ALBANY — No shutdown. For now.
An emergency spending measure needed to keep the state government running passed the Legislature last night after Republican senators gave Democrats the necessary votes.
The budget bill — the latest in a series Gov. Paterson has used to force massive cuts through a reluctant Legislature — contain $327 million in reductions to mental-health and human-services programs.
Paterson inserted some $150 million in federal aid for senior centers and domestic-violence shelters into the bill at the last minute, but failed to draw support from rogue Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx).
Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI), who had also threatened to vote for a shutdown last week, said GOP senators helped the bills clear the narrowly divided Senate.
“I am putting Gov. Paterson and the Democrat legislative leaders on notice, that if any future budget extender includes new taxes, fees or borrowing, they will not be able to count on our support,” Skelos said.