i had to figure out a way to balance the budget. we had to cut some of the outpatient programs. those are not insignificant, they are different than last year. we've looked at offsetting those with a huge enhancement of supporting pachmann housing. there is a real narrative here. i hope you spend time with members of the board to see the connection. we had some tough love moments in the budget. it is so much easier not to make these cuts.

i hope we have an honest debate about some of these programs. let's put it in perspective, this is 242 million. they propose to cut less than 2%. i know that you will hear dramatic devastating cut. we're almost there. we have some interesting proposals. this will save $7.4 million. we will put it back again. the chair will love this, i hope that he has a smile on his face. we did not touched this version. we look forward to working with you on this.

looking at some other cuts, i could not do it. hiv and aids, we think we are in a margin where we can substantially manage this. there are some other prevention dollars that are worth having this. this is in a march and we can't work together. we have big contracts that will save $7.7 million. there is a new contract that will save $1.7 million. we restored a couple of the outpatient programs that you did hear about. we have enhanced the despite a million dollars. i appreciate that feedback and

support. i believe this is in the budget. that we can advance it. their budget, six and a $62 million. again, substantial new revenues. we do not cut in home support services, we do not increase the copay. there is not a city that can claim that and i hope that we can get a thank-you card because i do not always get those not that i am looking for them. this costs money and it comes

out of these other things that they are all criticizing. we want to prioritize this. no domestic cuts. no cuts to women's programs. none. [applause] we have some controversial cuts in nutrition programs. people can disagree. that will be controversial. this is the top of my list. here is in number.

i am really proud of this. 4027. this is really amazing. my party has always been homelessness. that is what i care about most. we would like to reduce the population 39.5%. this is a number i am proud of. we are increasing support of housing this year by housing -- hundreds of units. now we have in our portfolio 4027 supportive housing units. thousands and thousands of human beings have to radically changed

and this enhances the support of housing commitment in the city. i am proud of that. that is where we are. in many ways, i am in a lot better shape than many people predicted lots of hard work, a budget that was not balanced in the last few weeks but it has been balanced in the past 11 months. extraordinary leadership from our department heads. if everyone can give a round of applause? this is amazing. thank you. no one has worked harder than the budget director. thank you. [applause]

we will see if you continue to say that after you see the details. our deputy budget director, thank you. [applause] thank you to the budget team. thank you for your support. the controllers team, thank you for all of your hard work, wherever you are. and to steve it is loves spending all that time with you, no one could do it better. [applause] who did i forget? also to mickey callahan and the

entire team in the department of human resources. thank you for all of your hard work and commitment. [applause] to the great work of our assessor. you actually did something that was important. i talked about the great work of my favorite treasure. thank you for the support. you should see all the letters that i get from supervisor dufty.

we have done a lot of work in the last couple of years. [applause] to our supervisor and the solar incentive and the work force training, the green financing. i really appreciate that. supervisor tchu, thank you for your hard work and your storage shipped. everyone that is coming in your office for help. i know how difficult it is to be president of a board.

there are a lot of good grade of ideas. i look forward to working with you. i encourage you on the budget camteam. [applause] to carmen, a lot of the changes were because of your stewardship and the hard work and your commitment.

this was a great decision that you made to reappoint avalos as the budget share. to have what he was able to accomplish last year and to know that he will be here this year, i know how difficult it is. i know the calls and the pressure you get. i know how difficult this will be. i want to thank you in advance for being willing to commit to this process and know that you have an open door and i am fully committed to working with you and doing what we can. i know that there is a lot that will be asked of you. thank you as well. >that is enough of me.

to all of you for your patience, once again sitting through a long winded budget presentation, i get excited about these things. i hope that you can sense a little bit of that. i am very proud that we got through this rocky road. contrast this to big cities all across the state of california, the contrast this budget to the other cities. i am proud of san francisco, i am proud to be mayor of the city. i am proud to work with all of you to put together a budget that under the circumstances we can be proud of. thank you. [applause]

music more than one in five americans suffers directly or indirectly

from the disease of addiction and the impact is felt in every sector of every community. fortunately, lives are saved each day through addiction treatment services and the support for those in recovery, by friends, families, coworkers, and entire communities. people in recovery and those who serve them is the focus of national alcohol and drug addiction recovery month. each day, millions of people in long-term recovery support each other and prove that recovery is working for millions of americans who have reclaimed their lives. this is the very spirit and nature of recovery month. the efforts of thousands of individuals throughout the country yielded more than 800 events nationwide supporting the 2008 recovery month theme of join the voices for recovery: real people, real recovery.

