For Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the next two weeks will be his chance to reconnect with the city.

His re-election campaign is safely, if shakily, behind him, as are the national campaigning and a respite from the trips to Washington, D.C., and Sacramento to get money for the city.

Now, the mayor lays out his vision for the coming year with the State of the City address on April 14 and a weeklong effort to outline the coming city budget, again expected to exceed $7 billion. But faced with at least a $450 million shortfall, it is also expected to contain sharp limits for city workers.

While aides would not be specific, they said to look at the mayor's statement on the Los Angeles Unified School District last week, in which he urged a re-opening of talks with unions to avoid layoffs. What the mayor will be asking for is city workers to also return to the table to discuss issues including budget cuts, furloughs and other ways to achieve savings.

"The mayor hopes the economic realities have set in on all city workers and (will) let them know the job they are saving could be their own," one mayoral aide said. It will be particularly difficult this year as contracts are coming up with the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City. UFLAC, in particular, has taken a hard stance in negotiations.

For the mayor, the message will be simple: It's the economy, stupid. But, unlike past years, the mayor will be focusing on short-term deliverables that will create jobs. Among them is a clean-tech corridor that will serve as a basis for the new green jobs he - and President Obama - are promoting through the stimulus package.

To emphasize it, the State of the City will be held at the San Pedro plant of the Balqon Corp., which opened this year and is building heavy-duty electric trucks. Also, the mayor wants to revive plans from the Measure B solar energy initiative - but this time including the critics who defeated the measure in the planning effort.