(Photo: Facebook)

Earlier today, the New York State Republican Party employed a sexual innuendo in its push for Governor Andrew Cuomo to reform so-called unfunded mandates, which require local governments to contribute to state social programs without the funding for them, so that local tax relief can be passed on to struggling municipalities.

"So Governor, How big is your mandate relief package?" the party asked in a Facebook image featuring Mr. Cuomo making a rather suggestive gesture indicating a small object.

The rest of the Facebook post focused on the substance of the issue rather than ribald humor, linking to a press release signed by a host of Republican county executives and declaring, “Unfunded mandates are crushing New York's counties. Yesterday, 11 County Executives released a joint statement calling for mandate relief. Your move, Governor Cuomo."

Politicker reached out to the State GOP spokesman David Laska to ask about the PG-13 joke and he said the humor was "absolutely" a "great way to get our message out."

"The solutions are there but what's missing is a leader who can do anything about it," Mr. Laska said, stressing the importance of Mr. Cuomo heeding Republican and Democratic calls to reform the state's local mandates.

We also inquired as to whether there might be some unintended irony in making the joke, as the State Republican Party is headed by a man named "Ed Cox."

"I'm going to leave that one to you, Colin," Mr. Laska replied.