ALBANY - Lawmakers and Gov. David Paterson, all trying to put a month of scandal behind them, are finding out just how hard the fiscal times are.

Closed-door negotiations to pass a state budget due by midnight Monday night fell dangerously behind on Sunday. But in an effort to put talks back on track, Paterson and legislative leaders met Sunday evening and announced that they have agreement on all spending areas. The leaders said the thousands of pages of budget bills will be printed overnight and voted on Monday, potentially in time to be completed by the midnight deadline.

“It's a mechanical problem, you're always racing against the clock in budget negotiations, but this time we're racing together against the clock,” Paterson said.

Asked if an on-time budget was possible, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, “Always.”

Passing a difficult budget on time despite an historically tumultuous month in New York state government was seen as a prize that would draw Democrats and Republicans together for a fresh start. They sought to craft a budget that would deal with a severe economic downturn and put behind them the scandal in which Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer #- who proposed the budget in January #- resigned from office two weeks ago after he was implicated in a prostitution ring.

Paterson, a well-respected and well-liked lieutenant governor and former senator, had hoped to end the rancor of the Spitzer regime and usher in bipartisan cooperation and a more open government.

Paterson, Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno wouldn't release details of their agreement Sunday that was struck behind closed doors, despite their promises for a more open, transparent process.