franciscans, bringing our unemployment rate down from 9.5 to 7.6%, that is just in one year. thank you for your help on that. [applause] two weeks ago, in our city comptroller's report, we got another nice little nudge of good information. more positive news about our economy. our revenues became $129 million greater than projected in the first six months of the fiscal year. $129 million. [applause] that is wonderful data for san franciscans because guess what? for quite some years now, it has been deficit, deficit, deficit, no increase, revenues going down, all the bad news that have been shared year after year with our department heads and all of you know how wonderfully-

negative the discussion has been and now we see some positive light. i stand before you a year in office to say that san francisco -- economic recovery is real and underway and the economic policies and the strategies we pursued are working and they're working well. our city could not do this without the partnerships of many of you who are here today. san francisco is back on track we must stay the course. what i mean is even though our revenues have surged from the economic growth that our tech companies have provided and traditional companies who have been here for so many years, let me do this. i know that i have been known as the tech mayor and i want to

share that with the board and officials but i also want to say one of the reasons i come here so enthusiastically to the chamber is to have always been here for the city. your members have been with the city struggling with us, we come to you to help us. you helped us tremendously on a number of things last year and i want to say thank you to all the traditional members of the chamber as well. whether it is wells fargo, pg&e, or ecology, and the worst numbers of sponsors who have been here today and continue to come here. you have been part of the life blood as we walk them -- welcome in the biotechnology and green tech. the people of this city and every neighborhood and who have experienced all the great, positive dialogue but has also been concerned about-dialogue -- about negative dialogue.

many of you joined with me weeks ago when we celebrated 50 years of tony bennett and his wonderful song. we have much more to celebrate in the coming years and i hope you join in the chamber in making sure we share this prosperity. having said that, and knowing that our economy is improving, i want to make sure you know i will be at the helm with the board making sure we are not attempted to return to spending habits and to short-term traces that got us into trouble in the first place. we have to your budgets now. we have a renewed sense of obligation responsibility. we talk about things like our infrastructure. things that allow our tech companies to be successful or what sarah talked about. we have to solve some serious transportation issues in the city and that is why we spend an

hour saturday morning at a technology hackathon or un- hackathon. we are trying to solve problems with our taxis and make sure someone can attach -- catch a taxi where they need it. another aspect of our issues that we will continue to try to get solutions to. more than ever we have to double down on reform. on innovation and investment in our future. that is why we will continue to announce we are the innovation center for the whole world right here in san francisco. soon enough, there will be signage that reflects that in the city because we have to break with some traditional things that prevented us from announcing that in the most broadway. letting everybody know that this is the center for great things to happen. we want to keep that innovation strong and keep the dialogue like the panel has been talking

about, how to keep the sales force growing, how to keep twitter here. as this technology helps us to find solutions we have not thought about. once and for all, we must treat government and our responsibilities as mayors, as families do. find savings where we can, reduce unnecessary spending, and most importantly, and vast. invest in our people and invest in our infrastructure. as said earlier, i'm going to continue talking about jobs. i do not care if i am called the guy who has one thing. i come here every single day to the office asking whether or not i have created another job for somebody else and when you learn about the statistics that ron and others are sharing with us, if it is jobs for san franciscans, that is worth

getting up early, that is worth sacrificing late-night meetings, that is worth giving up weekends, except my golf. we are attracting tech. we're attracting biotech and clean tech. we are supporting manufacturing. we're going to be making more things. i heard this morning fashion is coming back. technology, of fashion will be an exciting area we unleash soon but i will tell you this. there are areas we do not pay attention to but that are not only stable, increasing, and wonderful when you hear this. did you know and i got this from a recent report from our health care, our hospital council recently. did you know that our health care industry in san francisco generates economic impact of

over $15 billion a year? our own health care industry. 99,000 jobs. that is a huge contribution to our economy. i do not want them to be silent anymore. our health care needs are important and we will get that cpmc job done very shortly, weighed -- wade. we need to continue to reform our payroll tax. we have got to incentivize business to create those jobs. while they are doing that, the conversation the board has been very good -- at the board has been very good. we have got to get that employment training center up and invite those that are living in the tenderloin, the mid market or south of market, the traditional groups who have struggled and they identify

programs in the past, they called them digital divide. there were not caught up to the level of education and technology they wanted to be. we have to help them and help our returning veterans get those skills sets. people who are in their mid- career as get the skills that -- skill sets. that is why training is so important. we also need training in -- partnerships and more private and public investments in our schools. i will talk a lot about that with the new president of our school board, norman yee and hydra mendoza. i will talk about how our schools can participate and make sure there are generations of kids who do not lose hope in the city. do not look elsewhere when the best jobs are created right here.

