CITY HALL , The effort to close a budget gap for next fiscal year estimated to be at least $7 million begins Tuesday, with City Hall gearing up for the annual round of study sessions that have taken on a more grim tone since the economy slid into recession. Finance officials are scheduled to brief the Audit Committee today on where the city stands financially before heading into Tuesday, when the City Council is expected to outline the framework under which the budget talks will take place. For the full story click here