Anna Sale

Like Father, Like Not:"While New York faces a budget crisis -- and budget cuts are inevitable -- Andrew Cuomo has chosen to emulate Reagan rather than his father," says Roosevelt Institute's Richard Kirsch. (Huffington Post)

Cuomo's Koch Cash:"Koch has spread his campaign cash around in New York. He and his wife, Julia, contributed $87,000 to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo as he ramped up his 2010 gubernatorial bid." (YNN/Capital Tonight)

How Much State Aide Will Your School District Get?: the numbers for Central New York. (Syracuse Post-Standard)

You're Welcome, Says GOP's Cox:"Andrew Cuomo got the message and in his gubernatorial campaign ran on fiscally responsible Republican policies." (NY Observer)

New Layoff List Coming?: "it appears as though the legislature restored only about 1/3 of the $600 million the mayor relied on his budget — which already included agency cuts and nearly 4,700 teacher layoffs." (WNYC)

Lockdown Lawsuit:"Common Cause is arguing that the “virtual lockdown” violated Article III, Section 10 of the state Constitution." (YNN/Capital Tonight)

Dem Wins in Rochester, but...: "a unified WFP-Green-Independence ticket would not only have produced a major upset, but also would have sent a clear message to Democrats that pro-corporate candidates are a liability." (NY Observer)

Running Mate Remembers Ferraro: “Every day she was patronized in a way not experienced by her male counterparts,” Mondale said. “But she would not relent. She came back each day tougher and better.” (Politico)

Meanwhile, in Washington:"Crucially, the idea of drawing from mandatory spending areas -- including the big entitlement programs -- is back on the table." (Talking Points Memo)

Do I Amuse You?: Weiner asks. (Twitter)

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver released his own summary of the budget agreement reached in Albany, and its emphasis underscores that the deal that passed is not just Cuomo's handiwork.

In the 103-page "Summary of Conference Committee Agreements," there are 51 mentions of what the legislature rejects or rejected and 50 mentions of funding restored, restores, or restorations from the governor's proposal.

Some examples:

The Legislature rejects the Executive’s proposal, which substitutes digital for
newspaper publication of certain pre- and post-election related information, such as the text of proposed ballot questions, constitutional amendments, and the results of general elections.

An Executive proposal to impose a cap on non-economic damage awards is
rejected

The Legislature restores $57 million in SFY 2011-12 to the program which reflects an $86 million restoration to school districts on a School Year basis.

The Legislature rejects the Executive’s proposal to shift costs to school districts for the Summer School Special Education (4408) program.

The Legislature restores $3,000,000 for Aid to Public Libraries for a total of
$79,012,000.

The Legislature rejects the Executive proposal to transform Building Aid from a
reimbursable aid to a competitive grant program.

Support for domestic violence legal services is restored to a level of $2,468,000

"It does not rely heavily on new taxes, fees or one-shot revenues. And it does not borrow money to pay for operating expenses," State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says in a statement about the NY State budget. "These are welcome changes from the short-term fixes and budget gimmicks of the past."

He continues,

Addressing a $10 billion deficit will not come without pain. Many school
districts and health care providers face a formidable challenge to
absorb significant cuts in funding. When school districts present voters
with their proposed budgets in May, we will start to see the impact of
these cuts at the local level. In addition, the cuts in health care must
be managed to minimize the impact on those most in need of care.

Now comes the hard part. The state, local governments and school
districts must now not only do more with less but do it better as well.
All of us in government have to watch tax dollars and monitor spending
very closely.

In other words, the likely next round in Albany: Sharp debate about a property tax cap with strapped local budgets.

"It wasn't easy, but we overcame the special interests and the lobbyists, and we did the people's business in Albany," Cuomo says in a video message on his website this morning.

And from Cuomo's 1:13am Press Release:

The Big Picture

The 2011-2012 state budget contains no new taxes, includes 2-year appropriations for education and Medicaid, caps the growth of both education and Medicaid spending, closes unneeded and outdated state-run facilities and includes no new funding for member items.

Counting on Labor Concessions

State operations reductions will total $1.4 billion for 2011-12. This includes workforce cost reductions by $450 million. Negotiations are ongoing with unions to avoid the last-resort option of up to 9,800 layoffs.

Rationale for $1.3 Billion in Education Cuts

The budget realigns education financing to meet New York's fiscal reality and provide sustainable and predictable funding while reaffirming the commitment to improve educational outcomes in the classroom. Prior to this budget, education spending was projected to grow at an unaffordable rate of 13 percent for the 2011-12 school year.