recovery month promotes the benefits of alcohol and drug use disorder treatment for individuals, their families, and their communities. it recognizes the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders in all its forms is possible. today, we urge every person in this country to pause and reflect on the great gift of recovery and to thank the thousands of committed workers, counselors, health care providers, physicians, social workers, eap specialists, peer support, and others who toil daily to bring healing to the millions affected by the disease of addiction. the beneficiaries of recovery are not just the individual who has the substance abuse problem, but it's the family, as we pointed out, and the community. an estimated 23.2 million persons need treatment for illicit drug and alcohol use in 2007.

of these, only 2.4 million receive treatment at a specialty facility. of the remaining 20.8 million persons who were classified as needing substance use treatment but not receiving treatment, almost 94 percent did not feel they needed treatment-94 percent. nineteen and a half million people abuse substances in this country and don't think they need care. that's something that we absolutely need to change if we're gonna affect that particular statistic. my message today is not to inform you about the devastation of addiction. i am here to tell you that there are sons, daughters, fathers, and friends who today know the reality of recovery from this disease. i'm here to tell you that people all over the world are finding lasting recovery. people are finding hope for life beyond the guilt and shame of their past. i'm here to advocate for more opportunities for people to get well-as i have-and to thank the fine treatment providers who work in the trenches every day, to take people like me, people without hope for a change,

and they recharge that spark, that human will to survive. they helped me get back my dream. not only does the individual have to come forward and help with their treatment, but this disease, in particular, requires the people around the individual to support them in facing the disease and then support them in the path to recovery. we will take, of the 23 million who are now suffering from alcoholism and drug dependence, and make them a mainstream part of society in recovery, when more of us reach out our hands. i want to thank those of you every day who help not only to get individuals into recovery, but to more importantly, get more hands and hearts educated about what they need to do to help be a part of saving and bringing back those, too many have misguidedly, given up on. we can do this. you do this every day. we need to redouble our efforts. this survey shows what you're doing is saving lives, and i came here to say "thank you."

throughout all this year both nacoa and the entertainment industry council have been celebrating 25 years of passionate dedication to bringing effective attention to the pain, sadness, and enormous losses suffered by addicted persons and their family members. we also have been celebrating at the same time the hope and the healing that we and the many of our colleague organizations in the prevention, treatment, and recovery support field represented here today, bring to so many hurting individuals and their family members. by collaboration that takes place within the recovery community our joint planning and our individual outreach to the public is amplified. this is a media-oriented voice that we have and we are making it be heard and we must continue to make it be heard to further inspire the seeking of treatment and the commitment to recovery.

we're also here to acknowledge the persistence in dedication for encouraging people to seek treatment and to get onto the path of recovery. we're here to make news today on behalf of the 22.6 million people in the u.s. who suffer from substance use disorders. and that news is a message of hope and confidence in treatment and recovery. the thing that is so exciting about the family concept is a very interesting and sitting listening; there had been three different statistics used as far as how many alcoholics there are in the country. i've always used to figure 20 million. either side of that is ok. but if you figure an average family of four, you're talking about a 100 million people in the united states of america are affected by alcoholic behavior. i applaud and thank the volunteers who have worked hard to promote national alcohol and drug recovery month.

a month is a celebration. a month amplifies our dedication to assisting our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have recovered. but we all know that it takes 12 months of each year to work hard and to promote our dedication to people who are in need. people trapped by drug or alcohol addiction often feel like there's no hope, no way out. but for every lock there's a key. and if you have a problem it's good to know there are real solutions to help you get free. for drug or alcohol treatment referral for you or someone you know, call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services. people who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction sometimes say hurtful things.

they drive the people who love them most away. if you know someone who suffers from drug or alcohol addiction, listen. try to hear what they are really saying. know that there is hope and help them find their voice again. for drug or alcohol treatment referral for you or someone you know, call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services. music what i can tell you about the power of recovery is that recovery means being released from those things that have had you bound for such a long time. so recovery means being released. uh, i want to talk to you about the power of recovery also, for me the purpose of recovery. being that i'm in long, person in long-term recovery,

over 23 years of recovery, through the lord, jesus christ, and i feel for me it's a release of bondage, it's also a release to give back. to me the power of recovery is all about coming to terms with life. living life on life's terms and basically staying really focused on what's really important to you outside of yourself, because as an addict everything was a very selfish you know self-absorbed lifestyle and now to me the most important things are my children, my family, my community. and to me that's the most powerful thing i have received as a result of my recovery. this is a very, very special day and special month, uh, recovery is something that's very important to everyone especially adolescents and adults and to families. i've worked in all levels of care, in-patient, out-patient, and recovery works, uh, if you work it.

