Anna Sale

Richard Lipsky, the connected lobbyist who was charged in the federal corruption investigation that also ensnared two legislators, ran a blog for the Neighborhood Retail Alliance. A post on Wednesday morning about a Wall Street Journal article about food cart permits concluded, “This is an area that is replete with corruption.”

About twenty-four hours after that post went up, Lipsky was surrendering to the feds.

That post will be his last, for now. Reached by phone, Lipsky said he’s been advised by lawyers not to comment. But when asked about the future of his blog, he said, “I don’t know yet. We’re certainly on suspension.”

“Everything I post can be misinterpreted. Everything will be seen in light of what’s been happening,” he continued. “Right now, I have to be devoted to defending myself.”

Lipsky has been a player in many high-profile development fights, most recently in the campaign to keep Wal-Mart out of New York City. In 2008 New York Observer power ranking of the players in New York real estate, Lipsky came in at 80. “To many large developers, particularly those who build big-box retail, Mr. Lipsky is a pain in the ass,” his blurb began.

Along with the Neighborhood Retail Alliance, Lipsky’s clients included Atlantic Yards Development Corporation and Forest City Ratner, Keep NYC Congestion Free, Willets Point United, and Tuck-It-Away, a self-storage company with an unfortunate name, given the current circumstances.

Michelle Rhee on LIFO: "We need Gov. Cuomo to do more than just say he's for reforming it. We need him to actually put forth a bill that eliminates it immediately." (Wall Street Journal)

Fallout:Lobbyist Lipsky represented both union and pro-business Committee to Save NY, but not anymore (NY Daily News)

GOP Chair on Kruger Contributions:"“This is dirty money and it should not pollute our political process" (NY Daily News)

Gallup Poll on King Hearings: "Fifty-two percent support the hearings, 38 percent oppose them." (NY Post)

Jobs Not Air: A House subcommittee voted to block federal funds for the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.  Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) said the bill "codifies science denial." (NPR)

Oh the Irony: Accused State Senator Carl Kruger, facing charges of corruption and bribery, sponsored legislation calling for more transparency in campaign financing. (NYDN Daily Politics)

Pomp and Circumstance: Former President Bill Clinton will be giving the commencement address at NYU this May. (NYDN Daily Politics)

Getting Ugly: Wisconsin Democrats are reportedly returning home to Madison.  Meanwhile Republican senators report getting death threats, and high school students join the mass of people protesting outside the capitol just as police begin dragging protesters out.  (Wisconsin State Journal)

Straight-Talk NotGetting it Straight: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's remarks score low for accuracy. (New York Times)

Witch Hunt?: About a thousand protesters rally in Times Square to denounce the hearings into the radicalization of Islam.

--Alec Hamilton

State Senator Carl Kruger and seven other people, including Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr., surrendered today on charges of corruption in a federal case accusing him and the others of a vast, decades-long conspiracy of bribery.

The 53-page compliant accuses Kruger of taking bribes in exchange for services including sponsoring legislation, lobbying other elected leaders and directing state money to his co-conspirators. The complaint charges the two Brooklyn Democrats with accepting over $1 million in bribes.

Also accused is lobbyist Richard Lipsky, real estate developer Aaron Malinsky, two hospital executives, hospital consultant Solomon Kalish and a Brooklyn doctor.  WNYC’s Ailsa Change has more on the scandal.

-- Alec Hamilton

With only three weeks until a state budget is due, Assembly Democrats and one lone Republican are preparing to put forward a budget proposal that includes an extension of the 8.97 percent surcharge on people who make over $1 million, but eliminates the surcharge on those making between $200,000 and $1 million.

The bill’s proponents say that the move would generate $706 million for fiscal year 2011-2012, and an additional $2.65 billion for the following year. Senator John Bonacic (R-42) has been the only voice of agreement from the Republicans – the rest of the GOP majority remains strongly opposed to extending the surcharge.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, who campaigned on a platform of not adding any taxes, recently took to the airwaves to promote his own proposal for the budget of "no new taxes." Popular opinion may be against him, however,  as polls have consistently found New Yorkers prefer higher taxes on the wealthy over cuts to schools.

