NYPIRG

A good government group issued an analysis of New York's legislative accomplishments this year and reports that Albany moved a little bit closer toward limiting public debate on major issues.

The New York Public Interest Research Group found that the total number of bills passed by state lawmakers stayed at historically low levels, but at the same time the size of the budget document increased.

New York's budget is notoriously brokered in secret by the governor and legislative leaders.

For the last several weeks Suffolk County lawmakers have been negotiating next year's budget.  The $2.8 billion spending package is expected to be unveiled Friday afternoon.  While there has been a quiet increase in criticism about how lawmakers get the budget done most still defend it.