Invoking the obvious, Gov. David Paterson questioned his WOR radio listeners- "When is somebody going to get it? We have run out of money!"
The governor went on to say that it was unfair, in a climate of 300,000 lost jobs and a 9 percent unemployment rate- private sector wage freezes, salary cuts and furloughs to grant 4% wage increases to state workers.
Unions countered by accusing Paterson of financial mismanagement, and reminded the governor that the contracts sanctioning the raises in question are legally binding.