NY Gov. Paterson Calls for Budget Power

Gov. David Paterson is proposing emergency legislation to empower him to close a $3.2 billion deficit in the face of inaction by the state legislature.  He made the call in a statewide Webcast that was carried on MyFoxNY.com.

Paterson is seeking the one-time power in a bill to the legislature. The bill would give him power to make spending cuts and take other actions to provide enough cash for the state to pay its December bills.

Lawmakers on both sides objected to the idea, calling it unconstitutional.

He says the state can't raise taxes right now and needs to cut spending.  He says the state will run out of money if no action is taken.

He is putting a deficit reduction proposal in front of lawmakers. He is asking for an up or down vote on that measure. A second piece of legislation would grant a one-time authority to balance the state budget.

Governor Paterson says the Executive Authority Option "would give me, as governor, a one-time authority to close the current-year budget deficit - to maintain New York's strong credit rating and keep our state afloat."

The state has faced a $3.2 billion deficit for months, but the governor and legislature have been unable to agree on how to address it.

In the end, the third week of an extraordinary session that was supposed to address the deficit ended with no action in the Legislature. Lawmakers then went home for Thanksgiving.