New York Times

Michael Grynbaum notes: “A day after Mitt Romney conceded that he paid a lower tax rate than many Americans, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg — another politician who made his fortune in the financial industry — said on Wednesday that he personally paid ‘the highest personal income tax rate.’ “

Thomas Kaplan writes: “Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday unveiled a new Web site promoting his proposed state budget, featuring a photograph of the smiling governor, his sleeves rolled up, greeting farmers in a flood-stricken upstate community.”

John Eligon notes: “Looking to rein in the use of public money to pay what he called excessive salaries, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed an executive order on Wednesday placing a $199,000 limit on the amount of state funds that contractors can use to pay executives. Organizations that contract with the state to provide services like health care may still pay their executives higher amounts, but the state will reimburse the provider only up to the stated amount, barring extraordinary circumstances, according to the order.”