My not-so-fanciful wish for New York City’s partition into its own state because the constant interference by Albany (listen also to last week’s podcast), Ryan points to an interesting article, How U.S. Metros Propel America’s Economy and Might Drive Its Recovery, which contains this interesting nugget:

Two other economically powerful states, Illinois and New York, are even more dependent on their metro powerhouses, with Chicago and New York each constituting more than three-quarters of their state’s GDP. (The New York metro actually powers two states: the portions of the metropolitan area in New York account for 75.7 percent of that state’s GDP, and the chunk of the metropolitan area across the river in New Jersey accounts for 77 percent of Jersey’s GDP). Texas and Florida likewise each get 80 percent of their economic heft from the handful of major metros within their borders.

If New York City was its own state then the structural incentives for Westchester and Putnam County politicians to block programs which are inherently good for New York City as a whole would be removed since their power base would shrink, especially in the new House (the Senate not so much, but the increase of Senators from the Five Boroughs would offset their power). Unless, if constitutional, the new state would chose a unicameral legislature or (to make live coverage more interesting) adopt a Parlimentary system.
Either way, stop fucking with us Albany.