NY Capitol News reports that there may not be a complete state budget by the March 31 deadline.

Actually, they're reporting that some budget items that don't need to be decided by the start of the new fiscal year may be put off until later. The idea is to make decisions regarding education, heathcare, and other "basic budget" items now, and deal with the less vital decisions later, when there is more time to figure out just where we stand fiscally.

The problem is, where we stand fiscally is on sand.

New York, like most states, has a constitution that requires an annual balanced budget. The theory is that we need to force our "leaders" to be responsible. It's a nice theory, but it doesn't work. It doesn't work, because our "leaders" have not behaved responsibly. During the economic boom years, when the money was flooding into state coffers, nobody in power spoke out about finding a way to plan for a future date when that flood would become a stream, and then a trickle.

Seriously, who would have thought, a couple of years ago, that Eliot Spitzer's determined decision to name his running mate would make any real difference?

At this point, if there is anyone we would choose right now to put in the position of having to step in and become one of the "three men in the room," facing off opposite Sheldon Silver and Joseph Bruno just two weeks before the end of the fiscal year, rebuild confidence in our state government's ability to get things done, and do it all with a recession on the horizon and special interest groups licking their chops, it's David Paterson.

Sure, there were good people mounting a run for Lieutenant Governor (or, as it says in our state constitution, "lieutenant-governor"). But I for one am relieved that Spitzer brought then-Senator Paterson on board. I met the other candidates, and it's possible that they could have done the job. But I wouldn't want to bet a $120 billion budget on it, not with everything the new Governor will be up against.

In theory, when someone running for chief executive, whether of a city, a state or the country, picks a running mate, the choice is supposed to be based on who would be the best person to step in and take over on short notice. Fortunately, Eliot Spitzer made the right choice.