Politics on the Hudson

While legislative leaders this morning applauded Gov. Paterson for calling attention to the state’s fiscal crisis and scheduling the meeting, Paterson and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, did get into a contentious exchange during the hourlong open session.

Skelos said he didn’t appreciate Paterson’s suggestion that lawmakers didn’t recognize the severity of the state’s fiscal crisis.

Skelos responded that, “I think you’re being a little unfair in terms of lecturing us, in terms of what our responsibilities are. I know what our responsibilities are.”

Skelos continued, “I’m not in college, I’m not in law school anymore. I don’t need to be lectured. We will get done what has to be done, and the way to do it is to work cooperatively as we did in August to come up with the cuts that are necessary.”

He said that Paterson needs to continue the “positive tone that you established is the way that we should proceed. Not a lecturing tone, not a tone that we received from the past administration,” referring to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s combative style.

Paterson said “I apologize, senator if I hurt your feelings,” and added “A positive tone does not always connote that there aren’t real discussions about the difficulties.”

In the lightest moment of the session, Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco, R-Schenectady, said that the planned Nov. 18 session interferes with his planned honeymoon on Nov. 14, asking Paterson what he should do.

Paterson quipped, “When you go on your honeymoon, whatever you were going to do in seven days, do it in four days.”

Responded Tedisco, “I’m glad you didn’t say three minutes.”

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