Rick Karlin is reporting at Capitol Confidential New York experienced a net population loss this year, for the first time in 10 years, according to the Empire Center, which examined Census data. While upstate has been steadily losing population for years, immigration into New York City has offset that decrease to keep the statewide population stable until now. The most recent information shows the state lost nearly 2,000 people from a year earlier, for a total population of 19,745,289. New York is the fourth largest state in the nation, behind California, Texas and Florida. New York led the country in foreign immigration last year. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.