The Committee of 100 | Meeting Notes

City of Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker with Executive Director Beverley V. Baxter

Jim Baker does what no politician or elected official dares: he speaks his mind. You don’t have to guess what he’s “really” thinking behind the “public” words. He doesn’t hide behind what might be “politic” to say.

If you need to be mollycoddled, go somewhere else. But if you want to move into Wilmington, bring jobs and economic development to the City, or work with him to improve his beloved Wilmington, step right up.

At the New Castle County Chamber’s Annual Dinner, the Mayor didn’t even have to refer to the County’s cumbersome process (everyone understood) when he told attendees that if they wanted to do a deal in Wilmington, meet him and Wilmington’s Director of Economic Development Joe DiPinto after dinner at the door.

He is a lets-get-it-done guy and the results are evident all over the City. Jim Baker, while President of City Council, called for residential development in the City when people still laughed at the idea. Who’s laughing now, as Chris and Rob Buccini have shown that Wilmington has a strong residential market.

Jim Baker called for a beautification process in the City when others were focused only on buildings. He envisioned Wilmington as the Paris of the U.S., with trees and flowers enhancing our landscape as they do in Paris. Now we have Corporate Traffic Islands enhancing our daily commute as well as other public landscapes, community gardens, and tree programs coordinated with the Delaware Center for Horticulture. And more coming.

Jim Baker has presided over the greatest financial turnaround in the City’s history, winning approval from the General Assembly for additional income streams that now make Wilmington’s revenue stream more reliable and realistic for its needs.

And he’s blunt about the problems which remain. While his proposed FY 2008 Budget includes funding for additional police, he recognizes that changing family and community values are also essential to addressing crime. He’s as ready to demand personal responsibility as he is to strengthen police enforcement.

Jim Baker will tell us what’s next for the City.