ALBANY – A newly elected Democrat in the Assembly is withholding his support from the powerful leader of that chamber, Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan, in a dispute over Albany’s 20-year streak of late budgets.

The assemblyman-elect, Mark Schroeder of Buffalo, skipped the meeting last Wednesday at which Assembly Democrats nominated Mr. Silver to another two-year term.

Mr. Schroeder said he was following through on a campaign promise to oppose the speaker’s re-election unless he pledged to avoid late budgets in the future, something Mr. Silver was unwilling to do.

Although several other newly elected lawmakers campaigned on anti-Albany platforms – promising to clean up what has been described as the most dysfunctional Legislature in the nation – Mr. Schroeder appears to be the only one not to go along with the routine affirmation of the existing leadership.

The Democrats’ support for Mr. Silver last Wednesday was otherwise unanimous, according to people who attended the private meeting.

Even the assemblyman-elect backed by Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi’s “Fix Albany” committee, Charles Lavine of Glen Cove, voted yes.

Similarly, the Republican majority leader of the Senate, Joseph Bruno, and the minority leaders of both houses won overwhelming support from their party members. They won’t be officially installed until the new Legislature formally convenes in January.

Mr. Schroeder, an Erie County legislator, said he still hopes to work cooperatively with Mr. Silver, but felt he owed it to his constituents to make a stand.

“These neighborhoods I represent, they’ve done everything by the book, the right way,” Mr. Schroeder told The New York Sun yesterday. “They take care of their family. They pay their bills on time. … I’m trying to be as professional as I can, but I represent them, and they want an on-time budget.”

Asked why he hadn’t attended last week’s meeting to vote against Mr. Silver, Mr. Schroeder said it would have been the equivalent of standing up at a wedding ceremony and raising last minute objections to the marriage.

“There’s a proper time and place for everything,” he said. “I didn’t want to embarrass myself or the caucus.”

His abstention didn’t go over well with the deputy majority leader of the Assembly, Ronald Canestrari of Albany County.

“People have to learn the difference between campaigning and working together,” Mr. Canestrari said. “It’s important to get things done and get results, and you don’t do that by skipping conferences and meetings.”

Mr. Lavine, meanwhile, said he saw no contradiction in campaigning to “fix Albany” and then supporting Mr. Silver.

“There is a system in Albany, a very time-honored system, which calls for leadership not only in the Assembly but in the Senate as well,” he said. “I was happy to join my colleagues in electing Mr. Silver. But I am very aware I was elected by constituents who expect me to be a voice for reform in Albany, and I intend to do that.”

Mr. Suozzi’s support for Mr. Lavine – who defeated an incumbent Democrat in a primary this September – was widely seen as a threat to Mr. Silver’s authority. Nassau County’s lobbyist at the state Capitol, a former aide to the speaker, quit in protest, and Mr. Silver arranged to block Mr. Suozzi from being a delegate to the Democrats’ presidential nominating convention at Boston.

“I respect someone who is trying to get to know their colleagues and make changes within the framework of the institution,” Mr. Canestrari said.

Bucking the party leaders can be costly at the state Capitol. Once elected, the top leaders exercise unilateral control over members’ committee assignments, office space, staff budgets, and which pieces of legislation come to the floor for a vote. A leader can boost a members’ pay by several thousand dollars by awarding them leadership posts, and take the money right back if he becomes displeased.

So far, however, Mr. Schroeder said he has seen no evidence of retaliation against him.

“Frankly, I believe the Assembly, the speaker, and the majority are very interested in reform,” he said. “We’re just going to take our time and make sure we understand each other.”

“We would still look forward to working with all the members of the majority conference,” a spokesman for Mr. Silver, Charles Carrier, said yesterday. “That continues to be the speaker’s outlook for the coming session.”