A STRONG LEADER

Under Mayor Castro's leadership, San Antonio has continued its rise as a Great American City.

San Antonio becomes first city in Texas to name official Poet Laureate (Carmen Tafolla).

City Council approves Pre-K 4 SA ballot initiative asking voters to invest 1/8-cent sales tax to provide high-quality, full-day Pre-K to 22,000 four-year-olds over eight years.

Expressing confidence in City Hall, voters overwhelming approve $596 million bond program that includes $30 million to complete northern highway interchanges at Loop 1604 and U.S. 281.

Embracing Mayor Castro`s vision to be a leader in the New Energy Economy, CPS Energy — San Antonio`s municipally owned utility — inks deal with OCI Solar Power to provide 400 MW of solar energy, bring several manufacturing facilities that produce

More than 10,000 area students receive college advising and test preparation at Cafe College to help create a college-going culture in San Antonio.

Student Aid Saturdays created to assist students and their parents with financial aid paperwork to attend college.

SERVE SA enlists more than 1,000 volunteers to mentor at-risk middle schoolers and to help struggling second-graders read at grade level by the third grade.

Two years after Mayor Castro declares it the ``Decade of Downtown,`` 2,463 housing units representing a total investment of $349.8 million are slated to be built in San Antonio`s center city by the end of 2014.

Men`s Fitness Magazine ranks San Antonio as 25th Fittest City in America.

San Antonio Water System moves forward with desalination plan to diversify area water resources.

Car-share program instituted.

San Antonio ranked best-performing local economy in the country by prestigious Milken Institute.

Teen pregnancy declines nearly 10 percent in 2011.

More than 40,000 area residents participate in first Síclovía.

Two national headquarters — Argo Insurance and Eye Care Centers of America — relocate to downtown San Antonio.

San Antonio Police Department becomes only second big-city department in America to earn national accreditation.

San Antonio B-cycle named second busiest in the nation.

$1.7 million in fitness equipment, walking trails and other enhancements invested in area parks.

City approves complete streets policy.

Citizens’ Bill of Rights created to inform residents on their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

108 salad bars added in area schools

CPS Energy and UTSA forge $50 million, 10-year partnership to foster sustainable energy research aligned with SA2020 goals.

San Antonio one of five cities nationwide to receive Promise Neighborhood grant ($25 million).

Solar parking meters, electrical vehicle charging stations added to various downtown locations.

SA2020 data center created to provide transparent analysis and reporting of vision-area progress.

Mayor launches SA 2020 visioning process, bringing citizen leaders from across the community to the table to begin the process of deciding what kind of city does San Antonio want to be in 10 years.

HemisFair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation created to restore site of 1968 world`s fair into world-class public space.

San Antonio receives federal funding for 50 new police officers.

Mayor Castro pushes sustainability issues to the forefront of city agenda by naming Green Jobs Leadership Council and opening Mission Verde Center @ Cooper.

San Antonio receives $15.6 million

Mayor’s Fitness Council established to bring new level of awareness to healthy living and to stem the spread of illnesses like diabetes.

City Council unanimously approves tougher tree ordinance that requires developers to preserve, or add to, the city’s overall tree canopy.

Fiesta Verde, first ever recycling program at Fiesta, exceeds 5-ton goal by collecting 7.5 tons of recyclables.

Mayor Castro helps steer CPS Energy out of controversial nuclear power deal that was costing ratepayers $30 million a month.