How Redesign Recommendations Will Contain Medicaid

Overall, the budget implements a majority of the MRT recommendations. The budget reflects $2.3 billion in spending reductions supplemented by $425 million in lower-than-expected expenditures to achieve the Governor's original savings target of $2.85 billion.

The budget implements significant reforms including a major expansion of patient-centered medical homes, better control of home health care services, and care management for individuals with complex and continuing health care needs. New models of integrated care, such as Accountable Care Organizations, will help assure long-term control of health care spending.

Savings will be assured by an overall spending cap, enabling the Commissioner of Health to make additional savings actions during the year, if necessary.

Tradeoff for Closing Prisons

To off-set the impact of local prison and juvenile justice facility closures the budget includes a new tax credit program that will incentivize the creation of new businesses in those communities where the closures occur.

On Local Cost Shift

The budget reduces Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) to all cities, towns and villages by 2 percent from current year levels, far less than the 10 percent reductions to the state's operations.

Results of Cuomo's Impassioned Call for Juvenile Justice Reform

The budget reforms the state's juvenile justice system to encourage greater use of community-based alternatives, while downsizing the state juvenile facilities system by more than 30 percent and investing in enhanced services for juveniles that remain in OCFS custody.

From the front page of today's Albany Times-Union (newseum.org)

The Cuts:"It includes closing up to six prisons, cutting some $1.3 billion in school aid statewide and slashing $2.8 billion from Medicaid." (NY Post)

Cuomo on Budget:""The Legislature not only passed an on-time budget, but an historic and transformational budget for the people of the State of New York." (NY Daily News)

Silver on Budget:"We are confident that this will be the first of many agreements the Legislature will reach in concert with the Governor." (NY Daily News)

Skelos on Budget: “By passing this budget on-time, we have shown that Albany can be functional and accountable once again.” (NY Times)

NYC on Budget:"We are very grateful to the Legislature for the restoration, unfortunately the restoration is small comfort for a budget that's incredibly painful for New York City." (Associated Press)

On Guard:"At times, a state trooper armed with a Taser stood guard near the Senate lobby." (NY Times)

Protesters:"They were young and old, from upstate and downstate, dressed in bandannas and hand-lettered T-shirts. Many were black and Hispanic." (Albany Times-Union)

Capitol Lockdown:“I am highly, highly disgusted with how I’ve been treated today in this building." (WNYC)

Enforcing Medicaid Cuts:"Savings will be assured by an overall spending cap, enabling the Commissioner of Health to make additional savings actions during the year, if necessary," says Cuomo budget fact sheet. (NY Daily News)

Rubin Diaz, Sr. on 'The Master':"'Black and Hispanic - We could have done it,' Diaz said. 'It is our shame. It is not their shame.'" (NY Daily News)

Trump's Weiner Jab:"I don't think he has the stature to be mayor of New York." (NY Post)

Democratic Mayor on Republican Christie:""It's my honor to introduce the greatest governor this state has ever had." (Wall Street Journal)

Feds on Shazad Case:"he didn't need to be read his rights before blurting out that he provided $7,000 to the unsuccessful bomber but wasn't guilty 'for the bomb.'" (Associated Press)

Legacy:"Before Hillary and Sarah, there was Gerry," say the editors, on day of Ferraro's funeral mass. (Newark Star-Ledger)

NTSB on Bronx Crash: going 78 mph, "video camera on the bus' windshield 'did not record the accident.'" (Associated Press)

Another Reason for Low Census Count: “There’s a bunch of cantankerous types in New York." (NY Times)

Nothing to Love?: No word yet on what we New Yorkers like about the place. (NY Times)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's taking on Cuomo's budget deal in a new mailer that arrived in some mailboxes yesterday.

"Our hard-earned tax dollars go to Albany, but now Albany politicians want to balance their budget by cutting billions of dollars from New York City," says the message that is "paid for by Michael R. Bloomberg."

