Richard Ravitch is now officially the state's lieutenant governor, after the state's highest court ruled today that Governor David Paterson had the right to name him to the post.

In a landmark 4-3 decision, the Court of Appeals ruled that Ravitch was legally appointed by the governor in July.

Republicans led by State Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos sued to block the appointment, arguing it was not constitutional.

An appellate court agreed, but the State Court of Appeals reversed that decision.

The court ruled that the state public officer's law allows the governor to fill vacancies in elective office by appointment.

The decision means that should Paterson resign or be incapacitated, Ravitch, who once ran the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, would become governor.

Ravitch said he was not surprised by the decision.

"I always thought that the legal theory of the governor's lawyers was probably the wise one. I said yes to the governor when he asked me to do it in July because I care about the state," said the newly-confirmed lieutenant governor. "And I hope very much in the ensuing months that I will be able to be of help to the governor and Legislature in tackling the dire problems that the state faces fiscally."

Paterson said he was overjoyed with the ruling, and used it to support his decision to run for governor in 2010, despite reportedly stiff opposition from President Barack Obama.

"But it should send an interesting message to the young people of New York that this particular time and those who are losing their homes and losing their jobs," said the governor. "You don't give up. You don't give up just because people tell you what they think is going to happen. You don't give up because people tell you who's running and who's not before they ever announce to do it. You don't give up because you're unpopular. You don't give up when you feel you've made the right decisions and when people get a chance to see what you're up against, they will reflect on it. And if you keep the attitude that you don't give up, you may get to prove to people, when the final tabulation is in, that you were doing the right thing."

However, Skelos was far from thrilled with the decision, saying the court had given new power to an unelected governor.

"The court's decision to allow the state's highest offices to be filled with no accountability whatsoever to the public or to their elected representatives in the Legislature, is dangerous to democracy," said Skelos in a statement. "One thing is clear -- we must change the law. We need to clarify the process of filling the office of Lieutenant Governor to ensure accountability to the people through election or, minimally, Senate confirmation."

The decision to appoint Ravitch was also opposed by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who said it was unlawful.

The state had been without a lieutenant governor since Eliot Spitzer resigned from the role of governor in March 2008 and Paterson stepped into the post.