David Alexander Paterson is officially New York’s first black governor and also the first legally blind chief executive of an American state.

The Democrat Party member was sworn in today (Monday) after the job remained vacant as Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a huge prostitution scandal.

During his address, New York’s 55th governor vowed to collaborate with the lawmakers in order to pass a budget and restore trust in state government after the sex scandal in which Spitzer, the state’s former governor, was involved.

The Harlem native was interrupted at several times during his speech by roaring applause. As he was preparing to begin his inaugural address, he received a two-minute standing ovation by the attendance which chanted his name: "David! David! David!"

"This transition today is an historic message to the world: That we live by the same values that we profess, and we are a government of laws, not individuals," Paterson said.

"We move forward. Today is Monday. There is work to be done," Paterson said. "There was an oath to be taken. There's trust that needs to be restored. There are issues that need to be addressed."

The Legislature already faces a deadline to pass an estimated $124 billion budget on April 1. Paterson will have to find ways to deal with the budget gap of as much as $5.1 billion

Democrat Party presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and governors from adjacent states took part at the oath-taking formal procedure. The attendance also included Governors Jon Corzine of New Jersey, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Jodi Rell of Connecticut, former New York Governors George Pataki and Hugh Carey, former New York Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins.

The only one missing was Elliot Spitzer.

Spitzer, a politician with a very promising future, had no choice but to resign after his involvement in a VIP prostitution ring came to light. Spitzer made official his decision to retire from the state’s top office on Wednesday

Paterson was New York’s lieutenant governor and under provisions in the New York State Constitution, he became governor upon Spitzer's resignation.

Before being New York’s lieutenant governor, Paterson was a Democratic state senator since 1985, representing parts of Harlem and Manhattan's Upper West Side.