Here is a brief rundown of state and city politics this week:

Joanie Mahoney delivers State of County address

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney said in her State of the County address on Tuesday that she was disappointed in the lack of support for a merger between the governments of the city of Syracuse and the county.

Mahoney, who has been vocal about her support for the merger, said the proposal has “impressive data.” That data includes an estimate that the merger could immediately eliminate $20 million in government spending.

The county executive also discussed a year-end $11.5 million surplus and improved infrastructure.

 

Say Yes to Education receives $400,000 from SLDC

The Syracuse Local Development Corporation (SLDC) will donate $400,000 to the Say Yes to Education Endowment Fund, according to a press release from Mayor Stephanie Miner’s office. The funds will fulfill a community match need to receive a $5 million donation from SRC, Inc.

The $400,000 will come from a 1 percent bond issuance fee the SLDC is charging on more than $42 million in bonds. Those bonds will support an expansion project at Crouse Hospital.

Miner said in the release that Say Yes to Education has already sent more than 2,000 students in the Syracuse community to college.

 

New York GOP endorses Wendy Long for Senate 

The New York state GOP nominated Wendy Long for U.S. Senate at its convention on Friday in Buffalo, according to the group’s Twitter account.

Long, a Republican attorney, announced her plan to run for the Senate on Thursday, according to Time Warner Cable News. She will face Democratic incumbent Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is in line to become the Democratic leader in the Senate next year.

Long ran in 2012 against U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and lost by a landslide.

 

New York state receives more than $60 million from Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allotted $60 million to New York state, according to a press release from the Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. The funds are a part of DHS’s State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), which assist states in strengthening emergency response records.

The central New York region — which is defined by the SHSP as Onondaga County, the city of Syracuse, Monroe County and the city of Rochester — will receive $1,530,000 from that program. New York state receives the most SHSP funds in the nation.

Onondaga County will receive $179,942 through EMPG.

 

Senate and assembly disagree on election date

The Republican-controlled New York State Senate voted Wednesday to hold state and congressional primaries on the third Tuesday in August, according to Syracuse.com. The decision prolongs a political standoff that may cause taxpayers $25 million.

Currently, the state and congressional primaries are split in New York state because of a 2012 court decision that set the congressional primary date for the fourth Tuesday in June. The state primaries are set for Sept. 13. The split costs $25 million, which the counties must pay for.

The Democratic-controlled state assembly has already voted to hold both elections on the fourth Tuesday in June. If the senate and assembly cannot agree, the current dates — and cost — hold.

Published on March 5, 2016 at 8:22 am

Contact Delaney: dovanwey@syr.edu