This afternoon, Mayor Mike McGinn will unveil his 2014 budget for all the world—and the city council—to see. He’s been rolling out a few of the more brag-worthy parts of it over the last week or two, but the whole shebang is birthed (screaming, hopefully!) today. Then council can fuck with it until they’re done, which, if this is anything like years past, will leave it looking much the same—with a little blush and a cute barrette, just for show.

This morning, the city’s budget director sat down at the city council’s big shiny table and said brightly, “Happy Budget Day!” Because city hall thinks Budget Day is like Christmas. Which for them, since they like spending your tax dollars and fighting with each other the way children love toys and puppies, it kind of is. If you agree, wrap yourself in tinsel, pin dollar bills all over yourself, and gather your family around the computer to watch the mayor’s budget announcement live, right here. It starts around 2 p.m.

I’m hoping it’s announced after live trumpet fanfare, but I’m not holding my breath. Check back here after for some analysis, and check out this handy government PDF if you want to understand some city budget basics.