By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – The state Assembly's top Democrat is disputing the Paterson administration's claims that the budget deficit has grown to at least $3 billion.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver issued a memo to his Democratic majority yesterday that said he's still awaiting the deficit-reduction plan Governor David Paterson has promised and will respond after it's received.
Silver is disputing Paterson's claim on the size of the current deficit. Silver agrees that the deficit is more than $2 billion, but says there's no agreement on the size of the deficit.
On Thursday, Paterson asked the Legislature to submit proposals for cutting the budget by next Wednesday. His budget director sent a letter to his counterparts in the State Senate and Assembly, asking them to act in a spirit of "collaboration and cooperation" in reducing the deficit.
Paterson, meanwhile, is threatening to hold up a $26 billion, five year transportation program, calling it "unaffordable." The plan would provide funding for many road and bridge projects in Western New York, including planned improvements at the interchange of the Mainline Thruway and Youngmann Highway.