Gov. Paterson issued his state of the state address yesterday. Rather than defending his budget, he discussed a new initiative to allow parents to spend $300 a month to cover their children from 10 to 29 on their health insurance policies. He wants to increased renewable energy and energy conservation, and invest in weatherizing homes. He expanded on his anti-obesity initiatives, including the soda tax and an fund to help bring more supermarkets into low-income communities. He called for reform of the Rockefeller Drug Law but was silent on campaign finance reform. A variety of consumer, education, legal and labor groups respond. Many focus on the lack of support for progressive taxes to help reduce the state budget deficit. Alliance for Quality Education, NYers for Fiscal Fairness, Working Families Party, Citizen Action, Common Cause, United Food Commercial WOrkers Union, Hunger Action Network, Legal Action Center, AQE. Meanwhile the Gang of 3 gave their support to elect Democrat Malcolm Smith the Senate Majority Leader, ending more than three decades of Republican control