Citywide, Neighborhood and Environmental Initiatives

• Neighborhood Improvement Program, making city capital funds available to Neighborhood Planning Councils for neighborhood planning and development.
• Environmental Enhancement Program for neighborhoods and downtown, generating more than $100 million in city, state and federal funds to improve Wilmington streets and walks.
• Special waterfront zoning districts to attract appropriate development along the City's waterways, which he has championed over the past two decades.
• Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) payback program, assuring that a significant part of the payments on Federally-funded economic development loans would go to improve nearby affected neighborhoods such as West Center City, Brandywine Gateway and Eastside.
• Establishment of the nine city nature trails, the City Streetscape Improvement Standards, and the City Tree Program.

Government Service Initiatives

• Community policing and improved police technology, jointly with neighborhood residents and other council members, to include a no-tolerance policy for nuisance crimes.
• New police rank structure to recognize superior service by promotion.
• Council of Presidents, comprised of the leaders of Neighborhood Planning Councils and other neighborhood groups to provide for more effective communication with City Council and other city agencies.
• Citywide scholarship program for city students accepted in post-high school education institutions, with support from Council Member Ted Blunt.
• Community Development loan & grant program and facade improvement program providing financial assistance to many city homeowners.
• WITN Wilmington governmental cable channel, carrying gavel-to-gavel meeting coverage and information on availability and use of city services, with support of Council Member Theo Gregory.

Fiscal Responsibility Initiatives

• Budget reserve account, permanent investment account and Expenditure Review Board for better management of city funds.
• Decisive action through Council to address revenue short-falls and control unnecessary spending, including spending cap of 98 percent of revenues, restricted travel, elimination of vacant positions, delaying bond sales until funds are needed and mid-fiscal-year cuts in the operating budget, with strong support from Council Finance Committee Chairs Bob Poppiti, Theo Gregory and Ted Blunt.
• Improved revenue collection through amnesty periods on penalties for overdue payments, resulting in more than $3 million of previously uncollected funds.
• Wilmington Economic and Financial Advisory Council (WEFAC), created by executive order to provide credible estimates of city revenues, with bi-partisan support from former Council Member Bill Freeborn.

City Council Leadership

• City Council leadership group which, through regular meetings with the City administration, helps the Council President coordinate with other council members.
• Goals and objectives for Wilmington developed in consultation with Council members and citizens at a series of Council Community Forums.
• Streamlined management of City Council office with emphasis on quality control and customer service.
• Health program for retired city employees with support from City Treasurer Henry Supinski and leaders of employee unions.
• City Health Initiative, which addressed serious health concerns of people and neighborhoods, with the support of Council Heath Committee Chair Gerald Kelly.  This initiative led to the appointment of a city health officer, the naming of the Mayor's Physicians Advisory Council and the development of a City Health Plan.

Public-Private Partnership Initiatives

• Wilmington Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO), providing loans to small businesses.
• Bond assistance for agency capital projects.
• Support for the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, now an annual destination event attracting thousands.
• Gospel Festival held in conjunction with the August Quarterly.
• Development of a downtown educational district, which has now attracted five new post-secondary institutions to the area, working with Council staff to bring Drexel University to Wilmington and assisting Springfield College, Delaware State University, Wilmington College and Delaware Technical & Community College to locate or expand in the city.
• Continued city support and involvement for arts education, leading to development of the now internationally-acclaimed Delaware College of Art and Design and 6th and Market Streets.
• Downtown student housing, providing needed nighttime activity in the area.
• Proposed the Ship's Tavern District development and preservation through private non-profit redeveloper and helped negotiate the agreement designating Renaissance Development Corporation as redeveloper under urban renewal standards.
• Helped form the Arts Roundtable to coordinate the efforts of city arts institutions, and supported funding of the Arts Stabilization Fund to assist them.

This partial listing of Jim Baker's accomplishments and initiatives illustrates his ability to work with others to get things done, and his unsurpassed dedication to serving the people of Wilmington with care, creativity, innovation, and when necessary, with hands-on involvement.