and i've seen a lot of people over the years whether it be their first time in treatment, second time, third time, uh, get recovery and this is extremely important. music america is a country built from diverse people coming together. when millions of americans stand up together to make a difference in their community, they speak with one voice and lives are forever changed. recovery month is a great example of this collective unity. in 2008, more than 800 events held throughout the country were posted on the recovery month web site. there were walks, fairs, concerts, picnics, art displays, educational events, sober motorcycle rides, baseball games, and many other types of events that reached millions of americans.

individuals touched by addictions and now healed through recovery stood together in support of one another, showing that recovery from addiction is very real, very possible, and that recovery saves lives and dollars. i'm very proud of this collaboration but more importantly, you too should be proud. your work and dedication to make a progressive contribution to our society is remarkable. i'd like to thank all the recovery month planning partners for their partnership and leadership as well as the many volunteers, friends, and families of the addiction recovery community who made these events possible. the iowa department of public health put together a family day at the blank park zoo in des moines. attendees received "passports," informing them on the day's activities, which included recovery event speakers, prize

drawings, and of course, seeing all of the animals. the gadsden treatment center, in collaboration with other substance abuse agencies, organized a recovery walk in gadsden, alabama. over 700 people came out and raised over $7,000 toward area substance abuse treatment. aside from the walk itself, the event featured vendor tables with treatment information, as well as fun activities including inflatables for children, face painting, horseshoes, food, and live music. the national council on alcoholism & drug abuse of st. louis sponsored a hands across the bridge rally. several hundred supporters from missouri and illinois assembled at the chain of rocks bridge to join hands and connect both states. recovery speakers and elected officials spoke at the event and a unified crowd enjoyed a day of food,

fun activities, and live music. recovery supporters in delaware celebrated recovery month in their state by holding a kickoff luncheon. delaware governor ruth ann minner was on hand to speak and to recognize several individuals for their work in the substance abuse treatment field. river valley behavioral health organized a stand for recovery. citizens of owensboro, kentucky, gathered publicly on the lawn of owensboro courthouse to stand and show their support for the recovery movement. rhode islanders celebrated recovery month by attending a recovery day event in their state capital of providence. the event featured food, face painting, guest speakers, and live music, as well as prevention activities, displays of the recovery quilt, and a vigil for the remembrance of loved ones who were lost to the disease of addiction.

faces and voices of recovery greenville put together a rally for recovery concert. admission to the event was free and tables were set up to allow patrons to register to vote. the saint marks inspirational choir kicked off the music festivities and the evening concluded with a performance by national touring singer/songwriter livingston taylor. portland's overdose prevention project again hosted its annual recovery & wellness resource fair. the event served as a way to inform and educate participants, as well as providers, about recovery-oriented resources and health promotion-related services within the community. the beacon house association of san pedro held its 24th annual recovery block party. this event has grown to become a premier event in the recovery community. the event featured arts and crafts, live entertainment,

speaker meetings, information booths, and plenty of food. waianae women in recovery held their 7th annual women and children campout. in addition to workshops dealing with women's issues, the event allowed women to spend a fun filled afternoon with their children by enjoying meals, arts and crafts, and several fun and sometimes messy games and activities. the department of health and mental hygiene sponsored a recovery month state kickoff in catonsville, maryland. highlights included recognition of elected officials, display tables for local vendors and substance abuse information, as well as food and live entertainment for all to enjoy. a&e network, in partnership with the national council on alcoholism and drug dependence, hosted the recovery project rally in new york city. thousands of people from across the country joined in a historic

walk across the brooklyn bridge to raise awareness and show support for recovery from addiction. the celebration took place at city hall park, and featured live music from several bands as well as appearances from a&e talent, national leaders, and special guest celebrities. alaska family services held its 2nd annual recovery celebration. several members from the community were invited to share their stories of addiction and recovery. the event also featured performances from other members of the community, as well as information tables set up with resources to help with the journey toward sobriety. the event concluded with a memorial to honor family and friends who have lost their lives to the disease of addiction. western dakota tech was the site of a south dakota recovery day celebration. two speakers stood up to share their stories about the