all they have to do is do their part and when they do their part and complete that education, the education they need will be there for them. i want to say one thing about our infrastructure. something i want you to remember as you leave today's room. it is -- want to mention something about hetch hetchy. there is dialogue out there that some people are suggesting that we can tear down our hetch hetchy dam and still survive as a city. i want to let you know that as insane as that is, it is in fact, insane. [applause] there are going to be some leaders that approach you, suggests that tearing down the hetch hetchy is a good idea. they will grow pew into some discussion about water sustainability issues.

but know this. not only do we have the cleanest water, not only have we spent serious amounts of money upgrading seismically the whole system to deliver that clean water, but it is also one of the strongest clean hydroelectric power sources infrastructure that any city across the country has ever had. i want to make sure you know that as this public dialogue begins and do not get misled on those discussions by people who will connect up something that we do want to have which is a good sustainability of water but not by tearing down our dam. finally, i want to end with a discussion about america's cup. yesterday we did make that announcement that pier 30 and 32 are no longer part of it.

the public discussion and discourse around the investment we do need to rebuild the piers including the horrible conditions of 30 and 32 have gone steered away from the excitement and the focus we should be on, hosting the 34 american''s cup, where the greatest sports events we will see. the only international sporting event in 2013 in any part of the u.s. and is coming right here to san francisco. that excites me to no end. it will be the blend of technology with boating and viewed by new technologies to introduce us to generations of new sailors and using our waterfront and our base in the right way. i spoke to larry ellison derica a for a good few moments and we reiterated our excitement about the race. it is on. it is on for this year. for the smaller boats and next

year for the larger boats. we expect hundreds of thousands of people to come to our city and we have figured out with great plants that have been worked on by the event authority and our host committees, all the different plans we have to use properly our open space, our transportation lines and make sure we create the venues that are positive. i want you to know this. the change in a little bit of the investment and the public discourse just is a very i think he reminder of how sensitive we have to be to this whole dialogue about investment. that can go different ways. the thing that i need to make sure we do at the board of supervisors and the mayor's office and all of our departments, keep a strong foundation for economic growth in the city. keep talking to audiences like you and others who can help us. keep talking to our neighborhoods, making sure that

dialogue understands that job creation is about skill and direction. this thing today, prosperity together, sharing it is consistent with what i have been saying throughout the city. we are the city for the 100%. we will work together. i will make sure the city. discourse is positive. we will not forget the foundation that provides us with economic growth. let's move forward and let's move forward together. thank you very much. [applause] >> i guess that makes it clear why mayor lee's approval rating is soaring. thank you, mayor, for your leadership and vision and since we're running over, i will do just a very quick wrap up.

prosperity together as possible. but it is only possible when business, labour, and government work together. that was our theme today. that is the goal for the year ahead. we could not bring new programs like this without our great sponsors. let's get around the's to jpmorgan chase and all our top sponsors -- let's give a round of applause to jpmorgan chase and all our top sponsors. thank you to our board members. thank you for support. it is going to be a great year ahead and think you for coming out this morning. -- thank you for coming out this morning. [applause]

>> you can see that it is amazing. you can hear that it is refreshing.

you reach for it because it is irresistible. and the taste. simply delicious. san francisco tap water. it engages the senses. 311 is an important resource for all san franciscans. shouldld >> you know, i spent this morning with a number of department heads, and thanking them for their wonderful contributions for the heart of the city charity contribution this morning, sharing stories about what our contributions are doing in the charity giving for the city. i registered to them the same thing that i will register to our upcoming commissioners who are about to be appointed here today. a huge thank you for you, your

families, supporters. you are joining the city family, me, sean elsbernd, department heads are here today, because we love the city. we want to make it successful in every way. i need to think ahead of time. before you are sworn in, you need a big hug. you need the city's official hug. you will be in positions to hear about issues, challenges, but you are also going to be part of making decisions that move forward to the spirit of this city, the spirit that i felt a couple of weeks ago when we celebrated the 50 years of leaving our hearts here, that we continue doing that on a daily basis. you will be sharing responsibilities for over 14 different bodies in our city that are not only policy but are hearing the nitty gritty things

