By Robert J. McCarthy
In Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's past budget selling road shows, he went out of his way to showcase a new era of bipartisanship.
Indeed, when the governor highlighted his first budget during his rookie year of 2011, a presentation at Daemen College featured flattering introductions from two Republicans -- Sen. Michael H. Ranzenhofer of Amherst and then-Assemblyman James E. Hayes of Williamsville.
But at Thursday's session. while a host of local Democrats were on hand, nary a GOP type was to be found. The governor's office said both State Sens. George Maziarz and Mark Grisanti were invited but did not attend. State Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Rochester, spoke at a similar event Cuomo held Thursday in Rochester.
Mayor Byron W. Brown, whom sources said was invited but was tied up practicing for Friday's State of the City speech, was also conspicuous by his absence.
