He says state workers will face furloughs and job cuts, and critical payments to school districts, pension plans and property tax relief will have to be pushed back.

The governor wants to slash state healthcare and education funding. The state says money for some local children's services programs has already run out.

“It's going to be quite a few cuts to state spending, and that's what we have to do,” Paterson says.

But despite a special session last week, legislators have yet to make any of those tough choices.

Democratic Assemblyman David Koon blames Democrats in the Senate, who would rather raise taxes than cut spending.

“I have pushed hard on the Speaker to go ahead and pass our own package of cuts, so that at least people can see we are doing something,” says Koon (D-Fairport).

While he won't speculate on when the budget crisis will be solved, Koon has his eyes set on Thanksgiving.

Republican Senator Joe Robach says his downstate colleagues are standing in the way, and it's time for the legislature's leadership to step-up.

“The governor is either going to have to put out a bill, or they're going to have to ask Mr. Silver and Mr. Sampson to put out a bill. But we really need to get this taken care of,” says Robach (R-Greece).

Robach is pushing for more cuts within the governing body itself. “Reduced spending, no new purchases, reducing staff. Reducing mostly government more than things that will impact people,” Robach says.

Lawmakers did pass six bills during last week's special session, including a new initiative that will provide tax breaks to people who make some energy efficient updates to homes.

The special session begins at 2 p.m. Monday.

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