Gov. David Paterson's visit on Saturday to Auburn brought with it some political footnotes that are of local interest.

Another leader?

Auburn hosted two of the state's top leaders on Saturday, but may also have another representing them in a few more weeks. Not only was Paterson in town, but in the front row was state Sen. David Valesky, the new Vice President Pro Tempore of the New York State Senate, who represents a chunk of Cayuga County, including part of the city of Auburn. Sitting on the other side of state Sen. Michael F. Nozzolio who represents the rest of Cayuga County, was Assemblyman Brian Kolb, who represents a strip of Cayuga County that is north of the city and also covers the Town of Owasco.

Kolb, who is now number two in the Assembly Republican Conference, may be elected to the top position very soon. Assembly minority leader James Tedisco is running in a special election, yet to be called by Paterson, to fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Kristen Gillibrand to fill the seat vacated by new Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Should Tedisco win, the Republican Conference will hold an election for the Minority Leader's job, which would give the occupant a seat at leadership meetings with Paterson and party leaders from the Legislature.

The woman with the official tag

Paterson brought an entourage with him when he came to Cayuga County Community College last week, with advance staff and other executive branch officials, including some in economic development. One person looked very familiar to many, Maggie McKeon, one of a set of twins of City Court Judge Michael McKeon and his wife, Diane, and granddaughter of the late former Democratic Party powerbroker William McKeon.

McKeon, an Auburn High School graduate, is in the governor's press office and was busy at work from well before and after Paterson arrived and left the campus, before driving herself back to Albany.

Who did it?

While college officials did not get a call until last Monday asking if the governor could use their 500-seat theater for his town hall meeting five days later, there are plenty who are claiming credit for getting Paterson here. It should be noted that then minority Senator Valesky, who served with Paterson, when he was minority leader in the Senate, and had brought him here in 2005 for a not-for-profit event, had been asking the governor and his staff regularly to get Auburn on his schedule since at least last April. Getting bumped up to the majority and becoming a top Senate leader may have its perks for local constituents.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com