Senator Bonacic, who has a history of bucking party leadership, told theNew York Times “I personally believe that there is merit to raising the threshold of the millionaire’s tax and extending it for millionaires.”

-- Alec Hamilton

Sen. Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) (nysenate.gov)

Kruger's Corruption Charges: The probe threatens to topple a veteran Brooklyn Democrat, who as recently as last year commanded one of the Legislature's most influential posts." (Wall Street Journal)

Only the Latest: "Prosecutors have made a cottage industry of scrutinizing members of the Senate." (Albany Times-Union)

Kruger's Staffers: "said he didn't bring this up." (NY Daily News)

Talking Bike Lanes in Washington: "in a sidelong reference to recent travails, Ms. Sadik-Khan conceded that redesigning streets could be 'painstaking work.'" (NY Times)

Talk Back: live chat during Peter King's hearing on Muslim Radicalism (WNYC)

King Criticism: "What Al Qaeda would hate - and what we really should be doing - is honor the Muslims who have taken a stand against the murder of innocents," says Daly (NY Daily News)

Changing Face of Protesters: "the furor over Park 51 and more recent controversy over Congressman Peter King's hearings on Muslim radicalization have provided a mainstream platform for Hindu-American activists, while simultaneously diversifying the ranks of anti-Islamic protesters." (WNYC)

Reaction to Blizzard Response Changes: "Liz Weinstein, director of the mayor's office of operations, said the administration shouldn't be micromanaged." (Wall Street Journal)

Cuomo on Gay Marriage: “For me, this is personal." (NY Times)

Passed: How Wisconsin Republicans did it. (National Review)

Koch on Trump Talk: "He's one of the great hucksters, and I say that admiringly. He's using this idea of running, milking it, for all it's worth -- and it's worth a lot." (ABC)

Recession in NYC:"We definitely recovered faster than the national economy did after going in later, which is really not a normal performance for New York City." (NY Times)

Christie's Talk:"Clearly there has been a pattern of the governor playing fast and loose with the details." (NY Times)

Another Political Retirement: the Dalai Lama (The Guardian)

More Connecticut voters disapprove than approve of new Democratic governor Dannel Malloy, the first Democrat to lead the state in 20 years, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. The margin of disapproval for Malloy is 40 - 35 percent, with 25 percent undecided.

The culprit is Malloy's budget, which calls for $1.5 billion in new taxes, $1 billion in concessions from public employees, and about $800 million in spending cuts in an effort to close a $3.3 billion deficit.

It's not surprising that voters don't like the prospect of higher taxes, but a slight majority of those polled actually narrowly agree a tax hike is necessary to balance the budget, 50 - 46 percent. But they don't like the mix of Malloy's tax package. He wants higher income tax rates to kick in for individuals who make $50,000, along with a mix of new taxes and fees on previously untaxed services. “Specifically, they think he is raising taxes too much," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz. "While voters think he is raising taxes too much on the middle class, they think he could raise taxes on the wealthy more."

Other highlights from the poll:

• 69 - 29 percent against hiking income taxes on anyone making more than $50,000 a year;
• 52 - 47 percent against increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 6.35 percent;
• 59 - 40 percent against expanding the sales tax to haircuts, car washes and other services;
• 70 - 29 percent against charging sales tax on clothing and footwear under $50;
• 74 - 20 percent against eliminating the $500 property tax credit on the state income tax;
• 82 - 17 percent against increasing the gas tax 3 cents per gallon. "Voters overwhelmingly disapprove of Malloy's proposed increases in the income tax and gas tax. They oppose eliminating the property tax credit and ending the sales tax exemption for clothes under $50," Schwartz said. "They do agree, however, with proposed increases in 'sin taxes' on alcohol and cigarettes, and with wage freezes and furloughs for state employees and - if necessary - layoffs."

The hit in the polls was not unanticipated for Malloy's team. "Gov. Malloy has put forward an honest budget that asks virtually everyone in Connecticut to make sacrifices because he believes that’s the only way we’re going to fix what’s broken and put Connecticut back to work," Malloy senior advisor Roy Occhiogrosso said in a statement. "That people are unhappy with those sacrifices is no surprise."

