Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Yesterday New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced "Project Sunlight," New York State's first-ever comprehensive Internet database that will track donors, lobbyists, special interests, state contracts, and elected officials, and the links between them.

Seems like the situation with information about New York politics is not unlike the federal scenario:

While many databases are currently public domain, they are difficult to navigate. Additionally, the current process of accessing public information can be burdensome and time consuming. Project Sunlight goes well beyond the existing systems in making public information accessible. By combining multiple databases into a single, easy-to-use Internet resource, New Yorkers will be able to quickly examine elected officials' voting records and campaign contributors, and find outwhich entities may have benefited from their actions

A long-time public interest advocate — Blair Horner — a 25 year veteran of NYPIRG and an authority on government ethics and reform will head the project.

This is very exciting