By Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo News Editor
BROOKLYN — Gov. David Paterson put on a good show of getting on with the state’s business Monday morning, hosting a tightly controlled town hall-style meeting in Brooklyn on the state's budget in an effort to steamroll past the scandal threatening to overwhelm his office.
Close to 150 members of the public (and nearly as many press) packed into a small chamber at Brooklyn Borough Hall and, ignoring the giant elephants in the room — Paterson's alleged interference in an aide's domestic abuse case and the investigation into him receiving Yankees tickets — questioned the governor about the proposed cuts to services in his fiscal year 2010-2011 budget.
Paterson fielded questions and comments from the audience, ranging from a suggestion from the "unofficial mayor of Harlem" that the state save money by purchasing coffee at a discount from her store, to more traditional concerns including the fate of liquor store owners if grocery stores are allowed to sell wine.
Anger at proposed deep cuts to CUNY’s budget and fear about the potential closure of tens of senior centers across the city also loomed large on the audience's list of concerns.
At a session with the media after his meeting, Paterson said that his lawyer had advised him not to answer questions about the scandal, which is being investigated by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
He said that he is well-equipped to handle the budget because "there’s no politics at all" now that he isn't running for reelection.
Paterson’s appearance follows a weekend in which he expressed his determination to serve out the remainder of his term several times despite several calls for his resignation.
He found a great deal of support at Monday’s town hall, where he was treated to frequent applause and calls to serve out the remainder of his term.
Paterson said he had been vindicated in the rumors of a sex-and-drugs New York Times scoop on him and would be "vindicated again" when it came to his role in top aide David Johnson's domestic abuse case.
A Siena Poll released Monday morning showed that 55 percent of voters still think the governor should continue serving, compared to 37 percent who want him to resign.
