For those keeping score at home, The Scientist looks at public funding for stem cell research in New York: "Within his first two months in office, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer presented an initial budget proposal slotting $1 billion over the next 10 years for stem cell research. A final version of the budget must be approved by the three power centers of New York -- the Governor's office, the State Assembly and Senate. A similar effort proved unsuccessful -- former New York Governor George Pataki proposed a $1 billion allocation of funding to support stem cell research for the 2006-2007 budget, but it was not passed by the State Senate. Although the details of the budget are ever-changing, [those] closely involved in the process anticipate a $100 million appropriation each year for the next 10 years, beginning in 2008. ... Others involved in the process of designing the budget have raised concerns that both the Governor's and Senate's bills are too vague and may end up funding more capital projects, such as new buildings, than actual research. ... If [the New York stem cell bill] is an alternative mechanism to provide funding to research institutions, that's fine, but lets call it what it is. It's all going to depend on who's on that [oversight] board."

View the Article Under Discussion: http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/52995/
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