Letter from the mayor

Mayor E. Denise Simmons

October 16, 2008

New England Real Estate Journal

P.O. Box 55

Accord, MA 02018

To The New England Real Estate Journal:

I am writing to express my gratitude to the New England Real Estate Journal for recognizing Cambridge with a special edition, "Cambridge: What Makes It Tick!" My staff, my colleagues at City Hall, the people of Cambridge and I are all very appreciative of the fact that you chose to shine a spotlight on the many wonderful aspects of our city, and to share our story with your readers.

We are particularly proud of how our financial custodians have kept Cambridge in a very strong position, through the good economic times and the bad. This is the ninth year in a row that Cambridge has been given the coveted Triple A rating by the nation's three major credit rating agencies. This general measurement of the city's financial health tells us that we are operating on solid financial footing, and that we engage in sound fiscal practices. Cambridge is just one of roughly twenty cities nationwide to have received such a high rating.

This has also been a time of growth for our city. Cambridge has initiated a number of major projects in the past couple of years, and these will certainly enhance the city experience. These projects include the construction of a new high school, a new library, a new police headquarters, and the recently completed water works. These projects have all been fully funded, and we look at them as sturdy investments that will benefit residents, visitors, and business owners for generations to come.

Many, many people deserve the credit for our city's success. The City Manager, Robert W. Healy, has done an outstanding job in the day-to-day running of Cambridge, and he should also be recognized for his fiscal acumen. My colleagues on the City Council have likewise shown a dedication to addressing the needs and concerns of their constituents, and a commitment to finding a balance to the needs of the many people and businesses in the city. There are also hundreds of men and women who work for Cambridge day in and day out, keeping things running as smoothly as possible. I wish to thank them all for their continued hard work and dedication.

Thank you once again for recognizing Cambridge in the New England Real Estate Journal. It is quite an honor.