that have to be done to move the agenda forward. you will be able to enjoy the challenges of the city, ones that are critical to the delivery of old promises in a city where everyone has a voice, that, through your words and wisdom, be empowered in the city. you are all part of commission that will empower people, so, quickly developed the attitude, agenda, schedule. we need your time. i think people are giving money in these challenging economic times. today, right now, i am thinking you because you are going to be giving more than $5 of your time. he will be sacrificing personal time over the weekends. as i do, saying, it is worth it if i can turn around attitudes

of what we are doing. if i can have all of you that are here today help me with the promises we made in our redevelopment communities, as you take on things like the successor oversight agency committee, help me develop those promises for communities that depend so much on our development. tell them that we are not giving up on those promises, whether it is housing, economic development, workforce development, kids. when you take on responsibilities of the building inspection, and joining me to make sure that job creation is at the helm of it. when you take on small business and again, recommit it -- when you're on the human rights commission -- talking to groups that feel disenfranchised, you share the same spirit. when you join our immigrant rights commission and say to

immigrants who may not have english as their first language, that they are full participants in everything that we do and they have every right to be participating in every aspect of life, the enrichments that we want to share. when you look at that big stack of permit appeals, when you are wondering, did ed asked me to do this going through every appeal of every permit? then i will ask you to step up again and say you have a mayor that is extremely thankful for the work you are doing, the leadership you are doing, the money in that the courts will raise to keep these wonderful talented and innovative arts and our city, keeping us vibrant. all of these commissions -- we have some 14 commissions are being appointed today.

each and everyone of them are extremely important in terms of the quality of life for the city and the promises that we will fulfill to all of you. i am excited about your appointments. as we swear you in, i will ask and take the time that i know the rest of the city family wants to see -- i want you to come up come as you raise your hand, named a commission that you will be on. we are proud of these appointments, we are proud of the time that you will spend, the quality of life that you will improve. i want you to do that for me as we swear you in. looking at all of you, knowing where you will be, the hours you will be spending, you have to understand, you reflect a tremendous diversity in the city, one that i have the privilege of representing myself in an historic fashion. i know that all of the

communities in san francisco will be so proud of your leadership and your vision, but also, i think, most importantly, we are proud of the spirit in which you take on this responsibility. because it is personal sacrifice. sometimes, for us, we can get tired of the complaints, but at the end of the day, when you know, it if you listen to everybody, you do the balloting required, you make the decisions, and you keep your heart focused on improving people's lives in every possible way, whether in it is in entertainment, planning, all of the things that are represented here today, you will feel really good about the city. i just want to welcome all of you to the official city family and do my best to let you know that i will help as much as i

can from the mayor's office. we have a great job to do, and it will be fun, exciting, enriching, and rewarding for everybody. thank you for being here today. [applause] i know time is of the essence. we need to get to those agendas. if i may, i would like to have all of the candidates please stand up. please raise your right hand. as i begin, i will go through and ask you to announce your name in the boldest way you can and simply to name the commission that you will be sworn into.

please repeat. >> [inaudible]

>> and do solemnly swear that i will not supplant -- support and defend the constitution of the united states and constitution of the state of california against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the united states and the constitution of the state of california, that i

take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and i will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which i am about to enter during such time as level the office of -- for the city and county of san francisco. congratulations. thank you very much for your service. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome all of our newest 31 commissioners for the city and county of san francisco. thank you.

>> sanrio famous for the designs for hello kitty. i thought i would try to make it as cute as possible. that way people might want to read the stories. then people might be open to learn about the deities and the culture. ♪ they reached out to make about five or six years ago because of the book published. they appreciated that my work was clearly driven from my research and investigation.

after i contributed my artwork, the museum was really beside themselves. they really took to it. the museum reached out to me to see if i would be interested in my own space inside the museum. i tell them that would be a dream come true. it is the classical, beautiful indian mythology through the lens of modern design and illustration and storytelling. they're all of these great sketch as i did for the maharajah exhibition. i get a lot of feedback on my artwork and books. they complement. they say how original the work is. i am the first person to say that this is so derived from all of this great artwork and storytelling of the past. the research i put into all of my books and work is a product of how we do things that a--

at pixar. sometimes you will see him depicted monkey-like or as superman. i wanted to honor his monkey coloring. i decided to paint him white with a darker face. it is nice to breathe new life into it in a way that is reverent and honors the past but also lets them breathe and have fun. it is almost a european notion to bring these symbols and icons from southeast asia. they decorate their deities. it was a god they interacted with every day in a human way.