Ravitch to Washington

ALBANY—Richard Ravitch is going to Washington tomorrow.

The lieutenant governor announced his trip during a meeting of legislative leaders this morning, called to hash out positions on David Paterson's proposal for a $3 billion deficit elimination package.

Ravitch said he would meet with members of the state's congressional delegation; he is not planning to meet with any White House officials.

"A lot of questions about this year and subsequent years are going to be resolved not by this group, but by the Congress of the United States," Ravitch said. He has already traveled to Washington on behalf of the state. Paterson was in Washington

The administration's relations in Washington have been strained. Paterson skipped possible face time with Barack Obama last night during a fund-raiser in Manhattan; the president has signaled his non-support of Paterson. The director of Paterson's Washington Office recently left, and some members of the Congressional delegation have expressed concern with having Paterson at the top of the 2010 ticket.