President Barack Obama greets supporters at Harlem's Studio Museum on Tuesday night. (AFP/Getty)

Obama on the Moment in Libya and Japan:"We are having to make sure that we help to bend history in a way that is good for the people there and ultimately good for the American people," the president said at a DNC fundraiser in Harlem.  (Obamafoodorama)

The President's Fellow Diners:"Reporters were briefly allowed into the Red Rooster event, attended by about 50 people, mostly white." (NY Times)

Christie's Turn Tonight for RNC NRCC:"The $10 million total is a dramatic increase from the last few years" (Politico)

Nearly Three Decades: The last time a state budget was finished before the March 31 deadline was 1983, when Gov. Cuomo's dad, Mario, was in his first year in office. (NY Daily News)

Schumer's Talking Points:"I always use the word 'extreme.' That is what the caucus instructed me to use this week. (NY Post)

Budget Details:Talks appeared to slow over the final details on Cuomo's massive plan to reduce projected Medicaid growth by $2.8 billion. (NY Post)

Cuomo Eyes More Requirements to Work with Disabled:"It’s not remotely enough," says an advocate. (NY Times)

Rangel on Ferraro:"She was a friend, a fighter and a Democrat." (NY Daily News)

New Bike Lane Spokesman:“We allowed the other side to frame this debate," says Howard Wolfson. (NY Times)

Handicap Accessible Taxis:"If federal lawyers agree, the city's ambitious plan to pick a single vehicle as the city's only approved taxi could be in danger." (Wall Street Journal)

Albany Budget and Local Budgets:"You're going to see the combination of cuts in schools and property tax hikes." (Albany Times Union)

Spitzer Tells Obama to Steamroll GOP:"By embracing the possibility of a shutdown, looking the Republicans squarely in the eye, and saying the burden is on them to live up to the campaign rhetoric that just got them elected, he would trump them at their own game." (Slate)

Today's New York Post. (newseum.org)

If You Missed It:Video of Obama's Libya Speech (whitehouse.gov)

2012 Field on Obama's Speech:"Our mission is just internally contradictory," says Giuliani. (Politico)

Bloomberg Blasts:"the final budget still cuts New York City education aid more than ever before." (NY Daily News)

Political Wounds:The mayor's comments and the governor's dismissive reaction pointed to a deeper tension between the two hard-nosed political leaders. (Wall Street Journal)

Dicker on Cuomo's 'Near-Impossible' Budget:"The governor's smartest move came in late February, when he won the backing of 1199 -- the giant health-care union whose enormous political clout frightens Democratic lawmakers -- for his Medicaid-reduction plan." (NY Post)

Weakened Silver:"“It was like the general calling in his colonels and telling them he was going to surrender." (NY Times)

Politics of Medicaid v Education Cuts:""One was an olive branch and one was a baseball bat." (Albany Times-Union)

Prison Closing Deal:"The Republicans under Dean Skelos folded like a cheap suit." (NY Post)

Court Cuts:"At a minimum, you’re going to see delays in the administration of justice, without question.” (NY Times)

DOMA and Deportation:"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Monday it will hold on to applications until it's clear whether the Defense of Marriage Act is legally dead." (NY Daily News)

Power Cable Cost?: The numbers cited by Mr. Maziarz could not be verified, because the contract will not be made public until after the trustees vote on it." (NY Times)

Supervisor in Emaciated Child Death Case:"The amount of cases that we're getting with the amount of requirements needed on each case, it's impossible to get it done." (Wall Street Journal)

Harlem Waiting for Obama:"I hope to wave to him, and just say, 'Thank you very much' for the job he's done." (NY Daily News)

Trumping Birthers:"I want him to show his birth certificate," the TV star and presidential toe-dipper tells the ladies at The View. (NY Daily News)

Silver Repeats Rent Position:"I believe it should be included as part of the budget." (Capital Tonight/YNN)

Meanwhile, in the Senate: Skelos "rejected all but the most basic renewal of current tenant protections." (NY Post)

'Hey, newsflash, I'm interested.': Anthony Weiner on NYC 2013. (NY Daily News)

Not Drunk or Asleep:"This is, plain and simple, an accident, a tragic one," Bronx bus driver's lawyer says. (Associated Press)

Koch Bridge:"It's a bridge with an identity crisis." (Wall Street Journal)

Upstate Republicans and Prisons: Closing prisons is bad, "having no say in which facilities might close" is worse. (YNN/Capital Tonight)

Prison Guards Make Their Case: "Double-bunking remains a fact for 10,000 inmates." (Albany Times-Union)

Bonus of Contesting Tickets Online: "avoiding a trip to the parking violations court, one of the more dreary experiences New York City has to offer." (NY Times)

Nassau County Cuts:"We're angry, we're frustrated, we're sad and we feel a little betrayed." (Associated Press)

Life After Indian Point:"The operators of the state's power grid...concluded that without Indian Point, the downstate area would likely face rolling blackouts or brownouts." (Wall Street Journal)

