in the next several months. the mayor asked departments to prioritize core operating functions, minimize service impact, and pursue solutions such as revenue options, administrative efficiencies, and program or function consolidation. he is strongly encouraging the department to foster community engagement during the budget development which, for the recreation and park department, will not be a challenge at all. we make a really significant effort to interact with the community, our staff stakeholders when developing our budget. the budget assumption that the mayor's office is working with are likely to change over the next six months as we see the results of the state and federal budget processes. all but two of the city's labor contracts are open for

negotiation this spring, so there are 27 collective bargaining agreements, and the outcome of those negotiations will have a significant impact one way or another on the $263 million budget deficit. our budget is due on february 21 to the mayor's office, and we will begin to meet with staff, stakeholders, the community in january to solicit input on our budget proposals. we will be in front of this commission on january 19 and again twice in february to make the budget presentation, and then we will ask for your approval of our budget's mission at the second full commission meeting in february. i am more than happy to answer questions. >> is there any public comment on this? commissioner buell: margaret,

we're not quite done. we have a video. a product of our work force by one, started out in our san francisco state internships. she has done an amazing job. she put together about 60 in the last two years. we have a great partnership now with sfgovtv where a lot of events and activities are being shown. it is another great way to push out all of the fantastic things we do. let it rip. >> thank you. >> when this project is done, you will see the sports park

that is going to be renovated, the great landscaping improvements. >> 5 4 3 2 1 ! happy holidays, everybody!

>> i'm not sure why, but it is freezing for some reason. >> you are welcome. >> commissioners, on behalf of our staff, we want to wish you all a very happy holiday and joy is an exciting new year and thank you for all your support. commissioner buell: the same to you and all the staff. please convey that. public comment, go ahead. >> is there any public comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. we are now on item 12, general public comment continued. is there anyone who wishes to make general public comments? seeing none, and 12 is close. we're on item 13, commissioner matters. >> can i say one thing? i just want to say that i went

to the tree lighting briefly -- i could not stay for the actual writing of the tree, but i can only imagine the amount of staff time it took to put that together. if you remember on the roof of the emporium at christmas time, you see rights, and i had that same sense at maclaren lodge. what made me so happy was to see so many children and families, and those are our kids, our families, san franciscans who are raising their kids here, and we do that for them. i just want to commend you, and i want to thank you very much. commissioner lee: i want to echo what commissioner levitan said. tom harrison also went to the

employee holiday party earlier this week and had a great time, and it was very rewarding to talk to the employees and how excited they are, particularly under the general managers leadership, all the praise is that his employees keep upon him at this very happy event. i have one item for commissioners matters to consider. a number of people in chinatown come to me about an idea to build a stage. maybe the general manager has heard about this. at the portsmouth square mezzanine area. they often have events there, and each time, organizers have to actually read a stage to be put in. the idea would be perhaps to build a stage akin to what the

japanese tea garden has done. where it would be a permanent structure, fixture in the plaza, and that when events happen, they can use that stage, as opposed to constructing it every single time. anyway, i would offer that up for future consideration. commissioner buell: thank you. >> is there any public comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. we are on item 14, new business agenda setting. is there any public comment? public comment is closed. item 15, communication. is there any public comment? public comment is closed. item 16 is adjournment. commissioner buell: all those in favor? >> aye. commissioner buell: happy holidays, everybody.

>> this is our costume shop.

we build all of the clothes for all of our shows. we have been in this building for 13 years. it is an amazing locally hired, locally sourced workspace with amazing artisans. we build all the clothing. we use them in our performances. it is an amazing rental facility. we rent costumes to everybody for halloween, opera companies, theater companies, all over the city and country. it has always been a hive of activity. it was the brainchild of our director that we use the front space as a performing space. we really want to make a contribution to the incredible thing is happening in san francisco, the revitalization of the corridor, through the arts. i want to give a big shout out to all of the artists who are

here. i know i am predicting a bunch of view. there are wonderful, local artists who have been in this neighborhood for a long time. we want this to be a place where artists can gather. lots of different groups can rent the space. feel free to pass the word along. we are flexible. we can perform in different configurations. we have had lots of interesting people here. it is a great creative hub for our schools. education is a big part of our lives. we want young artists to think about why they are making the work they are making and for what community they are making it. he has been a partner with us in exploring the neighborhood. [applause] he is the most patient man ever.

he has been looking around and helping us make the connection. i think we're all in for a bright future. we have a fantastic new mayor. charles shultz said last night that the main buzzword he wants for his -- charlotte shultz said last night that the main bus or the ones for his administration is accessible. -- the main buzzword for his administration is "accessible." we are honored and thrilled he is here. we want to welcome him to the stage. [applause] >> congratulations. thank you. welcome, everybody. you have got to know what is going on in my mind. i do not talk a lot about things sometimes because they are very personal. i have to share with you the

level of excitement coming into this store tonight. in preparing, i am feeling the same way as win in college -- when in college and performed in my first drama class. i performed in "butterflies are free." i was 3,000 miles away from my original home, from seattle to maine. i felt like i could do anything i wanted and my friends would not laugh at me. i took drama class. i was really excited. i got to perform. this is kind of how i feel tonight with this opening. it is wonderful. congratulations. act coming to mid market is huge. we have wanted the active arts to be such a great part of this. they have been paired wit.-- the

been a big part of this. to have act joining us in a deliberate move to revitalize the area and make arts the leading factor, to join the great art foundation, burning man, all of the business locating here, it is wonderful. i feel very excited about this. this is another smart thing on behalf of our arts community to join the mayor's office, the office of workforce development. i know amy and jim are excited, the whole crew. [applause] thank you. i share in her staff's excitement when they can make an agreement and get the right funds together. a lot of it is still about financials.

