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David Paterson Urges Legislature to Pass Overdue Budget

By DNAinfo Staff on April 27, 2010 7:46pm  | Updated on April 27, 2010 6:41pm

Governor Paterson spoke at the state capitol called on the legislature to vote up-or-down on his Executive Budget Tuesday, or he will call on them to begin five-day sessions next week.
Governor Paterson spoke at the state capitol called on the legislature to vote up-or-down on his Executive Budget Tuesday, or he will call on them to begin five-day sessions next week.
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Governor's Office

By Jennifer Glickel

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Gov. David Paterson wants state workers to sit at home one day a week until lawmakers pass a new budget.

In his newest budget plan, Paterson asked legislators for a one-day-a-week furlough for 100,000 state employees, or 70 percent of the workforce, on Tuesday, according to media reports.

The furlough could save the state $30 million a day, state Budget Director Robert Megna told the Albany Times Union.

Paterson also proposed an additional $620 million in savings and called on the state Legislature to pass the budget in an up-or-down vote when it convenes on Wednesday.

The balanced budget is now 27 days late.

The additional cuts Paterson proposed are aimed at plugging the state's budget gap, which has reached $9.2 billion.

"Every day that passes without an enacted budget, we lose savings from the recurring spending reductions and revenue proposals that I laid out in my Executive Budget," Paterson said in Albany on Tuesday.

"It has been nearly four weeks since the 2010-11 State fiscal year began, and we can no longer delay making the difficult decisions required to put the State back on path toward fiscal stability."

If the state Legislature does not pass the proposed budget when it convenes tomorrow, Paterson asked lawmakers to work five-day sessions starting next week, rather than the usual three days, until a balanced budget is passed.

The governor also announced a plan to furlough state workers one day per week until the state passes a balanced budget.