ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner is resigning from her position as co-chair of the state’s Democratic Party.
In a letter sent to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state committee on Thursday afternoon, Miner says she chose to resign now to give the committee ample time to find a replacement before the November elections.
“I wanted to give the party a chance to confer in advance of the state convention so that the convention could properly focus on launching a full slate of candidates and Democrats to victory in November,” Miner said in a phone interview.
Cuomo chose Miner and Assemblyman Keith Wright to co-chair the committee in May 2012. But the relationship between Cuomo and Miner has been strained at times, with the two butting heads on several issues including state aid to cities.
Miner said she left messages at Wright and Cuomo’s offices but has yet to hear back from either.
Miner also wrote an article in the New York Times last year criticizing Cuomo’s proposal to let municipalities borrow money to off-set pension costs, calling it an “accounting gimmick.”
She said her disagreements with some of Cuomo’s policies are not personal but rather are based on facts.
Her resignation comes just one month before the party convention, but due to a speaking engagement in Boston she will not be able to attend.
A spokesman for the Democratic Party did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
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