New Yorkers should not be surprised that Tuesday's special session of the state Legislature was a complete and utter bust. As expected, state leaders could not reach a deal that would close the ever growing budget deficit (close to $2 billion- for the current budget that was adopted a little more than seven months ago. It looks, blocked by inaction on Tuesday, that Gov. David Paterson is throwing up his hands in frustration and won't do any more on this year's budget - that would be disastrous.

No one wants to be the person who cuts programs or be the bearer of bad news - yet, New York is in for worse if it does not act sooner than later. The Legislature, despite being embarrassed to make cuts prior to Election Day, is not going to take a leadership role in fixing New York's fiscal house - despite a shared obligation and responsibility to do so.

Taxpayers can only hope that Paterson will take action.

The last-minute demand of Sen. Dean Skelos, who shifts on Jan. 1 from majority to minority status, for Paterson, who is releasing his draft of next year's budget a month early on Dec. 16, to come up with an 18-month spending plan prior to Tuesday, was another in a long series of tactics by legislators from both houses and parties to not address this issue.

As the clock ticks on for this year, action needs to be taken now. Paterson made it clear earlier this week that if the Legislature would not act, he would shelve plans for tougher solutions for this fiscal year and focus, instead, on next year's budget preparation. The problem is that to do so only increases New York's fiscal hemorrhaging - it is estimated that without action this week, New York's deficit, heading into next year, will be $15 billion!

But can you blame Paterson? He has done yeoman's work on sounding the clarion call for action on financial issues. Some critics may suggest that calling for change is easier than enacting it, and they are right. But one almost has to assume that Paterson may feel that he is banging his head against his desk as no one around him seems to want to act.

That does not mean that Paterson cannot continue to show leadership and make more hard choices, at least in budget sectors within the executive branch that he can control. He has already generated nearly a half-billion dollars in savings since April. If he is willing to risk some goodwill and political capital, he can do more. In the long term it will make a better New York.

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