Paterson has hands full with state’s fiscal crisis

The following is part of an editorial that was posted on Pressconnects.com

“New York Gov. David Paterson, in effect, reminded the president to mind his own business on Sunday - at least when it comes to deciding who should run for governor in New York next year.

Paterson’s televised remarks that he’ll run in 2010 likely won’t quell the White House’s eagerness to have him back out. But it’s another indication that he isn’t about to be bullied by President Obama’s political advisers, who see the New York governor as a liability because of voters’ disapproval of the way he has handled the state’s finances.

The governor had better fight back if he intends to head state government for the next 15 months. Anything less would have cast him as a lame-duck caretaker until a successor took office in January 2011. New York cannot afford that.

An anticipated budget gap once pegged at about $2 billion is now feared to be headed for $3 billion, and Paterson, as he did last year and during the regular session, will have to take the lead in forcing the Legislature to make tough spending-cut decisions to balance the budget. Revenues - money coming into the state through taxes, fees and other sources - is lagging as much as 35 percent behind what previously had been forecast. Unemployment in the state climbed to 9 percent in August, the highest it has been since 1983.

To read the rest of the editorial click here.