ALBANY, N.Y. - Gov. David Paterson says he won't support the Legislature's annual effort to sweeten pensions and other benefits for Albany's powerful labor unions. Paterson says the state's fiscal crisis, born of a recession and declining revenues, makes it no time to spend more to boost benefits for labor union members and retirees. The annual effort by teachers' unions and unions representing other public workers has begun in the legislative session scheduled to end June 23. A bill with strong bipartisan support in the Senate and Assembly would prohibit state and local governments from changing generous health benefits for retired workers for at least a year. What happens after that would depend largely on an expert panel with heavy union representation.

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