Putting an exclamation point on its legacy of being one of the most - if not the single most - dysfunctional governments in the country, the state Legislature on Tuesday met for a one-day session that accomplished nothing.

As usual, Democratic and Republican leaders blamed one another for failing to address the state's fiscal crisis, while rank-and-file members voiced their frustration at the utter lack of progress.

The embarrassing melodrama, that played out for 90 minutes and cost state taxpayers more than $60,000, illustrates the need for real reform in the way government operates in Albany.

With the power to bring legislation to the floor, where it can be debated and voted on, resting solely with party leaders, the majority of members of the Assembly and Senate remain as powerless to make anything happen as are those of us who watch things unfold from 200 miles away.

Among the chorus of boos, a statement released by Assemblyman Brian Kolb, said that having zero bills presented for action Tuesday was a disservice to the people. “New York residents deserve better,” he said.

We couldn't agree more.

What should have happened, at the very least, was for Gov. David Paterson's mid-year budget-cuts proposal to be put up for a vote in its entirety.

Would it have been defeated? Yes. But who would have voted which way, and why? We'll never know.

Considering the package and debating its merits would at least have created a starting point for zeroing in on some compromises.

All we heard was bickering, and all we've been left with is a growing fiscal crisis that isn't going to get any attention from our elected officials until at least sometime next year.

New Yorkers deserve better.