Albany, NY – Government Shutdown Averted As Senate Approves Emergency Spending Bill

Albany, NY – The New York State Senate has voted to approve an emergency spending bill to avert a shutdown of New York state government.

Farley, of Schenectady County, says the bill is terrible, but he can’t vote to shut down government when tens of thousands of his constituents work for the state.

He spoke after seeing the latest draft of Gov. David Paterson’s bill on Monday morning.

Farley’s vote was critical to offset a planned “no” vote by Democratic Sen. Ruben Diaz of the Bronx. Diaz has said he won’t vote for cutting more from programs for the needy in his district.

Lawmakers facing re-election in November certainly did not want a government shutdown. But Paterson was adding items to the weekly extension bills, forcing lawmakers to vote for measures they may not like.

Democratic leaders said government will keep running, but it took bitter wrangling and closed-door meetings all weekend long.

“As we vote on the extenders in a bi-partisan way, we will get 32 votes to pass it,” Senate majority leader Pedro Espada said. “There will be no shutdown. But New Yorkers really know that what we really need is a complete fiscal plan for New York state.”

New York has gone without a budget since April. So every week, Albany has passed an emergency spending bill to keep the state operating. What made this week’s extension bill so much more contentious is that it has been designed by Governor Paterson to eliminate $327 million that would have gone to mental health and social services.