A spokeswoman for Governor Paterson revealed that the governor only yesterday learned of the high price tag antique rugs bought for the Executive Mansion over the summer. His administration also denied all requests from the press to see the rug, that now has been revealed to be one of five purchased--for a total of just under $38,000. Assemblyman James Tedisco has already called on the governor to return the expensive carpeting. But once again the......

With a state deficit that could reach 15 billion by the end of next year, what's another $20,000 spent on a fancy carpet for the state house? That's how much was shelled out by Governor Paterson for the antique Turkish rug purchased from Spitzer/Paterson campaign donors Stark Carpet located on 3rd Avenue here in Manhattan. With the governor's almost singular issue over the last few months being the state's budget crisis, the purchase has naturally......

Yesterday, Governor Paterson had a "secret" meeting with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos to discuss the state's severe budget crisis. And apparently it didn't go very well: The NY Times reports that they "failed to reach a resolution...throwing into doubt the chances that an agreement could be reached" before Tuesday's emergency legislative session. Paterson, whose proposed budget cuts would hit Medicaid and schools the hardest, blamed Skelos, stating, "It was......

Governor Paterson unveiled his proposed $5.2 billion in cuts (or savings, depending on how you see things) yesterday to close the deficit. He said, “This is the worst economic crisis in this country since the Great Depression. That’s not an alarming statement, as it may have been when I said it in July. It’s now real.” For the 2008-2009 fiscal year, he propose to cut $2 billion by April and then another $3.2 billion during......

We'll sift through more of the details tomorrow, but here are the highlights from Governor Paterson's budget cuts: According to NY1, "Reducing the growth of education budget 9% to 5%"--savings of $585 million-- and reducing growth of Medicaid from 2% to 1%--a savings of $572 million. Also, cutting $41 million in aid to NYC and higher education cuts of $115 million. Assembly Speaker Sheldon SIlver and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli both praised Paterson's leadership; DiNapoli's......

In about two hours, Governor David Paterson will unveil his recommended budget cuts and everything is expected to be hit. Paterson has been giving town hall meetings across the state about the budget crisis (as in a $12.5 billion deficit next year, ballooning to $47 billion by 2012) and said yesterday in Syracuse, "This is not a reality TV show. This is not a game. This is a very serious situation and involves the survival......

After Governor Paterson made it clear he may cut billions from Medicaid and schools, the critics came out. Teachers union head Randi Weingarten tells the Post, "Core public services such as education and programs for the most vulnerable in our society must be maintained," and the Greater New York Health Association's Kenneth Raske says to the Times, "We will fight in an animated and energetic way if somehow health care is being targeted, because lives......

The state's fiscal crisis is so dire that Governor Paterson confirmed he "would almost certainly seek billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, as well as midyear reductions in school aid," according to the NY Times. Paterson said, "There’ll be protests, and because of the drastic nature of the cuts, those who protest will have very valid points, for which I don’t have any answer, other than ‘What’s your idea?’ We’re not going to close......

Governor Paterson continued his series of bad news about state economy by predicting the deficit to grow to $47 billion by 2012, thanks to the falling financial markets and NY State's own overspending. And for next year alone, it will grow to $12.5 billion--the current deficit is $1.2 billion--and that number is basically double what his administration previously projected. Paterson hasn't made any decisions about how the state will deal with these escalating costs, but......

Governor Paterson's warnings about the dire state of NY's budget (the deficit grew $1.4 billion since March) means the Legislature is coming back to Albany for an emergency session (during this time, lawmakers are usually in their district offices). The AP says with Paterson's desire for deep cuts and opposition from both unions and Assembly Democrats, the pols--Democrats and Republicans alike--could be making "some of the hardest decisions of their political lives, together. Or, nothing......

After noting that the NY State is facing a fiscal crisis on Tuesday, Governor David Paterson took the bad news to Washington D.C. Paterson said at the National Press Club that the federal government needs to help invest in things like infrastructure, schools, mass transit and job training, pointing out NY State sent $82.6 billion more to D.C. than it got back. Senator Chris Dodd told the NY Times, though, there just isn't money. On......

Governor David Paterson's unusual televised Tuesday afternoon speech detailing the state budget's deficit and imploring lawmakers to head back to work* has been followed up with some specifics today. He says a 7% cut to state agency spending would save $630 million. Paterson also suggests an "immediate hard hiring freeze," and wants the Legislature to help find $1.2 billion in savings. During his speech yesterday, Paterson implied the state would need to think about selling......