31.   Riordan has proposed creation of a system of advisory neighborhood councils, selected at local caucuses, with some power over a portion of the city budget.

32.   Riordan spokesman Peter Hidalgo praised the Tuttle report as focusing attention on a weakness in the city budget.

33.   So is politics, which brings us back to the city budget.

34.   That effort started a bitter dispute between him and Giuliani over the city budget that is still being fought out.

35.   That is part of the regular city budget.

36.   The biggest challenge is finding money to plug the enormous holes in the state and city budgets that have been caused by the economic consequences of the attack.

37.   The breakdown in negotiations caused dismay among officials in the city who said the city budget would face a huge shortfall if the tax was not eventually extended.

38.   The city budget gave them nothing for that category.

39.   The city budget was tight.

40.   The debate over the city budget raised another home-rule issue.