Cabbie Claims Beating by 4 Firefighters:"one of the four was wearing a white fire department shirt and was identified by his colleagues as a lieutenant," the driver alleges. (Wall Street Journal)

Dream Act, v. NY: the bill "would give some of them certain rights now granted only to legal residents and citizens, including the ability to hold some state jobs." (NY Times)

'I’m eating egg whites!': more press for @CoryBooker on Twitter. (NY Times)

Blankfein on Fiscal Crisis: Talks about "rise of riskiness" and "a very volatile period" during testimony in Raj Rajaratnam insider trading trial. (Financial Times)

Let's Get Ready for NUMBERS!: NY Census results come today. (Albany Times-Union)

Governor Cuomo released this video message this morning, ratcheting up the pressure on lawmakers to get a budget, or in his words "the budget that I have proposed," passed on time.

Either the legislature will pass, or will fail to pass, the state budget that I have proposed. The budget that I proposed does what you sent me here to do. It closes a $10 billion deficit with no new taxes.

...

My budget shakes up the Albany establishment, there's no doubt. The special interests and their lobbyists have been working overtime to stop the reforms that I have proposed.

It comes a day after the pro-Cuomo lobby group the Committee to Save New York posted this latest video on Youtube.

Karen DeWitt

Unions Rally Ahead of Concession Talks:""They want everything done in a very short time frame and we're willing to work with them, but it takes two." (Albany Times Union)

Cuomo on Seismic Review of Indian Point:"This is a new factor and a new situation aside from whether or not the facility should be relicensed." (NY Daily News)

Nuclear Regulator Spokeswoman:"said the reason the NRC wasn't in a rush to get the data is 'because this is really not a serious concern.'" (NY Post)

Gov's Indian Point History:"Mr. Cuomo is again vowing to push for the permanent closing of the complex, this time as governor — a far loftier perch." (NY Times)

Bloomberg's Ad Buy:"The mayor decided to spend his money on the ad because the unions already spent $3 million on an ad campaign criticizing Mr. Bloomberg's budget plans." (Wall Street Journal)

Judge on NJ Education Cuts:"It is clear the state has failed to carry its burden." (Wall Street Journal)

Christie Responds:"The court's legal mandates . . . have incontrovertibly contributed to our current fiscal crisis without uniformly improving education," says spokesman. (NY Post)

Cuomo on Rent Protections:"I would like to extend and expand," but after a budget agreement. (NY Daily News)

Rent's Connection to Budget Talks: "the latest clue that Cuomo is embracing the rent issue, which is among the most vital to the same New York City Democrats leading the fight against his budget plan." (NY Post)

Bloomberg and Gay Marriage in Albany:"I'll go lobby," says the mayor, the largest financial backer of Senate GOP. (NY Daily News)

Senate Bans Salvia Sale:"But the Democrat-controlled Assembly is also considering a separate bill that would only ban salvia's use by minors." (NY Daily News)

School Cuts in Central NY:a roundup (Syracuse Post-Standard)

Indian Point Operator:"I have no doubt there will be changes we make in response to this event." (NY Times)

NYC School Construction Budget to be Slashed:"The cuts come as class sizes have swollen in much of the city, a situation serious enough that the city has received a state waiver from court-mandated class size reduction targets for all but 75 of its nearly 1,700 schools." (NY Times)

Probation for Senator for Attacking Photographer:"It is unclear if the sentencing would have any immediate effect on Mr. Parker’s status as a senator; a felony conviction would have resulted in expulsion." (NY Times)

Newark Debates Shared Space with Charter Schools:"Say No to peaceful co-existence in the same school building!" read a union email. (Wall Street Journal)

Haberman: Pat Robertson and Park 51 (NY Times)

Attorney for Bronx Bus Driver:"He fully believed he had a right to drive." (Associated Press)

Dicker and Cuomo: "Tribal politics" quote attributed to unnamed Cuomo aide enrages NYC councilman. (Capital Tonight/YNN)

Scarborough:"these days, it seems all Republicans and most Democrats’ first instinct is to fight first and ask questions later." (Politico)

Teachers Call Out 'Albany,' Not 'Cuomo':"We had two versions of the ad; we wanted to ensure that the focus was on the facts and the issues, and so it was very easy to switch to the more general version." (Albany Times-Union)

Giuliani in New Hampshire:“I'd like to see him come back here — [but] for president, I don't know." (Politico)

