New York state's 55th governor won't be sworn in until today, but David Paterson was already getting to work in Albany by midweek last week.

Paterson, who has served as the lieutenant governor, will replace Eliot Spitzer, who resigned Wednesday after being implicated in a prostitution scandal.

In his first news conference with reporters, Paterson said it has been a "very sad few days in New York" but added, "now we have to get back on track."

To do so, the Democrat, who has been involved in state government for more than 20 years as a representative of Harlem before being picked to be Spitzer's running mate in 2006, has already met with, or soon will, top legislative leaders including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

"We will all commit ourselves in a bipartisan way that will restore the public trust," said Paterson.

That said, the top priority in Albany is meeting the April 1 deadline on a new budget. The state Senate and Assembly passed modifications to a proposed 2008-09 budget late Wednesday, despite the gripping distraction of Spitzer's fall from power.

Senate and Assembly leaders will convene a conference committee to resolve differences between their two budgets and the $124.5 billion budget that Spitzer proposed in mid-January. A key issue is how to close a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, although no one can agree on how large that gap is. State budget officials now estimate the gap at $4.4 billion; Senate Republicans, meanwhile, say that figure is about $5 billion.

"We are looking at a recession and a stock market that's in flux," Paterson said. "We have a huge economic problem in this country."

On issues specific to Upstate New York, Paterson said he remains committed to the $1 billion economic-revitalization initiative that Spitzer proposed two months ago.

"(Spitzer) made it real clear that he wanted to address the Upstate economy. I was standing there when he made the announcement, and I feel the same way he does," Paterson said. "Don't forget, the Upstate economy has caused 190,000 adults to lose their jobs since the turn of the century."

The new governor's swearing-in ceremony is set for 1 p.m. today in the Assembly chamber.