stand stanthe . [please stand by] finally, i'll talk through the next steps in the budget process and answer anyst

stand stanthe . [please stand by]

stand stanthe . [please stand by] finally, i'll talk through the next steps in the budget process and answer any questions you may have at that time. so generally, the budget process is -- begins today. but it doesn't really begin today. it started in december and even before that. so i'll come back to that, but today, what we're working with here, with you, is presenting for your input and approval the proposed preliminary budget submission and that goes to the mayor's office and the controller's office on february 21, which is a charter mandated deadline. and then march through may, we're working with the mayor's office on any initiatives that she may want to include or cut from our budget. and then we are also at the same time working with the capital planning committee, the committee on information technology and the mayor's office on funding capital i.t. and vehicles. if we are so lucky, any positions that need to be added or new project funds requested by the department also get added in that p