Commercial for 'Cuomo's Plan': paid for by the Committee to Save New York. (Youtube)

Critics Commercials: "those expected to dump on the budget have been relatively silent, or in one major case, running ads that support his health care cuts." (NY Daily News)

Mixing Medicaid and Business?: "The Manhattan-based, nonprofit group, which often takes positions favorable to the plaintiffs' bar, asserted that members of the policy team are public employees and are covered by state laws restricting officials from mixing state duties with financial interests." (Wall Street Journal)

Ethics Complaint:"Cuomo's director of health care redesign, dismissed the complaint as an 'absurd stunt.'" (NY Daily News)

Macy's Parade and TV Rights:"The switch in the route would effectively cost CBS its bird’s-eye view of the parade." (NY Times)

NJ, Citi Jobs and Hudson Tunnel:"I guess they needed every nickel to bribe companies to move jobs to the other side of the river." (Wall Street Journal)

''I love hosting my show!' : ...but Spitzer still might want to be mayor. (National Journal)

Park Slope Bike Lane, Neighborhood-View:"'Part of it is, people don’t like anything new,' she said. 'New is bad. It’s like Atlantic Yards. And dogs off leash. Like there’s nothing else wrong with the world.'" (NY Times)

Redistricting Debate:"Infuriated, Senate Democrats took their beef to the Senate floor and repeatedly tried to block the Rules Committee report from being accepted by the full Senate." (NY Daily News)

'We are Now Turning the Corner': Obama at Boston fundraiser. (Politico)

Peter King:"son of a New York City police officer and grand-nephew of an I.R.A. member, offers no apologies for his past, which he has celebrated in novels that feature a Irish-American congressman with I.R.A. ties who bears a striking resemblance to the author." (NY Times)

NPR Video Fallout:"Everybody’s upset, I’m upset, who wouldn’t be upset?" (NY Times)

Trump on the Middle Class:"They work their asses off, and honestly they fall behind, and it's very tough. You do have to worry about that, absolutely." (NY1)

Today's Newsday front page

Nassau Crime Lab: "Erin Marino, 30 years old, on Monday became the first person to win a new trial since the lab was shuttered in February following revelations of widespread problems in drug analysis and later, blood-alcohol results." (Wall Street Journal)

69 Dems Call for Tax Surcharge: "that explains why Silver, after saying quite clearly last week that he doubted there would be support for extending the temporary PIT increase on wealthy New Yorkers in either the Senate GOP or in the governor’s office, revealed he planned to include a proposal to do just that in the Assembly’s budget." (YNN/Capital Tonight)

Cuomo Unmoved: "these are tough economic times, but our point is we all have to pitch in." (NY Daily News)

Bike Lane Lawsuit: "the case opens a new front in one of the most heated civic disputes since smoking was banned in bars." (NY Times)

Cuomo to Meet Archbishop: "Dolan, the state's bishops and 1,000 other Catholics are at the Capitol to lobby against efforts to legalize gay marriage and health cuts for the poor." (NY Daily News)

Schedule, Not Communion Conflict: "It was not until Monday that they learned that Archbishop Dolan and the bishops would be in Albany on Tuesday, too." (NY Times)

NYC Housing Official Resigns: "after he used agency letterhead to ask a Florida judge for leniency for a family friend facing a long sentence for distribution of child pornography." (Wall Street Journal)

Principal Funds Compromise: "The principals would have to return 30 percent of the money, or, as the department explained in a brief statement, the money would “carry a 70 percent return” in the school year that begins in September." (NY Times)

Sen. Tony Avella: "Despite my deep affinity and respect for Mayor Koch, I think it is completely inappropriate to be naming the Queensboro Bridge after him at this time" (NY Daily News)

'King's Show Trial': "Not much spreads fear and bigotry faster than a public official intent on playing the politics of division," say editors. (NY Times)

Cross-cultural Reluctance: "Cops and federal agents agree with Rep. Pete King that they don't get a lot of tipsters from the Muslim community - but they say that's true of many other communities." (NY Daily News)

Governor in Rochester: "Cuomo continued a public relations campaign to build support for his 2011-12 budget with his first stop in Monroe County since becoming governor" (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

Bus Stop Smoking Already Banned:"after she was shown specific sections of the legislation she confirmed that bus stops were, indeed, among the prohibited areas for smoking." (Wall Street Journal)

In Other Parade News: 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade bypassing Times Square because of pedestrian plaza construction. (NY Times)

Assembly Education Chairwoman Catherine Nolan of Queens and 68 of her Democratic Assembly colleagues sent a letter to Speaker Sheldon Silver last week, signaling where they are drawing the line on Cuomo's budget. (That's two-thirds of the Democratic caucus, but not a majority of the chamber.)