if we can leverage what we have with the excitement that you bring in, we are on our way to a good foundation for revitalization. this community needs it. it has the connection to the soma and tenderloin. i think we're on our way to a very positive, a successful story of how we work together to make this community, alive. you already know what we have done. we have done anchors with twitter. on fifth and market, we have the first of many financial institutions. it is the fifth largest bank in china that has now opened their office on the market street. that is to complement what we're doing your business-wise. that is along the lines of what some of the smaller agencies are doing.

you will hear more about this. dottie's blues cafe will be around the corner. we're committed to the six st. sub-station. you are already seeing the community ambassadors walking the streets. they are greeting people. they're getting to know everybody. please know them by first name. they will be your partners to make everybody feel safe along the street. i have to thank act for taking this opportunity, activating the space, making it available. i know you are an educational institution as well as a performance institution. your masters of the arts program will be delighted to embrace your best grant students as they perform here, really get

their education started. it is the performances and people you bring your that well and live in the area. -- that will enliven the area. i cannot remember what i did with "butterflies are free," but i do remember the excitement of that performance. thank you. congratulations. thank you, everybody, for coming here tonight. [applause] >> we are going to give you a little taste and performance. our board president will introduce it. we have two other great allies here from the unified school district. this is going to be a space for education programs and young people to come in and perform. we're honored am thrilled they are here.

>> thank you so much for joining us today, mayor lee. we're deeply appreciative. you are so encouraging. it is a great launch. i am nancy livingston, i cha ir the board of act. we want to welcome all of you here today, particularly our sister organizations in the arts. we are so thrilled to be putting down serious routes -- roots here. the kind of work that will be done here is very different from what we're doing elsewhere. we have amazing opportunities to do cutting edge work, kind of grassroots and community-based work we do not have the opportunity to do in a 1000 seat theater. we are thrilled to welcome all of you today.

as the mayor indicated and everything you have read in the newspapers, act is dedicated to putting down community roots in a significant and serious way in this area. the costume shop has been here for a while. we are dedicating and inaugurating this brand new space. we have dreams of putting in a second stage in this neighborhood. we want to be good neighbors and good friends. come often. bring your friends. thank you so much for your support today. rusty? [applause] >> we have to think another institution, the irvine foundation. it is making the performances that happen here available to us.

that is really great. it takes a village. it takes fund-raising to make these things happen. the irvine foundation has been awesome to us. thank you to them even though they are not here this evening. we have a special performance tonight. we have our class of 2013, we call them our second year's. they will be doing a musical revue, two songs. if you get a chance to come see it, we would love to have you come back into the space and see it. you can see the full performance tomorrow night at 7:30, friday at 1:00 in the afternoon, saturday at 2:00 and 7:30. we would love to have you come back and see it. it is directed by travis greisler who did "tales of the

city" last year. it is a family affair tonight. we are all here together. we're going to let them come up and do their thing. the exit stage right. -- we exit stage right. [applause] >> please spell chimera? >> can i have a definition? >> highly unrealistic, imaginative.

♪ [vocalizing] ♪ ♪ if i go to washington, will i be on my own? because if i go to washington, who will be my chaperone? ♪ ♪ we always knew you were a winner. we smiled when you smiled. from the beginning when you are

a beginner, you were the perfect child. we always knew you were a champion. if you should feel my [inaudible] blame it on your memories. i love you. i love you and. i love and remember you. i love you.

♪ >> i love you. >> my dad said -- >> i love you. ♪ i love everything about you, dear. maybe it is true. i love you. ♪ ♪ i wrote you a letter. mama, but you didn't react. you never asked me if i joined you in the bombay sun. mama, when are you returning?

i know we agreed. tell me what you are learning. i think dad takes out on me what he wants to take out on you. mama, i think that is angry. i do not know what to do. mama, mama, mama, how i wish you were home. how i wish you were home. i wish you were here. ♪ we always knew you were a winner ♪ ♪ i wish you were home

♪ we could not be prouder ♪ ♪ i love you ♪ i love everything about you, dear. baby, it is true. i love you. i love you. i love everything about you. baby, it is true. i love --

>> chimerical. highly unrealistic, highly danceable. -- highly fanciful. >> that is correct. ♪ i love you ♪ [applause] >> ♪ i wish i could go back to college. life was so simple back then. >> ♪ what would i give to go back and live in the dorm with a meal plan again?

>> ♪ i wish i could go back to college. in college, you know who you are. you sit in the sun and think i am going to go far. ♪ ♪ how do i go back to college? i do not know i am any more. >> ♪ i wish i could just drop a class. >> ♪ we could be sitting in the computer lab before the final paper is due, cursing the world,

seeing the rest of the class. ♪ i wish i could go back to collegeby wish i had taken more pictures. >> but if i were to go back to college, then what a loser i would be. oh my god. >> these kids are so much younger than me. ♪

[applause]