Since the June 8 coup in the state Senate Chamber, there have been a myriad of suggestions on what needs to be done to change Albany - from the rational (term limits) to the undoable (fire all the senators immediately). Yet, if one single item is needed, and it may be the simplest (as if anything in Albany was simple), it is that New York needs a better succession plan for its government.

With the resignation of Eliot Spitzer in March 2008, the first rumblings of a future problem came up, at least for Democrats, with the ascension of Democrat Lt. Gov. David Paterson to become governor. As has been well documented since, especially in the last month, there was no process to appoint a new lieutenant governor in New York's Constitution.

There are three reasons that a change to New York's Constitution is needed immediately. One that clearly has been demonstrated recently and most likely will be needed after this current political crisis has passed, is to break ties in the state Senate that can be split, as it is now, 31-31.

There is also no question that any governor will be criticized if he leaves the state (to testify before Congress or meet with the president) in the hands of someone who is either not of his party, is of questionable character, or not elected by a statewide voter. One need look no further then Sen. Pedro Espada, who the GOP contends is the Senate President Pro Tempore, even with ethical questions surrounding him, and is now next in line for governor, should anything happen to Paterson.

Last and certainly not least, New York should have a process where an incumbent governor can appoint, with the consent of the Legislature, his successor, at least until voters get to make a choice during the next gubernatorial election.

New York needs to have the state Legislature, during this session and the next (after the 2010 elections) put on the ballot for voters in 2011, a constitutional amendment for the appointment of a lieutenant governor by the governor to be approved by both houses of the Legislature. This can be done with either a majority of both houses consenting or a committee of the whole, approving a nominee. The latter is what is used nationally - oddly enough by a New Yorker, then Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, who was the first and only person appointed to the vice presidency, in 1974, after Gerald Ford became president.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com