[NYAPRS Enews] GN: Paterson Finds No Budget Answers From Legislature

[Matt Canuteson]

NYAPRS Note: The article below provides an update to last weeks news
that NYS Budget Director Robert Megna sent a letter to the four heads of
the NYS legislative finance staffs requesting that they provide
budget-cutting proposals for a meeting scheduled to take place tomorrow.


 

Paterson Finds No Budget Answers From Legislature

Joseph Spector Gannett News October 12, 2009

ALBANY -- Gov. David Paterson has called on state legislative leaders to
come up with ideas on how to close an expected $3.1 billion mid-year
deficit.

He's still waiting for their answers.

The hesitancy of the Legislature to propose unpopular cuts to programs
and services has drawn criticism from watchdog groups and editorial
pages across the state. For Paterson's part, his unconventional decision
to not lay out his own plan has also been knocked.

"If it was a way to urge the Legislature to step forward and be more
cooperative, then it would make sense as a strategy. But that's not how
it is being interpreted by the Legislature," said Susan Lerner,
executive director of Common Cause.

"The Legislature interprets it as a pass-the-hot-potato strategy. And
that doesn't bring everybody to the table."

Paterson in recent days has recognized that his strategy may not work
and that he will have to present his own budget-cutting plan. He said
when he presented a mid-year proposal to cut the budget last year, he
was attacked in ads by special-interest groups, which helped lead to his
record-low approval ratings.

Paterson said in recent weeks that it would be better to craft a plan
with lawmakers, who would ultimately have to approve it. He said that
unlike last year, the state doesn't have reserves or federal stimulus
money to tap into to close the deficit.

"I am going to need all hands on deck and I am going to announce my plan
and hopefully get a serious response from the leaders," he told
reporters Monday during the Columbus Day parade in Manhattan.

Paterson, however, has not put a deadline on it, saying in an interview
last week on PBS's "New York Now" only that he plans to call the
Legislature back into session before year's end.

Steven Greenberg, spokesman for the Siena College Research Institute,
said polls have indicated that Paterson needs to show the public he's a
strong leader as he seeks to run for election next year. But Paterson is
facing pushback from the Legislature particularly because all 212
legislative seats will be on the ballot next year as well, he pointed
out.

"They are going to be more concerned about their own political well
being than they are about the governor's political well being,"
Greenberg said.

Legislative staff and Paterson's aides are scheduled to meet privately
Wednesday to discuss the budget. Paterson's budget director, Robert
Megna, last week asked legislative leaders to bring their own proposals.

So far, though, they haven't indicated they will do so. Republicans
offered some suggestions at a public leaders' meeting last month, but
Democrats in the Senate majority wouldn't say last week if they would
present their own plan. Senate Finance Chairman Carl Kruger, D-Brooklyn,
said last week "we believe the state can employ creative cost-saving
measures that avoid typical Albany cuts that are fiscally
irresponsible."

For the Democratic-led Assembly, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver,
D-Manhattan, said in a memo that lawmakers are prepared to work with the
governor and hold regional meetings "so we can effectively respond to
the governor and take legislative action."

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20091012/NEWS01/910120346/Paterson+
finds+no+budget+answers+from+legislature

 

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