You have a nut to crack here because of the economy.

So the point is that you are going to try to take that within the operation of the city, and you are not going to touch the rainy-day fund, you are going to try not to do that.

You can tax the income from the people that are building them, but you cannot tax the buildings.

Medicaid is the Pac-Man of any budget?

Have you seen an acceleration of people filing claims to have their property values reduced?

By the way, this increased rating by rating agencies, that is impressive because they really look at you, and I think that is something that you should be very proud of.

The procurement people, are they under your jurisdiction?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for holding this hearing to discuss both the progress and challenges still facing the District of Columbia.

And, of course, you have had to estimate what you think the revenues are going to be for the District.

We learned the lessons from Cleveland. We learned what you did. The fiscal prudence and fiscal discipline that you, sir, provided when you were the mayor was a guide to us.

At the State level, it just sucks up money, and then you would have less money for education.

It would be like in the State government we would call it our 'rainy-day fund?'