After months of saying nothing about Andrew Cuomo’s plan to run for governor, Gov. Paterson’s campaign committee yesterday challenged the attorney general to come forward with ideas to solve some of the state’s major problems.

“Since it’s clear Mr. Cuomo is running for governor, it’s time for him to stop ducking the hard questions of how he would close a $7.4 billion deficit, balance the budget and pass ethical and fiscal reforms,” said Paterson campaign manager Richard Fife.

Cuomo had no immediate comment, but a source close to him said, “If Andrew Cuomo had been governor last year, the state wouldn’t have a $7.4 billion deficit this year, and the chaos and dysfunction it has under Paterson wouldn’t exist.”