Whether they call it a task force, a commission or a blue ribbon panel, the state Senate's newest version is not only unnecessary but almost surely doomed to fail for its partisanship.

The Senate on Monday said that an economic development task force is being formed to develop a new incentive program to attract companies to New York and create jobs.

But the state already has people and policies doing just that. Remember the Empire State Development agency and the Empire Zones program?

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith says a completely new entity is needed because the Empire Zone program has failed so badly.

We agree that the Empire Zone program needs repairs, but members of both parties should be involved in the fix.

Here's how the task force will be formed: Gov. David Paterson gets to appoint nine members; Smith and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will both pick six; and the minority leaders of both houses will each appoint two.

Yes, you counted correctly, there will be 21 members picked by Democrats and only four by Republicans.

Call us cynical, but we don't expect the Republicans on this panel to be asked - nor be allowed - to offer much input.

The partisan nature of the group - typical of anything developed in Albany - means that whatever recommendations it comes up with will be praised by Democrats and panned by Republicans.

In any case, we don't see the value in establishing yet another level of state bureaucracy in the effort to establish, expand and maintain businesses.

What our state representatives should be doing - with input from both parties - is passing legislation.

If the Empire Zone program is broken, fix it.

We don't need another task force. We need action.