ALBANY -- Another day of inaction.

So went Wednesday's special session of the Legislature ordered by Gov. David A. Paterson, who found his fiscal demands once again ignored by his fellow Democrats in the Assembly and Senate.

Both houses dutifully returned Wednesday night, but gaveled out of session without considering any of the 10 bills Paterson asked them to take up, including the final component of the stalled 2010 budget.

By nightfall, the Legislature found itself where it has been most of the year: stuck on how to pay for the state budget, and divided over everything from property tax relief to a new financing plan for the state university system.

They will be back at it again this morning, and another day of no deals is again expected. Indeed, Democrats who control the Senate could not even produce enough votes even if they wanted to pass the final budget bill. Five Democrats did not make session and four Republicans were no-shows, including Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane.

"We could, in theory, get this deal done within a week, but how many times have you asked me that and how many times have I told you that since March," said Sen. Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat.

The senator raised the possibility of the final budget -- one last bill, raising $1.5 billion in revenue, is needed -- not getting passed until a new governor takes office Jan. 1.

How would that work out for Democrats trying to hold onto a 32-29 margin in the Senate?

"I'm not so sure how much worse the reputation of the legislators up here in this town can get," Krueger said.

The session was a "charade and a joke," said Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos, a Long Island Republican. "We are now almost in August and the Senate Democrats refuse to complete the budget process."

In the Assembly, Speaker Sheldon Silver dismissed a question about the dysfunction of Albany.

"The governor made a proclamation and we responded to his proclamation. That's pretty functional," he said.

Silver expressed optimism on the remaining issues and lawmakers "will tackle them in the next couple weeks, couple days actually."

The Democratic leader expressed the same concerns about one stumbling block -- a new plan, including annual tuition hikes, for SUNY -- as he has for months.

"These are not unreasonable positions," he said of Assembly concerns that tuition hikes will hit low-income students.

Silver said the sides have talked about "some ideas" for SUNY. However, he declined to elaborate.

In the Senate, Sen. William Stachowski, a Lake View Democrat who has been holding back his vote on the budget until the SUNY issues is resolved, said he is not the only Democratic senator who wants something in return for the final budget bill.

"I'm waiting to see when they come out of negotiations and show me something that has something moving forward for SUNY in general and UB [University of Buffalo] in particular," he said.

Earlier in the day, Paterson said lawmakers have been acting "horribly," and he will continue to disrupt their summer with special sessions until a budget is passed.

tprecious@buffnews.comnull