Grumbles in Albany over few budget details

That faint rumble you hear is the sound of state legislators beginning to harrumph.

It took a week or so, but grumbling about Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's budget is under way. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) raised the volume about a lack of specifics on Medicaid and mandate relief. In their recent analysis, Senate Republicans categorized 38 percent of Cuomo's proposed cuts as "unspecified spending reductions - no details available."

What to watch: Whether the Senate criticism sparks others to pump up their complaints. Cuomo has been aggressively selling his fiscal plan around the state. Look for him to continue this week, then use the upcoming legislative winter break (Wednesday-Feb. 27) to work behind the scenes to keep his budget on track.

- Yancey Roy