Silver said budget cuts should not target schools and teachers first. "The Speaker wholeheartedly agrees that we should not be giving a tax break to the wealthiest New Yorkers while we are cutting teachers from our classrooms, closing senior centers and reducing aid to CUNY and SUNY," said Spokeswoman Sisa Moyo.

Cuomo's not mentioned by name, but the Democrats make clear that they think the governor's cuts to education go too far and they want to re-up the expiring higher tax on earners making over $200,000, something the governor opposes.

From the letter, here and here:

There are alternatives to budget cuts. School district and local government consolidations can eliminate waste and save costs. New York can close corporate tax loopholes. The most helpful alternative to devastating cuts to education and other vital services is the current surcharge on high-income personal income taxes.

...

The surcharge will generate significant revenue and represents a fair and balanced distribution of public responsibility during these difficult economic times.

[h/t Liz Benjamin]

Tired of humdrum approval ratings? Enter Quinnipiac University's "feeling thermometer." Gov. Christie came in behind the First Lady and former President Clinton, but scored a half a degree hotter than President Obama.

Michelle Obama                                   60.1 degrees

President Clinton                                  59.2

Christopher Christie                              57

President Obama                                  56.5

Rudolph Giuliani                                   52.3

Mike Huckabee                                    51.8

John Boehner                                       51.1

Mitt Romney                                        50.4

Tim Pawlenty                                        48.2

Jon Huntsman                                       47.9

Ron Paul                                              46.3

Michael Bloomberg                              46

Michelle Bachman                                45.6

Mitch McConnell                                  45.2

Mitch Daniels                                       45.1

Donald Trump                                      45

Rick Santorum                                    43.9

President George W. Bush                    43.9

Haley Barbour                                      43.5

Newt Gingrich                                      42.7

Sarah Palin                                           38.2

Harry Reid                                           34.8

Nancy Pelosi                                        32.9

Booed, But Not for Irish Drinking Joke:"several hecklers interviewed at the parade in the Rockaways said they were unaware of the remark and were disgruntled for other reasons." (NY Times)

After Cuts in Camden: "Callers to 911 who report things like home burglaries or car break-ins are asked to file a report over the phone or at police headquarters; officers rarely respond in person." (NY Times)

Hearings on Muslim Radicalism:"King dismissed the outcry as political correctness and pushed on, saying there's no way to get around the fact that Al Qaeda and Islam are linked." (NY Daily News)

Obama and Peter King: "the decision to weigh in at this moment — days before Mr. King’s hearings — is a tricky one for a president. Many Americans erroneously believe that Mr. Obama is Muslim (he is Christian), and he seems to generate controversy whenever he dips into such waters, as with the Manhattan mosque last year." (NY Times)

More Students Per Classroom: "In New York City, average elementary class sizes have grown to 23.7 students from 21.8 since 2008, according to official data." (NY Times)

911 Failures: "The communications failures that led to the deaths of hundreds of first responders on 9/11 still haven't been fixed, despite tens of millions of dollars spent on elaborate radio systems in lower Manhattan." (NY Post)

Education Groups on Cuomo: "The criticism echoes Mayor Bloomberg's claim that the Cuomo proposal won't prevent the city from being forced to use LIFO to determine layoffs this budget cycle." (NY Post)

Brodsky's New Job: joins NYU, "co-teaching a grad class on 'Public Policy and The Arts.'" (NY Daily News)

Dicker:"Cuomo's high-profile confrontation last week with Bloomberg over the controversial 'last in, first out' protection for underperforming teachers has significantly boosted the governor's standing with the unions, key labor leaders say." (NY Post)