NYC Recession Response:"To a large degree, economic stimulus programs and policy initiatives aimed at bolstering family income succeeded in preventing a rise in poverty in New York City." (NY Times)

Unions Abandon Construction Savings Deal:"The move by union officials marks the latest maneuver as unions and contractors prepare to renegotiate 30 collective bargaining agreements to be redrawn by June 30." (Wall Street Journal)

Hayworth and Grimm's Freshman Year Politics:"After winning office, both joined the moderate Republican group called Main Street Partnership, which has long clashed with a more conservative group, the Club for Growth, over the direction of the GOP." (Wall Street Journal)

50-mile Zone around Indian Point:"past Kingston in Ulster County to the north; past Bayonne and Elizabeth, N.J., to the south; almost to New Haven in the east; and into Pennsylvania to the west. It includes almost all of New York City except for Staten Island; almost all of Nassau County and much of Suffolk; all of Bergen County, N.J.; all of Fairfield, Conn." (NY Times)

Nuclear's Troubles are Coal's Gain:""We are getting more interest," says coal official. (Wall Street Journal)

Obama's Overload: The president "had intended for the third year of his presidency to be devoted to showing that he had learned the lessons of the midterm election, was able to rise above partisanship and focus on solutions to unemployment and the nation’s long-term economic problems." (NY Times)

Triangle Fire, 100 Years Later:"The building...was considered state of the art, with conditions far safer than what existed before." (NY Times)

Schumer Wants More Bus Driver Scrutiny: "This is not just driving yourself, it's driving scores of innocent people." (NY Daily News)

Rosenberg Co-Conspirator Speaks: “I did it for the Soviet Union." (NY Times)

newseum.org

State Cuts Hit Albany Economy: "Brookings Institution report says only two of the nation's larger state capitals -- Phoenix and Boise, Idaho -- have lost a higher percentage of state-government jobs during the downturn than the Capital Region" (Albany Times-Union)

Dueling Budgets:Assembly passes one version, Senate another. (WNYC)

Where Senate Parts with Cuomo:"The Senate stripped out key provisions of Cuomo's $2.3 billion Medicaid-redesign plan and pulled out $500,000 in competitive-grant programs for schools." (NY Post)

And in Assembly: Speaker Sheldon Silver "called the tax surcharge a 'priority' for his members and said the Senate should 'look at it and take it seriously.' (NY Times)

'School Closure Binge': Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries is pushing for a moratorium. (NY Daily News)

Probation for Former Council Leader for Tax Evasion: Federal judge was leaning to prison, but said he was swayed by people vouching for Andrew Stein. (NY Times)

Retired Sergeant Interviewed in MTA Officer Shooting:"Mr. Cafarella spent most of his more than 20 years in the New York Police Department with its Emergency Services Unit, an elite team of officers who often respond to violent encounters with disturbed subjects in heavily equipped trucks." (NY Times)

Bloomberg Talks Guns in Washington:"This is just no courage on the part of Americans to stand up and say 'Enough.'" (NY Daily News)

Park 51 Lawsuit:"The American Center for Law and Justice, which filed the law suit along with a former firefighter, has argued that the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission arbitrarily opted against naming the building a landmark." (Wall Street Journal)

Ray Kelly:Fatal Queens beating a hate crime. (NY Times)

Obama Fundraiser in Harlem: the dinner later this month goes for "$30,800 a head, with funds going to the Democratic National Committee." (Politico)

NYC Loves Obama:Bloomberg, not so much. (Empire)

Approval ratings for Mayor Michael Bloomberg hit their lowest levels in eight years in a new Quinnipiac pollreleased this morning. His overall approval rating is just 39 – 51. The same percentage of Independents disapprove of his job – 51 percent. Only Republicans approve more than disapprove of him, 47 – 42 percent.

Part of the problem could be continuing fallout from the city's response to the Christmas blizzard. Sixty-nine percent of voters say the Bloomberg administration's handling of the storm was "not so good" or "poor." Seventy-two percent say the public should know where Bloomberg goes when he leaves the city, and 70 percent believe he favors Manhattan over other boroughs.

New School Chancellor Cathie Black fared worse – just 17 percent approve of her job, compared to 49 percent disapproval and 34 percent who have no opinion.

Other New York City officials scored their highest ratings ever:

• Public Advocate Bill de Blasio: 44 – 16 percent
• City Comptroller John Liu: 54 – 16 percent
• City Council Speaker Christine Quinn: 55 – 25

And New York City voters gave President Barack Obama a huge vote of confidence, with 70 – 26 percent job approval.

