ALBANY – Governor Pataki yesterday proposed New York City be authorized to open another 50 charter schools at the discretion of the city schools chancellor.

The move is part of Mr. Pataki’s amendment to his 2006-07 budget proposal presented January 17. The amendment uses newer spending and revenue projections to lower the proposed budget’s total to $110.6 billion, from $110.7 billion. There are no major changes, but the plan now estimates the current budget surplus at $58 million more, to nearly $2 billion. The 2005-06 surplus would be used to cover projected deficits in 2008 and 2009.

The Legislature, however, has other ideas for the surplus, including using it for school and health care spending. The Legislature is analyzing Mr. Pataki’s budget, and he and legislative leaders will try to negotiate a final state budget by the April 1 start of the 2006-07 fiscal year.

Mr. Pataki would give New York City the 50 slots for new charter schools in addition to allowing traditional city schools to convert to charter schools, Mr. Pataki’s budget spokesman, Michael Marr, said. Under the current law, only the state Board of Regents and the State University of New York board of trustees can approve charter schools.

Mr. Pataki had pushed for the state’s charter school law, but as a compromise with the Legislature the number of charter schools was limited to 100 statewide – and most of them are in New York City.

That limit has been reached, and the Senate and Assembly are drawing up various proposals that would increase the limit, often with safeguards to give local school districts input.

Charter schools are privately run but compete with traditional schools for students and per-pupil aid. School boards and teachers unions have opposed charter schools as a drain on their funding.

The Assembly’s Democratic majority will consider Mr. Pataki’s proposal in its budget and education bills, a spokesman for the Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, Charles Carrier, said.