Skelos Blows Off Paterson's Budget; Gov May Wait

Since the Governor is trying to push his austerity budget in a special session of the legislature, he has to deal with a Republican majority in the State Senate, the new Senators not having been sworn in yet. That puts Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos in the driver's seat, and his inclination is to drive the budget off a cliff, reports Politicker NY. Skelos says he's disinclined to go for the budget because it includes education cuts; Paterson says, "This is the way that good-faith efforts are manipulated by people who are not being serious" and, according to the Buffalo News, may postpone introducing the bill until the Dem cavalry arrives. He's meeting with legislators today on next steps.