Medicaid Machinations: "As the package makes its way through the legislative process, however, there are already signs that key elements could unravel." (Crain's)

LIFO, circa 1940:"The fight over teacher job protections known as 'last in, first out' stretches back more than 70 years -- when none other than celebrated Mayor Fiorello La Guardia led the anti-LIFO charge, The Post has found." (NY Post)

Judith Giuliani and Callista Gingrich: "From the moment we learned of Judith Nathan, her story has illustrated everything that can go wrong when a mistress tries to become a political wife." (Slate)

Making Peace on LIFO:"'I understand where the mayor wants to go and I'm committed to helping him,' Cuomo said. 'I have known the mayor a long time and I consider him a personal friend.'" (NY Daily News)

Cuomo:"This is not an easy matter. And you can't do it without a law change. And Albany doesn't have a reputation for being the most expeditious vehicle to come up with new laws." (WNYC)

Bloomberg's Got Backup:"The mayor also won much-needed moral support for his efforts to end 'last in, first out' from US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan." (NY Post)

While In New Jersey...: "The evaluation rubric is crucial to Mr. Christie's plan to overhaul the state's public schools during what his administration calls the 'year of education reform.'" (Wall Street Journal)

Party!: "Under an ethics framework Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver outlined for his members Wednesday, get-togethers that have at least 25 nonlawmakers - who could be lobbyists - would be okay, sources said." (NY Daily News)

About that Park Slope Petition:"It was provocative stuff, especially for a famously liberal and oft-mocked Brooklyn enclave. Except it might not be true." (Wall Street Journal)

Gillibrand's Brand:"in contrast to Charles Schumer, the Senate Democrats' de facto chief national electoral strategist, who has devoted much of his public-facing energy to aggressively nonideological battles for middle-class swing voters—Kirsten Gillibrand is going to be the liberal Senator from New York." (Capital New York)

Bad to Worse: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker says he'll start laying off state workers tomorrow if the Democratic Senators don't return to Madison and pass his budget repair bill reducing state employee unions' right to collective bargain. (NPR)

Too Close:  A State Supreme Court judge ruling in the Alan Hevesi pay-to-play case has financial dealings with Hevesi's lawyer's estranged father. (NY Daily News)

Squeaky Clean: The New York DEC has drafted legislation requiring manufacturers of cleaning products to disclose chemical ingredients and associated hazards. (WSJ)

Anytime Now: Severely injured veterans are being left waiting for their VA benefits while their families shoulder the burden for their care. (McClatchy DC)

Still Friends: Cuomo eases off Bloomberg in the struggle over the "First In Last Out" law governing teacher layoffs. (NY Daily News)

Sketchy: Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal faces criticism over the many and large donations given to his wife's educational charity by companies looking to do business with the state or get them to ease up on pollution restrictions. (NYT)

Far Out: President Obama made a call to the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery & the International Space Station today. (@BarackObama)

It's Over: Siting dissatisfaction with the Central Labor Council boss Jack Ahern, 32BJ/SEIU has formally pulled out of the CLC. (NY Daily News)

Hold On There: U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson issued a seven-day stay on his own ruling that the health care reform bill is unconstitutional.

A colleague was handed this flier outside an elementary school in Ridgewood, Queens, this morning.

From today's Star-Ledger (newseum.org)

Christie Draws Distinction: "While I was governor I’ve said the opposite: Lets get rid of civil service and let everything be collectively bargained." (Newark Star-Ledger)

Christie: “I love collective bargaining" (Politico)

Vlasto:"New York is not Wisconsin." (Albany Times-Union)

Honeymoon Ending:"In the past few days, however, Albany has shown signs that the big tent Mr. Cuomo erected is wobbling. As the budget deadline draws closer, and policy hot spots have inflamed, the Cuomo administration is feeling a not-so-gentle tug back to earth." (Wall Street Journal)

Cuomo's LIFO Bill v Bloomberg's LIFO Bill:"Part of the disagreement lies in whether or not the city and the state have time to kick that can." (Gotham Schools)

Dicker:"The scope of Bloomberg's miscalculation was breathtaking." (NY Post)

