Politics on the Hudson

Here’s some of the comments coming in from Gov. Paterson’s address this evening.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County: “While we agree that the economy is weakening and state government must rise up to meet this challenge as part of next year’s budget, property taxpayers are facing a crisis right now. Earlier today, I notified members of the Senate that we will be returning to Albany on August 8th to convene a special session to enact the Governor’s property tax cap and pass legislation to reduce costs for schools and ensure adequate resources for students.”

Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Democrat: “The Governor plans to turn this around. He’s set a course toward financial stability. It’s not an easy course. There will be pain and it will take time. It took us years to get here and it will take us years to get back. Delay only increases the degree of difficulty.”

Assemblyman James Tedisco, R-Schenectady: “Now that the Governor has brought this fiscal crisis to the public’s attention, the hard work – and the tough choices – must begin. More than ever, we need this Governor to lead and make the tough choices. If making those choices and standing up to the special interests results in his being a one-term Governor, then he would likely go down in history as the person who righted New York’s ship of state and we would owe him a debt of gratitude.”