Senate leader John Sampson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have agreed on the
plan, but Sampson may not have the votes; Governor Paterson may use his line - item veto to
strip it of member items (earmarks), millions in restored school aid, and any spending he doesn't think we can afford; and it may be anywhere from $ 200 million to $ 1.5 billion short of
closing the budget gap, depending on whether Congress comes through with $ 1 billion in Medicaid funds.