In March 2017, months after Reuters had broken the story on South Bend’s high rate of childhood lead poisoning, Mayor Buttigieg gave his State of the City address. Before the speech, his strategy on the lead crisis was undeclared. Would South Bend, like many cities across the country, construct its own office focused on lead and public health? How much money would it dedicate to the lead crisis?

He said this:

While the City has no specific officer, staff, or funding for health, we will continue to actively support other health authorities in ensuring we live in a safe environment, especially for children.

Mayor Buttigieg’s strategy was to support the county. He would not change the status quo, by creating or re-tasking an office of the city for public health.

In the Reuters article published months before, St. Joseph County Health Officer Dr. Luis Gallup had said of his agency, “we are the lowest of the low in terms of public health funding.” Mayor Buttigieg had noted that problem too, stating “The county health department does everything they can just to keep up with child immunizations and restaurant inspections.”

The largest amount Mayor Buttigieg dedicated to the lead crisis in his 2017 State of the City speech was $100,000.