END THE SILVER-BRUNO FILIBUSTER

Editorial

May 18, 2005 -- Wouldn't it be nice if once, just once, New York's political leaders could do right by New Yorkers — and not ask, "What's in it for us?"

New Yorkers certainly have a right to be asking that question today, after political haggling by state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver delayed a critical vote on financing for the proposed West Side stadium.

The vote — by a panel consisting of Bruno, Silver and Gov. Pataki, on $300 million in funding for the facility — had long been set for today.

But Silver is too concerned about damaging his reputation as a maximalist bargainer who won't budge until the absolute last second. (Or later.)

After Silver raised concerns yesterday about the stadium project's security, Bruno exercised his right to delay today's vote, critical as it is.

These guys are playing with fire.

Because a stadium delayed may well prove to be a stadium denied.

The International Olympic Committee won't decide until early July which of five cities, including Gotham, will host the 2012 Games. But its staff is supposed to file a key report that ranks the bids on technical grounds as soon as two weeks from Monday.

Without signs of a firm commitment to build a main venue for the Games, the IOC is likely to grade the city poorly.

And if the city loses the Olympics, the case for building the stadium loses steam.

For that matter, the Jets — who are offering some $1.6 billion to build the facility and for development rights in the area — may lose interest and pull out of the deal altogether. At which point, the NFL's offer to host the Super Bowl in Manhattan in 2010 would also vanish.

Worse still: Development plans for the area may grind to a halt. And the cash-strapped MTA — forced to open bidding for the stadium site, which it owns — may wind up having trouble unloading it.

New York City, once again, would be the big loser.

So Pataki's mission is crystal clear: Silver and Bruno get one delay of the vote each — and one delay only. When those are exhausted, Pataki must call a meeting immediately and demand a vote.

Silver's got to show whether he has any interest in supporting the city he hails from, or just himself. And Bruno has to stop hiding behind Silver.

Yesterday, Pataki suggested that he's ready to move, saying he will, in fact, call a "special meeting," if need be, to force a vote quickly.

Good for him.

Because New Yorkers need to know which of their leaders are going to do the right thing and get this stadium plan rolling, finally.

And which aren't.

One way or another, Pataki can't let them kill the stadium by filibustering any longer.