Gov. Paterson has concluded that Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch is a “double agent” working for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and against his own efforts to cut the state’s projected $9.5 billion budget gap, The Post has learned.
Paterson privately told associates in recent days that Ravitch handed Silver (D-Manhattan) and Senate Democrats an “easy out” to some of his budget cuts through a last-minute, $2 billion-a-year borrowing scheme contained in what Ravitch billed as a budget-reform plan.
The governor has publicly declared that he’s concerned the Legislature is using Ravitch’s proposal to justify its own plans for too much borrowing.
Paterson has also complained that Ravitch has undermined his efforts to win budget cuts by publicly declaring that the Legislature shouldn’t be expected to approve the reductions the governor outlined in his budget plan, sources said.
“Whose side is Ravitch on?” was how one source close to Paterson put it.
“The governor’s people feel like they’ve created a Frankenstein monster, a double agent,” said a second source, who is in regular contact with the governor’s office.
Paterson can’t do anything about his unhappiness with Ravitch since, like the governor himself, his term in office runs through the rest of the year.
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Public claims by the leaders of the Legislature that lawmakers “worked all weekend” on the budget is one of the biggest charades ever.
Most legislators weren’t even in Albany when the weekend began, having returned to their districts late Friday afternoon, sources at the Capitol said.
“What’s really going on is a game a chicken between the Senate and the Assembly,” said a senior legislative official.
“Neither Silver nor [Senate Democratic Conference leader John] Sampson wants to be blamed for leaving Albany before the [April 1] budget deadline, so they’re both making believe that their members are working hard to reach an agreement.”
The game is expected to end this morning, when the lawmakers agree to a weeklong recess for the Passover and Easter holidays.