NEW THIS MORNING

NEW THIS MORNING: * Gov. Andrew Cuomo may be willing to negotiate on a key part of his pension reform plan, the 401(k) option, in exchange for reducing benefits for new workers, the Daily News reports: http://nydn.us/yjcEck * The Cuomo administration hopes to improve on last year's on-time budget by finishing budget negotiations a week early this year, the Times Union reports: http://bit.ly/yO0xUc *  The United Federation of Teachers will unleash a $100,000 ad campaign in response to the Department of Education's release of 18,000 teacher ratings today, the New York Times reports: http://nyti.ms/zervNC * New York is moving its elderly from nursing homes to managed care, in part to comply with expected drastic cuts in Medicaid and Medicare funding at the federal level, the Times writes: http://nyti.ms/wXuf4t * New York state health officials ordered the immediate closure of Peninsula hospital in Queens, after an inspection found problems that did not meet "accepted standards of care," the Associated Press reports: http://on.wsj.com/ACYsH3 * An executive at Forest City Ratner testified in Manhattan federal court yesterday that he hired former Yonkers GOP chairman Zehy Jereis for a no-show job to help push through legislation on a stalled $630 million development project, the Post writes: http://nyp.st/A2HhtG * A group of state workers called "Union Proud" are dissatisfied with PEF president Ken Brynien's stewardship, and plan to challenge his presidency this year, the Times Union has learned: http://bit.ly/zsmlGk