politics

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s name is frequently mentioned as a possible presidential contender in 2016, that is if former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton doesn’t run.

But the governor first has to think about an earlier date 2014 and his re-election race, and how to shore up his support in upstate, where he’s been flagging in the polls.  

During the past several weeks, Cuomo has spent much of his time in upstate New York.

Civilian employee furloughs start at Fort Drum this week, as part of the federal budget cuts known as sequestration. Non-uniformed workers face one mandatory unpaid day off each week for 11 weeks. About 1,800 workers – and many services on post – are affected.

Uniformed members of the military are exempt from the furloughs, but that doesn't mean they won't be affected by them.

State lawmakers  finished up their work for the year,  approving a measure to build four gambling casinos upstate and create tax free zones at college campuses.  But the final hours of the session were overshadowed by back and forth skirmishing over a Women’s Equality Act, which ultimately, failed.

The casinos measure would allow four new gambling centers upstate, if New Yorkers vote yes on a referendum in the fall to amend the state’s constitution.  If the ballot item is rejected, then the bill allows the state to set up more video lottery terminals instead, which are slot like machines already legal in New York.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signaled he will join the discussion between the mayors of upstate New York's biggest cities on how to deal with their looming fiscal struggles.

It's a decision that has Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner encouraged. Miner has been the most outspoken critic of Cuomo's plan so far for dealing with those financial issues.

In an interview with public radio's The Capitol Pressroom on Friday, Cuomo said the cities have an imbalance between the size of government and their shrinking tax base.

Central New York's congressman has marked his first 100 days back in office by laying out a blueprint for jobs and the economy.

Rep. Dan Maffei, a Democrat from the Syracuse suburb of DeWitt, returned to Congress this year after serving one term and then being ousted for one.