ALBANY — Lawmakers threw in the towel on an on-time budget and fled town yesterday to start an extended Passover-Easter break.

The Senate convened only briefly to approve $4.6 billion in emergency spending to keep government running after the new fiscal year begins Thursday.

Most of the Assembly has been gone since Friday, although staffs have continued to meet through the weekend.

Senate Republicans blasted the Democrats for skipping town without a plan to close an estimated $9.2 billion spending gap by the April 1 deadline.

“The blame has to be left on their doorstep,” said Sen. Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton). “They’re running the show here.”

Gov. Paterson says the two houses, that have agreed to some $3.3 billion in spending cuts, remain at least $1 billion shy of his goal.