Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

New York Governor David Paterson is calling the Legislature back to finish the state budget that is now 15 weeks late. Paterson announced an extraordinary session for 6 p.m. Wednesday. He says that if a budget isn't finished in that session, he'll call another one for Thursday. He says the Legislature must agree on a contingency plan in case $1 billion in Medicaid funding from Washington doesn’t come through. He also wants action on his plan to allow the public universities to raise tuition without Legislative approval. Senate Democratic spokesman Austin Shafran said in a prepared statement that Paterson’s call for a special session “is a positive indicator that he is willing to negotiate a fair and responsible budget with Legislative leaders.” He said Senate Democrats plan to attend the session. http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/072310Stmnt.html

The New York State Legislature tonight voted for a one-week budget extender that will require about 100,000 state workers to take an unpaid day off beginning next week. A vote against Governor David Paterson’s latest budget extender would have meant a total shutdown of state government until a budget is passed. The budget was due April 1. In the Senate, the extender passed on a straight party-line vote of 32-29. In an e-mail sent to WESB and The HERO, Austin Shafran, spokesman for Senate Majority Conference Leader John Sampson, said, “Though the governor’s furlough plan is potentially an unlawful breach of contract, we will not jeopardize the health, safety and livelihood of millions of New Yorkers by stopping government.” In the Assembly the final vote was 82-56, with some Democrats voting against the measure. "I recognize that these furloughs represent a difficult sacrifice for many of the State's public employees," Paterson said in a news release. "That sacrifice ...