New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. issued the following statement today regarding Governor David Paterson’s address on the State’s fiscal health:

I applaud Governor Paterson for his leadership in rightfully sounding the alarm and taking action to address the State’s increasing deficit.

Governor Paterson has effectively issued a call to action, urging the public and private sectors to work together to find ways to address the serious fiscal crisis New York is facing. Governor Paterson was also correct in declaring that government needs to follow New Yorkers in learning to do more with less.

In the City, we have prudently planned for tough times, setting aside surpluses and restraining spending now before times get tougher. Nonetheless, the City’s budget will continue to be under pressure for some time, and very difficult choices still lie ahead.

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