Disclosing Donors: Alliance for Quality Education lists its funders, calls on Cuomo to reveal backers of the Committee to Save New York (NY Daily News)

Teamsters Leader Eyes 2013:""What could create the opening is what's going on in Wisconsin." (NY Daily News)

Freshman Congressman Michael Grimm, the lone Republican in New York City's delegation, laid into his colleagues for risking government shutdown in a statement on Monday:

The extreme wing of the Republican Party is making a big mistake with their flat-out opposition to a short-term continuing resolution. They’re not looking at the big picture, and the last thing we want to do is become like Nancy Pelosi in the last Congress, where it was ‘my way or the highway.’  Last week’s passing of the CR cut $ 4 billion and this week we will cut $6 billion. Cutting spending is going to take small steps, and each successful step must be viewed as a victory.

I know that there is some opposition to working with Senate Democrats from the extreme right of the Tea Party who would rather see a government shut-down than pass a short-term solution; however, as long as we continue to cut spending each time, we are keeping our promise to the American people to reduce the deficit and fix the economy. If we’re going to do what we set out to do, we have to set realistic expectations, and cannot bow to the extreme right or left. Those views don’t represent what’s best for our country and they certainly do not represent the views of the majority of my district.

Grimm had the support of local Tea Party activists when he beat incumbent Democratic Rep. Michael McMahon in November.

[h/t Politico]

Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters (including WNYC's Richard Yeh) today that he's not backing the Assembly Dems' proposal to re-up higher tax rates for those earning a million dollars and up, even if the extra revenue were directed to New York City.

You want to drive business out, you raise taxes. That's just not a good strategy right now. Sometimes you can raise taxes, sometimes you have to lower them. I think at this point, the governor's made a commitment that there would not be any tax increases, so I don't know that it's terribly important what the rest of us think. The governor's going to do this, and I will support him in that.

The higher income tax rate, which currently affects those who earn $200,000 and up, is set to expire at the end of the year.

Getty

Conservative activist James O'Keefe will headline the Bayshore (NJ) Tea Party Group's first St. Patrick's Day celebration on Thursday.

From the release:

O’Keefe most recently exposed National Public Radio (NPR) meeting with prospective donors that may have violated federal law. The tirade O’Keefe caught on film resulted in the resignation of NPR’s President Vivian Schiller.

Prior to the rampage, NPR Foundation President Ron Schiller made it clear to the Country that NPR would be better off without federal fundraising. Suffice to say, we agree.

For more on how O'Keefe edited the footage featuring former NPR executive Ron Schiller, see David Folkenflik's NPR story this morning.

Lieberman Cools on Nuclear:"I don't want to stop the building of nuclear power plants, but I think we've got to kind of quietly, quickly put the brakes on." (NY Daily News)

Schumer Doesn't:"I’m willing to look at nuclear. As I’ve always said, it has to be done safely and carefully.” (Politico)

New Critics of Obama's Energy Policy:Labor unions (Wall Street Journal)

Tough Budget Talk: "The governor really doesn't care whether the budget is done amicably with the Legislature or not," a Cuomo source tells Dicker. (NY Post)

Silver's Budget Proposal: Millionaire's Tax for Millionaires, Medicaid cuts without malpractice cap (NY Post)

The Malpractice Cap Argument: "The president of the state bar association, Stephen P. Younger, had attacked the governor's Medicaid measures as an irresponsible concession to the hospital industry, while hospital executives say the $1.6 billion spent annually on medical malpractice expenses has become a crushing fiscal burden." (Wall Street Journal)

Out: State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley (Boston Globe)

Chief Justice Lippman's Call for More Legal Aid for Poor:"He is right on all counts. The Legislature should approve the increase," say the editors. (NY Times)

Digging Up StuyTown Landscaping:"The episode with the trees shows how Stuyvesant Town's politically powerful tenants present a challenge for the loan servicer that now controls the property." (Wall Street Journal)

Missing Mandate Relief: "some lawmakers are questioning why the issue seems to have vanished from the discussion around the governor’s budget." (New York Times)

To Pay or Not to Pay: Question at Albany Hall of Records about digital copies of property tax records. (Albany Times Union)

NTSB Investigating Bronx Bus Crash:"The Brooklyn-based company had been cited by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for driver fatigue in February." (Wall Street Journal)

Sarah Palin:"She’s becoming Al Sharpton, Alaska edition." (Politico)