New York Gov. David Paterson says he's preparing for the state budget deficit a year from now to more than double from the official projection made last month.
That projection showed a $2.5 billion shortfall for the fiscal year beginning in April 2010. But Paterson said he's preparing for revenue to drop another $3 billion over the next 11 months.
He says he's rounding next year's deficit up to a record-high $6 billion because the recession has made him a pessimist.
Just yesterday, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said state revenues fell short by almost $250 million last month, not a great way to start the new fiscal year, The Post reported.
The current $132 billion budget had a nearly $18 billion deficit covered mostly with federal stimulus money that runs out in two years. Paterson didn't detail Wednesday how he's preparing for the larger deficit, which takes into account next year's stimulus money.
The governor said a special legislative session might be called to figure out how to tackle the ballooning budget crisis, according to The Post.
