Gov. Surrender

Gov. Paterson has delivered for his dad's clients. But what about the rest of New York?

Well, last week he announced a sweeping plan to overhaul the Public Integrity Commission -- and Albany yawned.

That's how it usually goes with Paterson's big plans: He proposes, to no effect.

The ethics scheme follows a devastating inspector-general report that outlined the commission's conflicts of interest in the Eliot Spitzer "Troopergate" scandal.

Paterson's plan would cramp Albany's style to such an extent that not a single legislator attended his announcement.

Nothing new there. The only consistent feature in the governor's ill-starred 14-month tenure is his refusal to fight for things he says he believes in. Consider:

n Paterson promised an open budgeting process. It turned out to be the most secretive in modern times.

n Throughout 2008, he demanded that the state tighten its belt, and he proposed a budget that increased spending by a mere 1% -- without major tax increases.

But the budget he deemed acceptable hiked spending by 10% and income taxes by $4 billion, while adding $3.5 billion in other new taxes and fees.

n He claimed that the budget was balanced when it passed in early April.

But two weeks ago he sheepishly announced that it was $3 billion out of whack -- admitting that he knew that revenue estimates were overstated, but that saying so then would have limited spending hikes.

n He promised only the best for Hillary Rodham Clinton's US Senate seat. He produced appleknocker Kirsten Gillibrand.

Beyond all that, his cabinet and personal staff -- apart from some Spitzer-era holdovers -- is the most undistinguished in memory.

Question: If Paterson doesn't take himself seriously, why should anybody else?

Answer: Obviously, no one does.