How do you like this?  Governor Paterson, the guy who wants to balance the state budget on the backs of state workers, kids and poor people, went out and purchased a $21,000 Turkish rug that taxpayers bought from one of his campaign contributors.

According to the Albany Times Union:

ALBANY – Gov. David Paterson’s energetic response to the state budget crisis has been the hallmark of his tenure, but even as he was ordering state agencies to cut their spending and warning of even tougher times ahead, his Office of General Services was buying a $21,000 custom-stitched 10-foot-by-15-foot antique carpet for the governor’s mansion.

News of the purchase, from a New York City firm that had contributed at least $8,000 to the Spitzer/Paterson campaign, was seized upon by critics who have questioned some of the governor’s budget-cutting plans.

“They should cut the waste first before they come and ask us for concessions,” said Darcy Wells, spokeswoman for the Public Employees Federation, a state workers union.

Paterson wants state workers to forego next year’s 3 percent raise and accept a “lag pay” plan in which they give up five days salary until retirement; Paterson has warned the eventual deficit could swell to $15 billion over the next 14 months.

(snip)

Blair Horner, legislative director for the New York Public Interest Research Group, said the mansion may have needed a new rug — but the larger question centers on the symbolism of such a purchase.

“Does this send the wrong signal? I think the answer is a resounding yes,” Horner said. “When the state is tightening its belt, I think that should apply to expensive rugs, no matter how useful. At the same time that the governor is proposing cuts to education and health care, the symbolic decision is a bad one.”

Geez, nice going.  We paid more for that rug than I did for my car.  It’s nice to see he has his priorities in the right place.