kate howard, mayor's budget director. thank you for asking me here today. what the six-month report means for the budget balancing -- you have a more detailed presentation, but i will hit the high points. if you have questions, i will be happy to answer those. the 11-12 budget was about half in the general fund and half in the 11 -- enterprise department. public health, social services, the airport ,mta, mta, puc, and others. this is a new year and we have a slightly different context than before. it is the first time the city will be balancing a two-year budget. we also have policies that require us to generate a general fund reserve as well as placing limits on the use of one-time revenues. last year, you adopted a five- year financial plan that set forth goals on how we can approach creating structural balance in the city's budget. we have labor contracts expiring this year, so the city will be negotiating with all of the police and fire unions on wage is. supervisor chu: nurses, too? >> nurseess, too. the big picture, the shortfall for 2012 and 2013, th

kate howard from the mayor's budget office as well as someone from the comptroller's office. >> i'm from the comptroller's office. i will quickly walk through the salient points of the comptroller six month report that was issued on february 22. essentially, it is good news. the projected general fund and in balance for the current year is estimated at $129 million. this is $129 million more than we anticipated for the current year. revenues have improved by $122 million compared to what is projected in the budget. fortunately, it is due to economic activity increasing, improved outlook for all of our property taxes, transfer taxes, sales taxes, hotel and business taxes. we do have some uncertainty, still. the impact of the dissolution of the redevelopment agency into the city assuming the successor agency, appeals are still backlogged and the value of the refunds are not known. there is still potential for fluctuation in general tax revenue, but we hope that future fluctuation will be to the positive. the outcome of the state's ability to investigate the in- from services program and th

[laughter] >> by the way, you may forget, you arranged for kate, my wife and i, to get married in the howard baker room. >> i remember. >> yeah. >> everything working well? >> well, we're still together -- [inaudible conversations] >> i'm freelancing, and i'm working on my own book. >> what are you writing about, spooks? >> no, my dad. >> [inaudible] >> no, he died at 100. >> oh, that's a book. >> the last time i saw you, you were at church down the street -- >> you crept in there. >> i did. and you were -- [inaudible conversations] >> oh! you're related to the queen, aren't you? my god, who is -- >> i am in the presence of royalty. >> i know who it is, it's david -- >> ah! [inaudible conversations] >> david brinkley come back from the dead. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> i'm here because of you. wait, we're coming. [inaudible conversations] >> you want to raise my taxes! [inaudible conversations] >> i'm surprised they finished him in such a quick time with the way you are, you old coot. gosh. >> go ahead, tell c-span. finish. [laughter] these are pals of mine. >> how