Since the most recent City Council redistricting proposal, negotiations have been taking place to further adjust the balance of power among New York City communities. In advance of Wednesday's public hearing, several experts weigh in on NYC's changing demographics and how redistricting will affect city council elections.

• Jerry Vattamala staff attorney, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund 
• Andrew Beveridge professor of sociology at Queens College, CUNY Graduate Center and the man behind Social Explorer
• Esmerelda Simmons founder and executive director of the Center for Law and Social Justice in Brooklyn

→ Hearing: This Wednesday, February 6th | New York Law School 6pm | More Information

A year ago, in his State of the State address, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo dramatically proposed the world's largest convention center near JFK airport, $15 billion in infrastructure investments, restructuring the state's pension program, and public financing of elections.  As we head into the 2013 state of the state, here's a tally of where those promises ended up.

WNYC's morning news producers bring you a rundown of today's must-read stories.

WNYC's morning news producers bring you a rundown of today's must-read stories.

The City Council is set to vote on a revised plan for redistricting that could change who will represent some neighborhoods in the city for at least the next decade.

The city's districting commission's first pass at new council district lines sparked heated discussion when they were released last month – and now observers are anxiously waiting to see how the feedback will shape the final plan presented to the City Council next month.

The process is underway to redraw the New York City Council district map. Carl Hum, Executive Director of the NYC Districting Commission, discusses the every-ten-year process and how the public can provide input into the changes.

The New York City Districting Commission unveiled its first draft of how City Council districts may be redrawn for next year’s election.

It’s not our ‘party.’ It should be – and we can and must do a lot more than cry!

All 51 City Council districts will have redrawn lines before the 2013 election.  The changes are expected to reflect the results of the newest census data for New York City, which showed demographic shifts in population, including increases within certain minority groups.

The City Council’s redistricting panel can start the work of reconfiguring the Council’s 51 districts to reflect the results of last U.S. Census. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced his seven appointees to the panel on Thursday. Last month Speaker Christine Quinn and City Council Minority leader James Oddo made their eight picks.

Redistricting is pitting Democratic incumbents Steve Rothman and Bill Pascrell against each other in a race for the single seat to represent the new 9th congressional district.

→ Quick Links: Rothman for New Jersey | Pascrell for Congress | Patch Election Guide | NJ Spotlight Guide | Politifact Fact-Checks on 9th CD Race

A panel of federal judges says the new election district lines drawn by the Senate and Assembly majorities will be used in the fall elections.

Incumbent Democratic Congressmen Bill Pascrell and Steve Rothman will have their first face to face debate Monday night. New Jersey's loss of a congressional district due to re-districting has set up this rare face-off between two incumbents with very similar left of center voting records.

How hard is it to draw fair legislative districts? Guest columnist Andrew Dean, a SUNY Buffalo law student, reflects on the plans he and other students submitted in a competition to try and answer that question.

In a major blow to Senate Democrats' efforts to halt the implementation of new Republican-drawn districts, a state supreme court judge ruled the Senate majority's decision to up the seat total to 63 was constitutionally acceptable.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has retained his former top aide's new law firm for the court fight over the proposed addition of a state Senate seat. The Senate and Assembly majorities have also retained private lawyers.

Karen DeWitt, Capitol bureau chief for New York State Public Radio and Ken Lovett, Albany bureau chief of The Daily News, wrap up the flurry of legislation in Albany. 

Liz Benjamin, blogger and host of "Capital Tonight", checks in on state politics in Albany, including the latest on the redistricting battle for congressional lines and for the state legislature.