Taking a stand

Gov. David A. Paterson's bold decision to freeze public employee wage hikes stands in marked contrast to the indecisiveness of state legislators who still have no plan to bail the state out of a $9.2 billion deficit.

Gov. Paterson, freed from any electoral ambitions, will suspend the 4 percent pay hike due April 22 for public employees. Note "suspend," not cancel the raises. Union workers will still get their raises.

Gov. Paterson will not include money for the pay raises in his next emergency spending bill. It is the latest in a series of emergency measures he has taken. He has withheld $2.1 billion in school aid payments, held up funding for hundreds of construction projects and delayed tax refunds to New Yorkers.

The spending freeze will save only about $3.4 million. The state expects to pay $433 million in raises this fiscal year.

The pay raises can still come at a later date, but even the temporary delay is intolerable to union leaders unwilling to make concessions to help the state through its current fiscal troubles. Union leaders reacted with the anticipated outrage. The Public Employees Federation is threatening to sue.

"I'm just shocked and amazed that every time you ask the special interests or the unions for some kind of sacrifice that their answer is either 'no' or 'I'm going to sue you,'" the governor said.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver appeared frustrated at the inability of the Legislature to restore the pending pay raises. Senate Democratic leader John Sampson said the employees were entitled to their pay raises.

Meanwhile, legislators are not reporting any progress on an overdue spending plan for the fiscal year that began April 1, which necessitates the emergency spending bills. The Legislature is stalled. No budget agreement is near. Absent that, Gov. Paterson is right to take the unilateral actions needed to keep New York solvent.