GOVERNOR PATERSON HOSTS TOWN HALL IN WHITE PLAINS TO DISCUSS NEW YORK’S FISCAL CRISIS

Governor Will Hold a Second Town Hall in Syracuse on November 11

Both Events to be Broadcast Statewide Exclusively on Public Television

Governor David A. Paterson hosted a town hall forum today in White Plains to discuss New York’s budget crisis with the public. He will also host a second town hall meeting in Syracuse on November 11.

The two forums are in preparation for the November 18 special session of the Legislature, when the State must close a $1.5 billion current-year budget shortfall and begin the process of closing a $12.5 billion deficit in 2009-10 and a cumulative budget gap of $47 billion over the next four years. Governor Paterson has asked the Assembly and Senate to partner with him and make $2.0 billion in reductions at this special session to help begin the process of putting New York back on the road to fiscal recovery.

“New York State is facing serious economic problems, and the public should be given the opportunity to voice their concerns, offer suggestions and ask questions. We will all need to work together to get through the coming months and years,” said Governor Paterson. “We have to ensure that the State ends the year with a balanced budget. This will require some very tough choices. The public deserve a voice in those difficult decisions.”

Both town hall meetings will be presented exclusively by New York’s Public Television stations. Thirteen, which hosted today’s forum, will broadcast the event at 8 p.m. on Thursday. The town hall will also air this week on public television stations throughout the State.

Neal Shapiro, President and Chief Executive Officer of WNET.ORG, parent company of Thirteen and WLIW21, said: “This innovative town hall meeting is part of our mission to deliver relevant, intelligent content that informs the public. We’re proud to have worked with Governor Paterson’s office to provide a forum for New Yorkers to dialogue directly with Albany about the complex and critical issues affecting the lives of everyone in the State.”

Today’s town hall meeting will be broadcast this week by every public television station in New York State, with the title of The Fiscal Crisis and NY State: A New York Voices Town Hall Meeting. Dates and times are listed below. Please check www.pbs.org for local channel listings and program schedules.


WNET New York Thursday, Nov. 6 at 8:00 p.m.

WLIW New York Thursday, Nov. 6 at 9:00 p.m.

Mountain Lake PBS (WCFE) Plattsburgh Thursday, Nov. 6 at 9:00 p.m.

WCNY Syracuse Thursday, Nov. 6 at 9:00 p.m.

WMHT on both Troy Thursday, Nov. 6 at 8:00 p.m.
WMHT-TV (analog 17)
& WMHT-HD (digital 17.1)

WXXI Rochester Thursday, Nov. 6 at 8:00 p.m.
on WXXI digital station
(Create/ThinkBright – cable ch. 433)

WNED/WNEQ Buffalo Thursday Nov. 6 at 8:00 p.m. (Radio Only)

WSKG Vestal Friday, Nov. 7 at 11:00 p.m.

WPBS/ WNPI Watertown TBA