Today's announcement of $10 million for the county's new crime lab will likely become fodder for this year's State Senate campaign.

The lab isn't controversial: local politicians agree that the current facility, located in the county's Public Safety Building, is cramped and out of date. During the announcement, District Attorney Mike Green gave an example: if a technician wants to test fire a gun, he or she must flash a light to warn the workers in the neighboring DNA section so they can get out of the room and gun can be discharged.

But the Republican state senators who secured the grant - or said they did - clearly saw they could get some mileage out of the announcement. Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno made the trek to Rochester to mark the occasion. And to laude his fellow senators.

"They step up, they work together. These people right here," he said. Behind him stood Senators Joe Robach, Jim Alesi, George Maziarz, and Mike Nozzolio, all Republicans. Also present were Cathy Young and Dale Volker, who don't represent any part of Monroe County, but do represent counties that use the lab.

Robach and Alesi also took the opportunity to issue a reminder that the state budget included $132 million for Monroe County. And that they helped deliver it.