New York is facing a potentially challenging budget picture next year, with a predicted $4 billion deficit to fill.

"I don't have a different number than the $4 billion," said Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. "We'd hope that number would not grow larger."

DiNapoli says, however, the deficit could grow larger, depending on a variety of factors, including the health of the state's financial sector.

"Will Wall Street continue to be as strong and rally?" he asked. "Will we benefit from bonus payments and profits on Wall Street after the first of the year? We don't know the answer to that."

Governor Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, may want to get some of the more difficult issues off the table before 2018 starts. He's repeatedly raised the possibility of a special session in the coming weeks to offset cuts to the children's health insurance program and a program that helps public welfare hospitals, known as DISH.

"I think the governor is right to sound the alarm that we have a tremendous amount of risk to our budget and financial standing," DiNapoli said, "if action is not taken at the federal level to deal with the CHIPS funding and the DSH funding."

Some health care experts disagree as to whether the legislature needs to return before the start of the year. DiNapoli this week declined to say when or if the legislature should come back early.

"I won't second guess what he and the legislative leaders come up with to deal with those issues. That's their call and their prerogative," DiNapoli said.

Also on the potential menu for a session is $35 million for flood aid in the Lake Ontario region.