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Mayor Ward outlines $40 million in infrastructure investments and cites drop in gun homicides
Summary
At the Feb. 18 State of the City in Gainesville, Mayor Harvey L. Ward Jr. highlighted $40 million in surtax-funded projects, new public-safety facilities, transit and sustainability investments, and reported a notable decline in city gun homicides over three years.
Mayor Harvey L. Ward Jr. delivered Gainesville's State of the City address at the Thomas Center on Feb. 18, 2026, announcing $40,000,000 in projects funded by a voter-approved half-cent surtax and citing declines in local gun homicides.
"Gainesville is investing $40,000,000 in projects ready to break ground this very year," Ward said, listing a rebuilt Fire Station 3, a new Southwest Public Safety Services Center and Fire Station 9, a new police property and evidence building, and complete-street work on Northeast Ninth Street.
The mayor framed those capital investments as part of a broader strategy that includes affordable housing and transit. Ward said the city and its partners have constructed "almost 850" affordable homes across the community in the past three years and announced…
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