State lawmakers face budget deadline

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - Lawmakers and Governor Paterson have until midnight to agree on a plan to close a $9.2 billion deficit and come up with a final budget that's nearly three months late.

New York State could lose $1 billion in medicaid funding because federal lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would've included it.

Sunday night, Governor Paterson called a special session in part to formulate a back-up plan.

But lawmakers took no action. The governor says, he will not vote on the legislators' budget plan without medicaid funding.

Paterson said, "I will veto every single appropriation all 518 of them and 600,000 programs they fund."

Other measures lawmakers cannot agree on is giving university's power to raise their own tuition, capping local property taxes, and selling wine in grocery stores.

Lawmakers agreed to reinstate a tax on clothing costing less than $110.

"I'm asking the legislature to take, make a choice you can pass my emergency appropriations and pass the budget tomorrow," said Paterson.

Another touchy subject is education. Lawmakers have approved to restore 600 million compared to Paterson's 400 million.

If the democratic majorities in the Assembly and Senate do pass their budget bills Monday night they will cancel out the risk of a government shutdown.

Right now, the state budget is nearly three months late and lawmakers have to close a $9.2 billion deficit.

Paterson said, "It's like somebody walking out of the restaurant and leaving you with the bill, it's just that they left the people of New York with a bill."

Lawmakers are scheduled to meet at noon Monday.