Paterson: We'll Have a Budget By June 28

The governor said that if lawmakers don't adopt the 2010-11 budget by June 28, he'll put all remaining spending and revenue items in upcoming emergency spending bills. He said that will allow local governments, school districts and nonprofit groups to calculate their funding and lawmakers to go home for the summer.

"It's time to set a deadline," Paterson told the four legislative leaders at a public meeting Wednesday. "So we will be out of here. You can plan your schedules."

Lawmakers would have the choice of approving the emergency spending bills or idling state workers and shutting down nonessential services. They have had the same choice and approved similar measures each week since April 1, when this fiscal year's budget was due and the old budget expired.

The last two short-term spending bills settled this year's budgets for state parks, the Environmental Protection Fund, health care and social services. The next one will include about $100 million in cuts and the annual budgets for public protection, economic development and transportation, unless legislators approve that bill separately this week.

With the state's finances looking worse in future years, and with the end of federal stimulus funds and lower tax revenues, Paterson emphasized his opposition to more borrowing.

"I will not sign a budget that has any deficit financing in it," he said.