ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York senator who set off a debilitating coup in the chamber a year ago said Tuesday he is willing to vote against any more emergency spending bills even though that could likely force a shutdown of state government.

Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., the majority leader, was joined by Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. and Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos in saying they would be willing to block weekly emergency spending bills with permanent year-round budget cuts that the Paterson administration plans to introduce to the Legislature, beginning Monday.

Espada said it no longer matters if government is shut down after living on bare-bones emergency spending for 10 weeks and with Paterson trying to force a state budget of his own design.

“This eviscerates the legislative branch if we don’t stand up,” Espada said. “I think if we give into this form of blackmail, it would be worse than the shut down of government.”

The state has long passed its April 1 budget deadline and is operating with a $9.2 billion shortfall.

With the budget crisis, Gov. David Paterson has begun including permanent spending cuts in line with his proposed executive budget in the short-term spending bills. The Legislature must by law adopt the bills in whole, or reject them and halt government services. That would gradually close parks and agencies, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, and halt critical aid to schools and hospitals.

Skelos, Espada and Diaz, who partnered with the majority leader in the coup last year, said they want to force an agreement between the Democratic governor and legislative leaders on the 2010-11 budget. Members of the governor’s staff and Senate conference leader John Sampson and others have been involved in budget talks, but neither Espada, Diaz nor Skelos have been privy to the negotiations.

The spending bill needs 32 votes to pass in the Senate so without every Democrat in the 32-seat majority or some Republican support, the measure will not pass in the chamber.

Skelos said Tuesday that his conference won’t give Democrats the votes needed, adding that Republicans have been locked out of negotiations.

“There will be some inconveniences,” Skelos said of a government shutdown. “But if it means stopping things for a few days, we’re prepared to do it. We’re not happy about it, but we’re prepared to do it.”

Espada, who is under federal investigation over his partly government-funded health clinic, told The Associated Press that the Senate leadership — which he says has been out-negotiated in the budget process — must work through the weekend to seal a deal with the Assembly and governor.