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"The sooner that we address this crisis, the stronger and faster we'll recover from it," said Paterson.

The governor was hoping for a portion of a new stimulus packages, which is currently stalled in Congress. The package is heavy on funding for roads, bridges, and health care – a segment where New York has been shortchanged for years.

Paterson and neighboring governors also dashed off a letter to President George W. Bush's labor secretary asking for money to retrain laid-off financial workers.

"It may just help us start to recover from what is a very, very serious downturn in our economy, the likes of which we have not seen in 80 years," said the governor.

Paterson's credibility is strained though, after previously saying Washington should help only after New York got its own finances in order, which the state has not.

An emergency deficit-cutting session in Albany Wednesday yielded none of the cuts the governor wanted, after it deteriorated in partisan bickering with outgoing New York State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Republican.

In a sign he's banking on no progress until January, Paterson did not personally invite Skelos to Washington, making the governor's entourage a virtual Republican-free zone.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the presumed incoming leader of the State Senate, current Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, were there, along with business and labor leaders.

In response to Paterson's snub, Skelos' spokeman John McArdle released the following statement:

"The governor went out of his way yesterday to talk about how the process has been politicized. By going to Washington only with Democrats, he made the case beautifully."

A spokesman for the governor later said Paterson had offered an open invitation for his trip to Washington to all legislative leaders, including Dean Skelos.

It seems that Paterson's case will not be heard until next year, at the earliest. State Democrats have all but abandoned hope for aid before President-elect Barack Obama takes over, along with stronger Democratic control of Congress.

But even with fellow Democrats at the helm, getting a piece of the pie will not be easy. New York is not the only entity looking to Washington for money. The auto industry and homeowners facing foreclosure were also petitioning for funds Wednesday.