All eyes turn to the Capitol again today as lawmakers gather for a high-stakes showdown that could either end Albany’s three-month budget impasse or shut down critical state agencies.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson of Brooklyn planned to vote on a 2010-11 spending plan that would reject several of Gov. Paterson’s hallmark proposals, including allowing wine sales in grocery stores and capping property taxes.
Their decision followed a day of vicious behind-the-scenes backbiting among the Democratic leadership.
Privately, Paterson seethed over the legislative mutiny, and some moderate Senate Democrats raged over Silver’s watering down of a prized property-tax relief plan.
Last night, Sampson warned Silver he was as many as five votes short of the 32 needed to get the package through his chamber, according to a source close to the Democratic conference.
Sampson acknowledged some Democratic senators “have some concerns,” and said he was still seeking an 11th-hour pact with Paterson even as a defiant Silver declared budget talks over.
For his part, the powerful Assembly speaker said Paterson had demanded things “that neither house wanted.
“He gave us the impetus to sit down ourselves and see how we can do a budget,” Silver said, adding, “There is no shutdown.”
Administration officials warned that the package would fall short of closing the state’s yawning budget deficit by $500 million to $1.5 billion, although Silver insisted the difference was no more than $200 million.
The variance includes the Legislature’s restoration of $600 million of Paterson ‘s proposed $1.4 billion in school-aid cuts and not adding a provision to cover the potential loss of up to $1 billion in federal health-care funding.
The legislation eliminates Paterson’s proposal to allow wine sales in grocery stores, but largely mirrors the governor’s plan to raise more than $1 billion in revenue.
It does include, for example, Paterson ‘s plan to reinstate the sales tax for one year on clothing that costs less than $110.
Paterson set up the showdown Friday when he released the last of the emergency budget extender bills that so far have prevented a shutdown of state services.
Last night, the governor threatened to veto any spending restorations and 6,800 legislative pet projects, called “member items,” if the Legislature’s package passes.
“There is, I think, irrational spending that is not paid for,” Paterson said. “This is going to end tomorrow. I want a real plan and I want one that addresses the issues that the people of the state of New York have made clear are important.”
Privately, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli had come under intense pressure from Silver to certify the budget as complete if the Legislature’s package passes today, according to a source.
The move would release three months of back paychecks for lawmakers.
Legislators grumbled last night as they gathered on Paterson’s orders to reconsider a series of rejected budget proposals.
They convened briefly and dispersed without voting on the bills, which include a plan to let SUNY campuses set their own tuition rates.
If the Legislature’s own budget bills fail today, the threat of a government shutdown would loom once again.
Lawmakers over the past few weeks have passed enough budget bills to fund about two-thirds of the government. As a result, experts are debating whether a shutdown would be only partial.
Without the must-pass budget extenders, unemployment checks for thousands of New Yorkers would not go out. Thousands of state employees in education and at certain health-care facilities would not be allowed to come to work.
D-Day
* Gov. Paterson set today as the deadline for Legislature to pass a budget.
* He vows to force a shutdown vote on his own divisive proposals.
* Defiant lawmakers pledge to vote on their competing plan.
* If the Legislature’s plan passes, Paterson can veto any portions he opposes.
* Failure of both plans would shut down programs and agencies.
Additional reporting by Fredric U. Dicker and Sally Goldenberg