New York Dems Turn on Paterson

When Democratic New York Gov. David Paterson called for a special legislative session this week to address the state's crippling budget woes, state Democrats initially threatened to boycott. The complete lack of respect for the state's top elected official by members of his own party does not bode well for Paterson's efforts to cut New York's $3.2 billion deficit.

New York Gov. David Paterson called for a special legislative session this week to address the state's crippling budget woes. New York currently faces a $3.2 billion deficit, so there is no time like the present to act. Unfortunately, the intransigence of lawmakers that help put the state in this position in the first place is on full display again.

To show just how petty things have gotten in Albany, take the case over this week's activities. Paterson desired to address the legislature in a joint session set for today in order to outline a strategy to cut the deficit. Senate Democrats threatened to boycott the joint session because Paterson has no constitutional authority to call it, though they begrudgingly agreed to the special session on Tuesday, because he does hold authority to call that. Not exactly an attitude conducive to mitigating a crisis.

This complete lack of respect for the state's top elected official by members of his own party does not bode well for Paterson's efforts. His best hope for cooperation at this point may lay with the GOP, which holds a slim Senate majority and whose leader, Dean Skelos, has called a state spending cap a priority.

The events that transpire in Albany in the coming days could set the fiscal course for the state for years to come. Paterson has not been an ideal leader, but he has at least expressed a grasp for the gravity of the situation. The big question now is will Senate Democrats join the debate in a constructive fashion or will they scuttle a sincere attempt to make a course correction for the state with petty politics?