David Lombardo reports for Capitol Confidential that the state Legislature is still working on a check on executive power in Albany, even after the current governor "beat back language in the final budget deal" against such a proposal. "Transparency watchdogs would prefer to have the database of deals written into statute to ensure it includes meaningful accountability measures and isn’t subject to the whims of the governor," Lombardo writes. In Albany, governors have power over Empire State Development and economic development projects that can be handed over to favored projects, or towns where politicians the governor wishes to curry favor from hail. The current chief executive, Andrew Cuomo, cut a database of deals from the state budget earlier this year, but a state spokesperson previously said Empire State Development is “fully committed to implementing the new database of incentives as soon as possible, in a format that can easily be navigated and serve as an important public resource.” Read the full story in Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.