Boy, at this rate we just may see the government close down, isn’t that a promising thought. If Assembly Leader Jim Tedisco doesn’t like what he sees then I will jump on board with him. I had the opportunity to sit down and have a great talk with him while I was in Albany, we were talking on the cell phone as we were driving and were getting cut off so we decided to meet once I arrived. Not one Democrat agreed to meet with me on the toll issue, not one. I was able to meet with a bunch of Republican Senators and Assemblymen.

Budget Bickering: New Governor, Same Old Budget Brawl

The battle over the budget has the most powerful men in the state bickering over your money!

New governor, same old budget brawl over how to spend your tax money. The state’s five most powerful men gathered Tuesday, trying to iron out a budget agreement. The plan this time amounts to a total of 120-billion dollars. But, that is not the issue.

The disagreements come from items being heaped on top of that. One example is what the Governor says amounts to three-billion dollars more that Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno wants, that the other four men are fighting him on.

NEWS10’s John McLoughlin was at the Capitol Tuesday morning as the “meeting of the minds” became budget bickering.

The Governor said Bruno’s budget numbers are, in Spitzer’s words, “like three card Monte.”

“So, Joe, smoke and mirrors are not gonna’ get us a budget,” Spitzer told Bruno.

Bruno, in turn, warned Spitzer he better change his mind on school aid, or else.

“And I can tell you now, that the budget is not gonna’ get done unless we change the way we distribute school aid in the state,” Bruno told Spitzer.

Tough words back and forth, as the Governor brought together the four Legislative leaders to try to pressure Bruno into adopting Spitzer’s 120-billion dollar spending plan. But Bruno is fighting to restore the Governor’s health care cuts, and fighting to give suburban districts the same share of extra school aid that the Governor wants to provide poorer districts.

“Senator, it almost seemed that the Governor was giving you a lecture, dressing you down,” McLoughlin told Bruno.

“No, the Governor feels strongly about his position, and I respect that,” Bruno replied.

Spitzer says, “the one person who is talking about spending five-billion dollars in avails that are not there, is Senator Bruno.”

It was four-on-one - Bruno the one. At one point, the Democratic Speaker twitting Bruno for trying to exempt “porta-potties” from state sales tax.

“Do you think they are gonna’ come across state lines to use them because you exempt them from sales tax,” Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver asked Bruno.

“I wish I had one right now,” Bruno said, as laughter erupted.

It was four against Bruno, after Republican Assembly Leader Jim Tedisco said he did not like any of the budget proposals, including Bruno’s.

Spitzer gave them some time to cool off and then come back together before the March 31st deadline for passage.