Politics on the Hudson

   Gov. David Paterson’s agenda for today’s 3 p.m. session is looking a little slim. He has asked senators to take up four items—appointments to the state Medical Advisory Committee, the Capital District Transportation Authority, the state Bridge Authority and the Empire State Plaza Art Commission.

   Yesterday’s proclamation included such weighty issues as extending the Power for Jobs program, which provides low-cost power to businesses, and extending mayoral control of New York City schools. Democrats claim that a Republican senator’s apparently inadvertent walk through the chamber yesterday made him part of the session. Since the Democrats and Republicans are split 31-31 (one Democrat is in a coalition with the GOP), Democrats said GOP Sen. Frank Padavan of Queens’ entrance into the Senate gave them the quorum of 32 they needed to pass bills. 

   Democrats, and the 32nd senator, passed the Power for Jobs bill yesterday, along with dozens of others. Gov. David Paterson said yesterday that he would not sign them. They did not take up mayoral control of New York City schools, which expired at 11:59 p.m. yesterday.