Well hi there. long-time SimCity fan here. I am no master at Sim City 4, but I can give some good tips.
Do not try and go for a booming skyscraper city right off the bat... it won't happen. Take it a step at a time. Make sure your Sims have the amenities and services they need, but do not be too eager to provide them. Watch your budget, and tend to your providance levels for the applicable buildings. Do not provide more than is needed at first. This will save you money and keep you in the green. For instance, a fire station is not really needed until your first fire. A Coal Power Plant does not need full funding if the total populous only needs 20%. More trees and parks are helpful and can cut down on pollution and raise desireability. I like to line my streets with trees.
Keep in mind the on-going process of this game. Do not be afraid to play around either... you can always Obliterate your City in God Mode and start again. Get the feel and do not be afraid to doodle around with the features of the game.
-A
