Paterson to veto NY Legislature's budget adds

Last Update: 10:03 pm

State Legisture, Gov. Paterson still fighting over budget 6-28-2010

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Gov. David Paterson said Monday he will veto all 6,900 budget additions and pork-barrel projects approved hours before by the state Legislature in its budget.

"The reality is the day of reckoning in the state has come," Paterson said after he vetoed the first bill, which would have restored $600 million to his $1.4 billion cut to school aid. "I take no joy. I never take any joy in vetoing education ... many of these programs I advocated for 25 years."

The Democratic governor called the major elements of the budget approved Monday by the Democrat-led Assembly irresponsible, unbalanced and worse than continuing a miserable fiscal status quo. The state faces a $9.2 billion deficit in the second full year of a fiscal crisis.

Earlier Monday the Senate and Assembly passed the biggest bills needed to finish the state budget, which was due April 1. The budget is estimated at about $136 billion.

Paterson said New York can no longer afford a Legislature that panders to voters and special interests that help drive the state into fiscal crisis.

There was no immediate comment from the Legislature, but an override of the vetoes was uncertain. The Senate Republicans who voted against the Democratic majority's budget bills have voted as a bloc against higher spending and more taxes, all of which are included in the Democrats' budget that nonetheless reduces some spending.

Republicans have 30 seats in the 62-seat Senate so Democrats would need Republicans to muster the two-thirds vote needed to override any veto.