Lawmakers, Paterson Discuss Budget Options
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- September
- 23
Legislative leaders and Gov. David Paterson were debating ways to close the state’s $2.1 billion deficit this morning, with Paterson encouraging lawmakers to come up with their own ways to deal with the budget gap.
Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, suggested selling excess state property and cutting spending. And he and Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, agreed that the state can’t raise taxes to close the gap.
“We have to make sure we ease the burden as much as possible,” Sampson said.
Paterson said he was blistered last year when he released ways to close last year’s budget deficit, saying ads were run against him by special-interest groups.
“By the time I was finished watching those ads, I didn’t like myself,” he said.
Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, said the legislative staffs should get together and discuss different proposals and seek to reach agreement before calling the Legislature back into session.
Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch said he will work with lawmakers to first come to agreement on how severe the budget problems are.
Paterson thanked lawmakers for their cooperation.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 am by Joseph Spector.
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