We started holding these community meetings, we had some significant budget deficits. And in years past they were even worse. Now weve come through a lot of that and im thankful to all the Department Heads that are here because they worked very hard to work with me to find all the efficiencies, to make sure we balance that budget. Clearly, the members of the board of supervisors and today were focused on districts 1 and 4, but i want to thank supervisor mar, supervisor tang, and supervisor farrell for providing their leadership at the board because we can only make it work if the mayor and the board work together. But most importantly, weve got to listen carefully to our residents. And i want to begin by saying this has been a pretty intense week for all of us. You know, we all watched together the horrifying events that happened in boston. They dont follow too long from what happened in connecticut. And i just want you to know that i think i watched a lot with you about what transpire
Million deficit. We have a 7. 6 unemployment rate. This year and the next we do twoyear budgets, by the way. This year its about 123 million deficit for this next fiscal year. The following year of 1415, is about 256 million deficit. So, we plan for two years, but well meet every year just to talk through it. And then were doing really well on our employment. We have about a 6. 3 unemployment rate. So, its gone down another big percentage point. I want to keep driving that down. My goal is to get to the 5 or even below. That means a lot more people have jobs and create their own destinies. And i need to have that happen because government cant do everything. Well do the gaps. Well help, of course, with our seniors, our lowincome families, our children need us to provide the programs. But we have to invest really smartly these days. And i think if theres any theme that all of us are working hard on is how to properly invest as our city totally recovers. And many of you will talk to us a
Whole purpose of these budget town halls is to listen to our neighbors, our residents, to find out what you think matters in our city. I just wanted to put a little backdrop that a year ago when we started holding these community meetings, we had some significant budget deficits. And in years past they were even worse. Now weve come through a lot of that and im thankful to all the Department Heads that are here because they worked very hard to work with me to find all the efficiencies, to make sure we balance that budget. Clearly, the members of the board of supervisors and today were focused on districts 1 and 4, but i want to thank supervisor mar, supervisor tang, and supervisor farrell for providing their leadership at the board because we can only make it work if the mayor and the board work together. But most importantly, weve got to listen carefully to our residents. And i want to begin by saying this has been a pretty intense week for all of us. You know, we all watched together
You are not forgotten. But power, money and political influence have left a lot of americans lagging behind. They work hard. They lift heavy things and they sweat through their clothes grinding out a living. But they cant seem to get ahead or in sop cases stay even. As Middle America is hollowing out we cant sit idly by as Big Government politicians paycheck it harder for our workers and then turn around and blame them for losing jobs overs. Otherwise. Working people dont need a government tied to big money or Big Government. Hillary clinton isser harkening back to the new deal planning a vision speech at the fdr island in new york which kmem rates the four freedoms. Freedom of speech of religion from fear and from want. Her competition for the nomination is all well from her left. If she wants to channel fdr, she better bring it. Today we stand here and say loudly and clearly enough is enough. This great nation and its government belong to all of the people and not to a handful of bil