Especially in areas where you're finding
it hard to build.Simcity 2000
Cheats
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Type in code: What it does:
CASS Gives you $250, but every time you use it there is a 15% chance of a disaster.
FUND Issues you a $10,000 bond at 25% interest.
JOKE2 Tells you a joke.
TIPS & HINTS
Making the Most of Commercial Zoning
One might argue that a large city needs a large commercial downtown. It gives a city its character. High commercial land values can result in large downtown areas. But how do we build these large skyscrapers and achieve this affect? The answer lies in your city design that started from time zero.
Start Planning
When you begin your city, build the normal zones you need, except reserve 1/4 of the expanding land area for future high density commercial. Then expand, in opposite directions from your reserved commercial land, your residential and industrial zones. Never build high commercial zones outside your reserved commercial area. Eventually, build more of your city around your downtown.
Don't let police and fire
stations get in the way of sprouting big skyscrapers. Build them
around your large city blocks. Especially in areas where you're finding
it hard to build.
Hold back on building light commercial zones wherever possible. If you feel you need to, build them along side roads and in small numbers. Build them as far away from your downtown area as possible.
Transportation
Railways do not help your downtown, only roads. Make sure your city blocks are no smaller than 3x3 tiled areas (large skyscrapers take up 3x3). Surround commercial city blocks with roads only. Once you have a large enough commercial area for your downtown, build a freeway along side and then a subway to circle it.
Combating Pollution
Trees, more Trees...
What can I say, plant more trees.
Plant them between dense industrial tiles (3x3), or light
industrial tiles (4x4). You can even build dense industrial 2x2
blocks in a donut formation and plant trees in the middle. Later
during the game, you may have to destroy large factories and
break down the dense areas to light ones. This will be an
on-going task as your industrial sectors change over time. 
Control your traffic
Sims complains about pollution because cars on the road emit their pollution in and around their neighborhors. There's not escaping it. Fortunately, you can do several things to improve the situation: Build bus stations at intersections with high traffic and that register with high pollution.
This is sometimes futile, but build subway and bus stations at on/off ramps to freeways.
Remove any roads that you feel might are redundant. Keep roads as straing as possible, this eliminates gridlock and keeps traffic moving.
Dealing with Crime
Crime is an easy problem to
solve, if you are willing to pay for it. Just like designing your
commercial zones, you must plan from the beginning to build an
efficient, grid-like alignment of police (and fire) stations.
Keep your budget allocations to police around 70% on average.
Once your city grows, check your crime map and adjust areas where
needed. When your city is large enough to build arcos, make sure
you leave enough room to build a police station between them.
Power Plant and Power Management Tips
Power management for your city is
only difficult if you buy power plants that break down after
time. I hate having to save up money for the inevitable. However,
one source of power is very reliable: hydro-electric.
Pick a mountain
When you first start your city, use the terrain editor to build a nice size mountain. Make your mountain in the corner, it takes less space thay way. While still in the terrain editor, add water to your mountain side. When you start your city, build hydro-electric plants along side the mountain where you have water. Keep adding more as your city grow. You will never have to worry about old decaying power plants! If this is your only power source, provide adequate "redundant" power lines leading to other parts of your city.
Water Management
I've had lots of people ask me
questions about water. In the SimCity 2000 manual, it mentions
that water pumps do not provide a consistent amount of water and
pressure all year due to droughts. One time you might think your
city has all the water it needs, other times the city is
completely without water. If this is a common occurance, re-think
your water strategy. 
Oceans, lakes, rivers
Use these bodies of water as your city's water supply. From the ocean you can convert salt water to fresh with a desalination plant. I think this is the most effective source. Always plant water pumps near lakes and rivers.
Pressure
Various parts of your city may require independent sources of water. Avoid sending your water up hills and mountains. You need all the pressure you can get! Build your water pipes as far apart from each other as necessary, this may take some trial and error. You can save a lot of water by reducing redundant water lines.
Making Your City Beautiful
Everyone has their own creative
ideas on what makes a city beaufiful. The picture to the right is
one example of how I make cities beautiful. Good looking cities
are designed only with that aspect in mind. You will have to
accept some tradeoffs. 
Reserve open spaces
I like to plant large single tiled rows of trees along major roadways. It keeps the traffic farther away from you zones and keep the pollution down. Any open space that you reserve for trees should be near residential and commercial zones. They are the most important people to keep happy! Keep reminding yourself to build a park (small and large) every once in a while.
Visual tricks
Here are some nifty little tricks that make you city beautiful.
Keep in mind they probably will not serve any useful purpose other that the look:
Make your own custom park by zoning high residential inside a city block; don't provide power to it. Inside that block build small parks and plant trees. As a result you get a creative-looking park with green grass! Make a golf course! Follow the tips above and you can make some great 18 hole course. See Perfectown for an example. Don't build your industrial zones in one large place. Break them out away from areas that you want to improve.