No Eminent Domain: "Where will I go? The city should be ashamed of what it is doing," says long-time Willets Point resident, dressed in revolutionary war costume. (NY Times)

Gamblers Hold Their Bets: "Christie has the weight of millions of online gamblers on his back as he prepares to make this historic decision." (Casino Gamblers Web)

Blocking Spitzer 2013: Former New York Stock Exchange chief Dick Grasso -- one of the highest-profile targets of Spitzer's uneven assault on Wall Street -- has quietly been telling friends that he's leaning toward challenging Spitzer as a Republican (particularly if Police Commissioner Ray Kelly doesn't seek theGOPnomination himself, as some speculate he will). (NY Post)

Park Slope Against Hip Hop:"'It's not 'racist' to equate hip-hop with an elevated crime rate . . . it's just a statistical fact that crime is more likely to occur among urban audiences,' the petition says." (NY Post)

More Pushback on Malpractice Limits:"Critics of the malpractice proposal accuse Mr. Cuomo of selling out patients to please the hospitals and get them on his side." (NY Times)

New Pregnancy Center Rules:'Let me be clear—in this legislation we are not targeting pregnancy centers in order to shut them down or interfere with any counseling that they want to provide,' Ms. Quinn said. 'We just want them to be honest and to say what their services are and not to deceive women.'" (Wall Street Journal)

Smithsonian Censors, Chelsea Celebrates: "Spirituality" comes at a time when Mr. Wojnarowicz has gained sudden recognition for the censorship controversy sparked by a mere fragment of his work: The Smithsonian's 4-minute edit was taken from a 7-minute excerpt of an unfinished film. (Wall Street Journal)

You Weren't Invited Either?: "This was no ordinary cotillion. The black-tie party was for the Native Society, a new club that is limited to native New Yorkers, many of them city dwellers who might reside in 10021 -- the ZIP code of upper Park and Fifth Avenues -- or be graduates of certain prep schools." (NY Times)

Heck No, Tax Surcharge Won't Go!: 17 protesters arrested during call to re-up the higher tax rate on earners making over $200,000, billed as the first civil disobedience of the Cuomo years. (YNN/Capital Tonight)

Also Against Wal-Mart in NYC:a national gay and lesbian advocacy group. (NY Times)

Guilty:Paterson aide David Johnson's plea to domestic violence charges.(YNN/Capital Tonight)

Clinton in Albany: Bill speaks, Times-Union tweets (Albany Times-Union)

No Pundit-ing while Presidential-Positioning:Fox News suspends Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum's contributor contracts while they test the waters. Huckabee and Palin allowed to continue, for now. (LA Times)

'Not Even High School Journalism': The Post's Fred Dicker on the Times' Sheldon Silver story today. (NY Observer)

Targeting Tax Cheats: "Rooting out crimes against the taxpayers is a top priority for my office, and I am committed to going after waste, fraud and corruption wherever it occurs so we can protect New Yorkers’ bottom line," Schneiderman writes in Syracuse op-ed.(Syracuse Post-Standard)

States Betting on Online Betting:"The first real test of the state efforts comes this week in New Jersey, where Gov. Chris Christie is expected to decide the fate of a bill that would let Atlantic City casino companies run gambling websites for state residents." (Wall Street Journal)

'Cottage Industry of Hate': The charges at a Washington panel today in advance of NY Rep. Peter King's hearing next week on the radicalization of Islam. (Talking Points Memo)

Bloomberg's Tagging:"With the city's Bloombergification, there's been a movement to put Q.R. codes to civic use: teaching people how the city works, and giving them point-of-contact access to city data and information that doesn't require you to remember a .gov address that you'll inevitably forget to visit when you're back at your desk." (Capital New York)

Rockstar Daughter's Tagging: Keith Richards' daughter arrested for SoHo graffiti. (Gothamist)

Today's Albany Times-Union

Cuomo's LIFO bill:"would speed up statewide teacher-evaluation standards being drafted by the Board of Regents and allow the mayor and school administrators to consider merit before deciding who stays or goes" (NY Post)

Bloomberg Big-footed:"Bloomberg, who was blindsided by the announcement, said Cuomo's bill would be of little help in dealing with the more than 4,600 teacher layoffs he's planned for as early as this spring." (NY Daily News)

