ALBANY -- New York politicians may be talking about tough times and tight budgets, but Albany managed to set aside $463,000 to renovate the men's and women's rooms on the third floor of the Capitol.

The renovations started last June to remove asbestos and bring facilities up to modern standards. They reopened this month with sparkling new features throughout, including marble separations for stalls, arches in the ceiling, and automated toilets and sinks.

A spokesman for the Office of General Services tells The Daily News that the money came from the agency's capital services budget.

Among the improvements was the removal of a few stairs, which made the bathrooms inaccessible for the disabled.