Pataki, Legislature Agree on Budget -- But Without Funding for West Side Stadium
Apr 13, 2005 10:04 am US/Eastern
ALBANY (CBS) Gov. George Pataki and legislative leaders have agreed on a $106.5 billion stat budget that did not include any money for the controversial West Side Stadium in Manhattan.
And as WCBS880's Peter Haskell reports, that could be a sign that the project is in trouble (click on the audio link at right for a full report).
Pataki and legislators did agree on add-on deals for $1 billion in additional spending following days of closed-door negotiations. Pataki had proposed a $105.5 billion budget in January and had repeatedly said the Legislature sought to spend more than the state could afford. But Pataki, citing a $1 billion increase in projected revenues, on Tuesday agreed to most of what the Assembly and Senate leadership sought, working closely together.
http://wcbs880.com/content/local_story_103100949.html
No word from Bloombergs office, which is surprising since he usually immediately rebuffs any negative talk about the stadium. Perhaps Pataki finally realized that this issue could actually hurt him in his bid for reelection.