Gov. Gregoire celebrates Tacoma�s Music and Murals festival

September 6, 2008

AS WRITTEN

Good evening, and thank you Felix for the kind introduction.

And Let me thank the entire Martin Luther King Housing Development Authority -- as well to the many volunteers who made this year's Music & Murals a smashing success.

I don�t want to talk too long. I don�t want to come between you and a great Puget Sound rhythm and blues band, who I�ll introduce in a minute.

But first, I can't tell you how much it cheers my heart to come by this evening and see so many people enjoying music and art�

�And just plain coming together to celebrate community...

...To celebrate a community that is strengthening by the week, the month. and the year.

And it has been my great privilege to partner with the good people of the Hilltop, and the good people of the wider community of Tacoma, to help in any way I can.

And we�re not done yet!

I was pleased to have signed a public works budget that made possible the Hilltop Renaissance Project.

This partnership - including the Martin Luther King Housing Authority and Centro Latino - means new development and construction of a business center on the Hilltop -- to include residential, commercial, and retail space -- and acquisition and renovation of the current headquarters of Centro Latino.

Together, these two projects will drive additional economic development in the Hilltop area.

Not only that, but this community is about to break ground right down MLK in constructing the "Allen Place Discovery Center."

And with Senator Rosa Franklin's help, I'm very pleased we were able to provide three-quarters-of-a million dollars toward its construction.

Communities must grow and change from within, but we can help, and we have helped.

Congratulations to this community. You are a model of what people can do when they come together to make things happen!

And now, I�d like to introduce what you�ve all been waiting for�

The Sea-Town Rhythm & Blues Players. They�re great and if you haven�t heard them, you�re really gonna like �em.

Thank you.