Peruggi Looks to Tighten the Fiscal Belt
As she begins her week as a gardener, Peruggi is facing possible budget shortfalls and she's looking at ways to cut costs without sacrificing park services and quality. "We need to be as good at what we do business-wise as we are with mowing the grass and planting and horticulture, or else we, we can't sustain the park," Peruggi says. Where can she most effectively tighten the fiscal belt? Should the park's 70 gardeners be worried about losing their jobs?

Judging by her condo, with a spectacular view overlooking the Hudson River, Peruggi doesn't seem apt to have a green thumb. And she realizes Central Park's gardeners perform very physical labor. "I'm looking forward to [the job]," she says. "I don't know that my body is looking forward to it, but I tried to get into shape a little bit for this so that I can get out there and weed and cut and do whatever I have to do. The only thing that I'm dreading is that I do something wrong." Will the big boss pass muster with the rank and file?

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