City Comptroller John Liu is calling for Governor Paterson to resign, one of the first such calls by an elected official.
From a statement sent out by Liu’s office just minutes after Paterson finished up the press conference at which he announced he would no longer seek reelection:
“We have a $4.1 billion budget deficit to grapple with in New York City and cannot make real progress until the State budget is resolved on time one month from now. In order for this to happen, we need Governor Paterson to step down now. Richard Ravitch has an abundance of integrity, experience and creativity. As Governor, Richard Ravitch would be the person most able to steer clear of politics, bring people together, and bring about a balanced, on-time state budget.
I have stood by my friend and Governor David Paterson until today. David Paterson is a fighter whose commitment to the overall well-being of New Yorkers is without doubt, and deserves our thanks for his service. Given New York’s precarious fiscal situation and the investigation involving the Governor, even if self-imposed, New York should move forward under Governor Ravitch.”
Other electeds have been reticent on the topic, and probably will continue to be at least before Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is through with his report. (Both tabloids called for Paterson to step down today.)
Liu clearly put his call for resignation in the context of the city’s budget, hailing Ravitch as a man with integrity.
