On January 1, San Diego embarked on an exciting five-year experiment, giving the mayor control over all aspects of how the city is run, and giving the power to make new laws to the City Council. We recently celebrated the first 100 days for the council-manager form of city government. It’s a significant milestone, and a good opportunity to reflect on what the change has meant for the city and for the First District.When I was elected by my council colleagues to be the city’s first council president, I vowed that my work on citywide issues would not push district projects and concerns to the margins. I’m pleased and proud that we have been able to make great progress on projects in University City as well as working on initiatives that benefit all San Diegans.Much of the progress made this year aligns with my goals of enhancing our neighborhoods and improving our parks, trails beaches and bays. These quality of life issues are extremely important to the residents of District 1. I’m especially pleased that we’ve been able to complete so many projects despite the city’s financial problems.One of the ways we’ve worked to improve our neighborhood is by expanding La Jolla Village Drive west of I-5. This project will bring much needed relief to residents and drivers as well as improving the landscaping in that area. We’ve also seen several parks projects completed in UC this year. The long-awaited public restroom was completed at University Gardens park, as well as the improvements at Doyle community park. I also secured state bond money to keep Swanson Pool open for an additional 10 weeks this spring.I worked with my council colleague Jim Madaffer to propose a ban on smoking at all city parks and beaches. This will help eliminate unsightly cigarette butt litter, as well as reduce the risk of fire in our open space areas such as Rose Canyon.Our community also benefits from the work the mayor and council have done to protect our children and families, and fund streets and sidewalks. This commitment can be seen in the mayor’s proposed budget, which the council will be considering over the next two months. It shores up spending on items such as street resurfacing and boosts the budget for our public safety agencies.Because of the change in city government, this is the first time the mayor will present his budget proposal to the council, which will consider it and propose changes. We’ll hold public hearings and send our suggestions back to the mayor, who will approve or veto them. The public will have several opportunities to provide their input on the proposed budget, and I encourage you to attend one of our public meetings. You can find out more about the mayor’s proposed budget by visiting the city’s Web site, www.sandiego.gov. nDistrict 1 City Councilman Scott Peters contributes a monthly Council Corner column highlighting City Hall happenings pertinent to the University City area.