Mayor Don Tatzin, in his State of the City speech at the Businessperson of the Year dinner on January 30, recalled when he was a first time mayor back in 1987. He noted that Lafayette has changed dramatically since then for the better, especially when compared to the county, the state and the federal government. A few examples of improvements include a more vibrant downtown, pedestrian-oriented development and dramatic improvement in the condition of roads and drains, and community spirit.
"The Council's priorities focus on the long-term while recognizing the short-term challenges we are likely to face. During the past several years we started many projects and finished most of them," he said. Some of the Mayor's goals for 2009 are:
- Finish and open the Library - Adopt the downtown Strategic Plan - Fix more failed roads and reduce the backlog - Implement the Financial Review Committee's recommendations - Decide on continuing with the County Sheriff for police services or take another path - Look for opportunities to acquire sites in good locations for public parking - Provide a local stimulus package to help our businesses
"The Council's priorities focus on the long-term while recognizing the short-term challenges we are likely to face. During the past several years we started many projects and finished most of them," he said. 
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA