The Honeymoon is Over
October 5th, 2009
It turns out that Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch isn’t likely to get that chance to be Gov. David Paterson’s financial super weapon–the Mr. Fixit for the state’s escalating budget gap.
So what is stopping him? Inside sources tell Fred Dicker that it is the Paterson administration.
Legislators and budget watchdogs have been complaining that Paterson has yet to release a promised plan to address the budget gap. According to Dicker, Ravitch, too, wants to see such a plan released, but Paterson’s advisers have counseled against it, and instead want to put pressure on the legislature to come up with a plan. E.J. McMahon, the director of the Empire Center for New York Policy, has made it clear just how ridiculous he finds that idea.
According to Dicker’s sources Paterson is going out of his way to avoid Ravitch. “Ravitch wants more time to get to the governor, to talk to him about what should be done, and he’s not been able to get it. He’s being blocked,” an “administration source” told Dicker.
The good feelings of having Ravitch’s appointment validated by the court the Court of Appeals seem a distant memory.
Dicker goes on to report that tensions continue to grow between Ravitch and Paterson.
What’s at stake here is a budget gap estimated by Paterson to be around $3 billion dollars, a deficit Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says could reach $38 billion by the year 2013 if spending isn’t curtailed.
By David King on October 5, 2009, 11:32 amIn category: Albany, Eye on Albany | No Comments »



Print Story
Share Story