David Paterson gave $250,000 in raises to senior staff.

Then he softened on a plan to tax high-income earners.

Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long and the porn industry agree on opposing Paterson’s “iPod tax.”

Paterson’s 2010 team is not game-ready.

The mayor of Rochester, Robert Duffy, is amending the city charter so he can forgo a scheduled pay raise.

A major investor in The New York Times isn't really comfortable with the media.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says she has two guns under her bed, for protection.

"I am the gun lady," says Rep. Carolyn McCarthy.

Writing in The Washington Post, Randi Weingarten says she wants a “national model” for education standards.

Liz Benjamin writes that Bloomberg isn’t ruling out a run on the Working Families Party line.

Jacob Gershman looks at Bloomberg's campaign team.

Bloomberg’s plan to convert four Catholic schools to charter schools faces problems.

Exile Street writes about “The Myth of the Indispensable Man,” and talks about Bloomberg.

Writer Jerry Mazza rants at length in his column headlined, “Buying Victory, Bloomberg-style.”

Gotham Gazette looks at the race on the North Shore.

Paul Tonko and Kirsten Gillibrand endorsed Scott Murphy for Congress this Saturday.

The amount of money the state paid for worker pensions has doubled since 1998.

Eric Gioia reminds people about unclaimed tax credits.

Jimmy Vacca gets tough on landlords.

The city is losing money on recycling.

Opposition to Sheldon Silver’s plan to weaken Rockefeller Drug Laws is coming from Dan Donovan, head of the state’s district attorney association.

And here's a Valentine's Day poem for Bloomberg, related to this.