There is much anticipation about what the state Legislature will accomplish when its members return to Albany on Tuesday. They have been called back into a special session by Gov. David Paterson to address a looming $6.4 billion shortfall for this year's state budget. What should New Yorkers expect?

Not much - just a lot of jawing and little or no real action that results in a major closure of that budget gap or the expected budget gap for the next three years of $26.2 billion.

There is little doubt that Paterson's financial worries are well founded. New York is now part of a national perfect fiscal storm. While it may have looked as if it would have weathered the mortgage crisis hitting the South and West well, the tumbles along Wall Street, skyrocketing energy costs and higher-than-expected unemployment should give the state's leaders much to worry about. That's especially true heading into the 2009-2010 budget year, which will unofficially start in January with the release of Paterson's first budget proposal.

But between then and now is the major roadblock to making any tough choices and instituting structural reforms: Nov. 4 - Election Day.

With all 211 seats in the Assembly and Senate up in 81 days, incumbents are in no mood to talk about doom and gloom or more importantly, specifics. They are not going to want to be pinned down on any vote that has them cut member items (that they are awarding at this point, prior to Election Day, in their districts), Medicaid benefits to children, the disabled or seniors or a whole host of other choices that politicians naturally don't want deal with in normal times, let alone before facing re-election.

So what can the public expect next week? If anything, one house bills - passed in each house that have no chance of passing the other - allowing legislators to go home to their districts during the remainder of the campaign and say how they “tried” but the opposing party stymied their noble and right efforts. Assembly Democrats will likely tout a “millionaire's tax” and Sen. Republicans are asking for a property tax cap.

While Paterson will hope for real action, it is doubtful that he will take the extreme step of pulling a Harry Truman, calling the Legislature “do nothing” - as the former president did during his 1948 re-election campaign - to embarrass them into action. The amiable former Senate minority leader, now governor, knows that going to that level causes him immense problems for the remaining two years he will have in Albany, especially if he wants to, as expected, seek a full term as governor on his own.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com.