councilmember Melanie Burkholder criticized “Sacramento’s one-size-fits-all legislation” preventing Carlsbad from implementing its own growth management plan.
“Ultimately, the improved infrastructure ends up as a burden on us and potentially the next generation,” Burkholder said. She added that city staff is doing “great work” to maintain infrastructure that supports residents’ quality of life.
Both the Georgina Cole Library and the Carlsbad City Library have returned to their pre-pandemic, seven-day hours. TGIF Concerts in the Park also came back, renovations were completed at the Alga Norte Aquatic Center, and construction is set to begin this year on Veterans Memorial Park, the city’s largest.
“Together, these projects are more than amenities,” Mayor Pro Tem Priya Bhat-Patel said. “They’re investments in what made Carlsbad a connected, creative and vibrant community.”
Councilmember Teresa Acosta said sustainability remains a top priority. She noted that all city buildings operate on 100% renewable energy, and 90% of homes and businesses receive at least half of their energy from renewable sources. The city also opened its fourth community garden at Stagecoach Park and launched an online dashboard to track climate progress.
“These efforts show that sustainability isn’t just a program in Carlsbad, it is part of who we are and how we plan for our future,” Acosta said.
Carlsbad generated $17.6 billion in goods and services last year. The unemployment rate stood at 4.5%, compared to a national average of 4.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The city projects a balanced budget through fiscal 2031 and continues to hold a AAA credit rating.
“After watching that, I kind of want to live here,” Blackburn quipped, drawing more laughter.
