Onondaga County Executive Stepping Down For Job With State

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney says she'll step down before her term ends to take a job with New York state.

The 53-year-old Republican announced Monday morning that she'll soon resign as the top elected official in the county, which includes the city of Syracuse.

Mahoney says she has accepted a job as chief operating officer with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. She'll also serve as a special advisor to SUNY Upstate Medical University, also in Syracuse.

Mahoney has been county executive since 2008. The office is up for election next year.

Her new job begins Nov. 1.

County legislators can appoint a replacement to serve out the rest of Mahoney's term or if lawmakers don't act, the deputy county executive would serve as acting county executive.