Bloomberg Aides on Cuomo's bill:a "scam," "diversion," “we’re assuming the Cuomo bill was drafted by the [United Federation of Teachers].” (NY Daily News)

Meanwhile...: "for many parents, the school system has become more remote, more obtuse, more bewildering than the reviled community boards that were shut down early in Mr. Bloomberg’s administration." (NY Times)

After Koch Berating, Skelos Hedges:"said that he had concerns about the constitutionality of Mr. Cuomo’s bill but that he intended to 'pursue a redistricting reform measure that will meet the New York Uprising pledge.'" (NY Times)

Mandate Relief Report:"this report includes proposals that will fundamentally alter the state-local relationship," says Cuomo's team. (Mandate Relief Team)

Today's Newsday Front Page

Superintendents on Cuomo's Cap Proposal:"school districts have found it increasingly difficult to get candidates to take on the job of superintendent. A cap would make it much harder.” (YNN/Capital Tonight)

Koch's Redistricting Rally: “As a result of our efforts last year, including getting candidate — now governor — Andrew Cuomo on board, we have a huge chance of prevailing.” (WNET)

Bloomberg's Opinions:"The mayor’s entry into the realm of opinion could intensify concerns about his overlapping roles, and the concentration of so much power in the hands of a single man." (NY Times)

Peter King = Joe McCarthy?: "Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, with his hearings on the so-called radicalization of American Muslims, is poised to follow in the footsteps of Sen. Joseph McCarthy,  whose tactics against suspected Communists were so ruthless they earned him an "-ism" after his name," says Sun-Sentinel column. (Sun-Sentinel)

Supreme Court Declines: NYC's appeal to force fuel emission standards for taxis. (NY Times)

In Majority, state Senate GOPers Staff Up:"Incumbent GOPers, who've boasted of belt-tightening since taking over the Senate in January, have hired 27 new staffers - at a cost of $1 million to taxpayers." (NY Daily News)

Disappointed Dems:write letter to Cuomo crticizing proposed cuts to education and health care, call budget "neither balanced nor well conceived." (Associated Press)

$22 Million Less:"A preliminary breakdown of the budget bill passed by the House earlier this month would lower the Port Authority's share to $11.2 million from $33.8 million, part of an overall move to shrink the port security grant program to $95.5 million from $288 million." (Wall Street Journal)

Bloomberg Defends CityTime:"when you write the history of it down the road, will have saved enormous amounts of money for the city." (NY Post)

Suspended:EPA inspections of PCBs in local schools, after city pledges to act. (Wall Street Journal)

Rep. Michael Grimm Adjusts to Washington:"his romantic life, he says, is non-existent, dateless even on Valentine's Day." (Staten Island Advance)

Obama to Governors:"I don't think it does anybody any good when public employees are denigrated, vilified, or their rights are infringed upon. We need to attract the best and the brightest to public service. These times demand it." (WNYC)

NY Bar Association committee wants medical malpractice cap dropped: "Some in the medical industry have long complained about the perceived explosion in malpractice actions to justify their prescription for 'reform.' However, case filing numbers for the last 20 years have remained relatively flat. (NY Times)

Ravitch's Writing: “I’m not interested in self-promotion. I’m interested in the problems we face.” (NY Times)

Cuomo's Labor Relations:"Cuomo's attitude toward organized labor has been characterized, above all, by a ruthless pragmatism, tailoring his belligerence level to each situation, and to the political power of each of his counterparties." (Capital New York)

A lovefest on Medicaid Redesign recommendations: "I hope the fact that Stephen Berger and I have agreed on almost everything didn't make this a boring program," Assemblyman Richard Gottfried tells Brian Lehrer. (WNYC)

Bloomberg to Albany: lobbying Tuesday for dropping last in, first out for teachers. (NY Daily News)

Coming this week: GOP response to Obama dropping DOMA defense, says House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. (Politico)

RIP: Former NY Health Commissioner Richard Daines (NY Daily News)

Michael Grimm on FBI roots: "I specialized in deep undercover work. And one of the things that made me successful as an undercover agent was my ability to find commonality among those who seemed to not have any." (NPR)