Espada a No-Show at Albany Special Session?

State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. (File photo)

State legislators are in Albany today to attend a special session called by Gov. David Paterson.

On the agenda:

• Closing an estimated $315 million mid-year budget deficit.
• Dividing up hundreds of millions of dollars in federal education aid.
• The possible changing of a 2006 law, which requires public employees be given a year's notice prior to the closure of certain facilities. (An upstate juvenile detention center, empty but for the staff, has become a symbol of Albany dysfunction.)
• A proposal to allow the continued operation of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corp.
• Several other issues, including approving (or otherwise) 147 gubernatorial nominees.

Legislators can also vote on items not on Paterson's agenda. 

It's unclear, though, whether anything of note will be accomplished during the session, which is expected to start at 3 p.m.  Reaction from legislators has been tepid.  And while the Democrats continue to hold a 32-30 advantage in the Senate, some lame duck senators - Pedro Espada, Jr. included, according to the Times Union - may not even show.  For any legislation to be passed, then, bi-partisan support would probably be needed.