Labor unions, health and education advocates cheered loudly last month when state legislators lined up behind their leaders and voted to override Gov. George Pataki’s vetoes of several hundred items, including funds for hospitals, education, mental health, and senior services in their newly adopted bipartisan budget for the 2006-2007 state fiscal year.

The battle began Mar. 29, when the State Legislature rejected Pataki’s budget and adopted their own $112.4 billion budget over the governor’s objections. Pataki protested, calling the Legislature’s action illegal, and he vowed to veto aspects of the budget he did not approve. Two weeks later Pataki vetoed over 200 budget items and sought to negotiate a modified budget with Albany’s legislative leaders. When talks broke down, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno marshaled the lawmakers for the two-thirds vote necessary to override Pataki’s vetoes, and both the Assembly and Senate voted to override 191 of the vetoes on Apr. 26.

In a statement following the vote, Assembly Speaker Silver called Pataki’s actions an “arrogant abuse of power,” adding: “As a result of his failed leadership, the governor left the Legislature with no alternative other than to override his vetoes of the bipartisan budget plan in order to preserve health care for senior citizens and the disabled, a quality higher education system and tax relief for working families.”

Silver continued: “This governor demonstrated how completely out of touch he is with the real needs of New Yorkers by threatening to play a dangerous game of brinkmanship with a constitutional crisis.”

Pataki, who is campaigning for a possible run for U.S. President, has suggested that he would challenge the override and block some of the Legislature’s budget items.

“In an election year, anything is possible,” said Local 237 President Carl Haynes of the budget showdown. “Pataki is looking to run for higher office so he wants to show the rest of the country he can play hardball at the expense of New Yorkers. Without the veto override, the legislators would have had to go home and explain to their constituents why they didn’t take action to protect critical services from devastating cuts that would have reduced services in our public hospitals, emergency rooms, colleges and schools.”

The final budget includes $11.2 billion to support school construction in New York City.

NYS AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes applauded Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Bruno, stating: “The final budget reflects the democratic will of the majority as expressed by our elected Legislature. The interest of the people, particularly our members, is reflected in the agreed upon budget as adopted by the Legislature.” Hughes also praised union members for urging their representatives in Albany to override Pataki’s vetoes. “That participation helped determine the outcome,” he added.