Private contractors are poised to intensify the city's efforts to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid parking and other tickets. ⧸ Full Story

Taxpayers funded $192.7 million last year for the total compensation of state employees collecting both pensions and salaries, in a staggering 47 percent increase from 2010. Data obtained by Gannett’s Albany bureau show that the number of these double dippers rose by 32 percent in 2011, to 2,811, despite Governor Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to trim government… ⧸ Full Story

For the first time, New York State is asking the public to submit proposed new versions of the iconic “I ♥ NY” logo, as part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s new tourism initiative. The logo — originally created by designer Milton Glaser on a commission from the state — helped create one of the nation’s best-known… ⧸ Full Story

Companies and organizations could soon have huge incentives to report their own violations of anti-pollution regulations, if a draft “self-auditing” policy is implemented by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Entities that use pesticides, treat wastewater and store hazardous chemicals could have penalties reduced or waived if they agree to report violations, according an internal… ⧸ Full Story

A billion-dollar state borrowing program will soon have to pay back bondholders, with $81 million budgeted this year ⧸ Full Story

New York State legislators on both sides of the aisle had a conference on Wednesday pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana with a bill that is being considered by the state Assembly. This comes right as the latest Sienna poll shows 57 percent of New York voters support legalizing medical marijuana, with 33 percent opposed. Sure, New… ⧸ Full Story

The Commission on Public Information & Communication has met only twice since its early 1990s founding ⧸ Full Story

In a few months, New York City will be home to 10,000 brand new two-wheelers as part of its first city bike share system, named Citi Bike after lead sponsor Citigroup, which has pledged $41 million in support. Starting at $10 for a daily pass or $95 for an annual membership, with surcharges after the… ⧸ Full Story

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York filed fraud charges yesterday against construction giant Lend Lease Construction LMB Inc. — formerly Bovis Lend Lease LMB Inc., or just Bovis for short — and their former principal in charge of the company’s New York office. Bovis admitted to fraudulently overbilling clients for more… ⧸ Full Story

The polls are open today for New York state’s Republican presidential primary and this year’s contest is set to be as much of a non-event in this blue state as most years before. Turnout is expected to be light especially since Rick Santorum dropped out of the race — he officially suspended his campaign but… ⧸ Full Story

We ran a Daily Q yesterday on gun-control measures bottled up in Albany, and the resounding response we got from gun-control advocates is that the National Rifle Association and its lobbying arm are formidable heavyweights when it comes to setting the policy agenda. Yesterday, in announcing a new campaign against “stand your ground’ laws like… ⧸ Full Story

The death of teenager Trayvon Martin — shot by civilian George Zimmerman, who initially escaped charges under Florida “stand your ground” law because local police said they had not found anything to dispute Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense — has put gun control back in the headlines. Here in New York, it has breathed fresh life into… ⧸ Full Story

It’s official: New York City is stuck for the next decade with the U.S. Census Bureau’s population count of fewer than 8.2 million, now that the bureau has rejected Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s appeal asserting that enumerators had missed at least 50,000 New Yorkers. Bloomberg submitted the appeal last August, and his administration had fought hard… ⧸ Full Story

Civil servants collect millions to cover legal costs incurred in the line of duty ⧸ Full Story

After news first broke that Joseph Bruno was going to petition Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for reimbursements of “substantial” legal costs after criminal charges against him were dropped, and the Times Union’s outstanding James Odato could not get Schneiderman’s office to divulge how many public employees have been similarly reimbursed, we were more than a… ⧸ Full Story

The idea of converting the existing Tappan Zee Bridge into a greenway or walkway — much like the former Poughkeepsie Bridge-turned-Walkway Over the Hudson — has been floated for some time by Greenburgh town supervisor Paul Feiner. During his cabinet meeting yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said the potential of preserving the bridge as an elevated walkway for cyclists and… ⧸ Full Story

New York City could get its own internet domain — but only if it acts quickly ⧸ Full Story

Does New York have the juice to forge Time Warner-MSG truce? Since the beginning of the year, Time Warner Cable’s 2 million New York subscribers have not  been able to view any Madison Square Garden games, causing many upset New York Knicks fans to miss all the Linsanity surrounding the team. Yes, even 23-year-old Jeremy… ⧸ Full Story

What’s the Council Speaker’s track record on State-of-the-City promises? First Governor Andrew Cuomo, then Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and now it’s City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. New York’s second-most powerful figure in city government will be giving her annual State of the City speech today at noon, her sixth since assuming the position in 2006. While… ⧸ Full Story

Office space sold by the Pataki administration in a highly scrutinized deal — and currently occupied by Gov. Cuomo — is on the market for millions of dollars more than the state received ⧸ Full Story