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As the barges arrive and work trestles are built on the Hudson River, it's clear the $3.9-billion replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge means jobs.

But just how many remains to be seen. Will it be as many as 45,000, as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said, or just enough to scrape together a softball team? Maybe we should split the difference?

A recent four-page state report concluded that the...

When it comes politicians breaking the rules, it’s much worse than you think.

And I'm not talking about the seemingly endless parade of perp walks or corruption charges levied against state lawmakers in recent years.

It’s about New York’s campaign finance system – and the state Board of Elections mostly nonexistent enforcement of the laws.

There were 103,805 violations of New York’s...

Before losing the Democratic nod to run for Westchester County executive, Ken Jenkins gave a rousing speech.

He was clear, focused and inspired.

He was part preacher, part politician, and didn’t fumble around for words or speak in circles. In all my years covering county government, it was the best I’ve ever seen Jenkins.

Before a crowd of roughly 2,000 Democrats at the Westchester...

Much of Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino's fourth State of the County address Tuesday night sounded like his others: He pledged another year with no tax increase, touted his plans for changing Playland and outlined his efforts to promote business and spur economic development — all while protecting social services.

And there were shout-outs to county residents who accomplished great...

State Sen. Greg Ball has dug in his cowboy boots and is defending his belief that  the use of torture on the Boston bombing suspect would be justifiable — the suspect he called "scumbag number 2" in a tweet sent to his more than 5,000 followers.

It's the tweet that set off this latest Ballapalooza.

"Who wouldn't use torture on this punk to save lives," he wrote,...

In firing scandal-tarred lawyer Joseph Savino, Clarkstown leaders acted swiftly in dealing with a potentially explosive situation.

But let's not break out the good government awards just yet.

Savino is the Bronx Republican Party boss whose White Plains-based law firm was hired by Clarkstown last year to handle tax-challenge cases even though he apparently had little expertise in that...

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s name is among those being tossed around for a potential gubernatorial run in 2014 but don’t expect to see his name on the top of any GOP ticket.

He’s not looking to relocate to the executive mansion in Albany. Not next year, anyway, since the governor is even considered by many Republicans to be unbeatable.

The first term Republican is among...

When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo first proposed his $143 billion budget in January, he said it was “simple and straightforward.” In his quest to deliver a third consecutive on time budget, the governor said putting a plan together ought to be relatively simple exercise – one that was about the numbers adding up. His administration touted their budget was an accounting document rather than a political one....

When Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton uttered the nonsensical excuse during his 1992 run for the presidency that he “didn’t inhale,” many people seemed more put off by his answer than with his partaking in a joint decades earlier.

Since then, the public seems more tolerant of marijuana. Even though it remains illegal, marijuana use nowadays doesn’t raise so much as an eyebrow for many people, unless...

Score one for the Dems.

Democrats on the Westchester County Board of Legislators won one of its many legal challenges against County Executive Rob Astorino.

This latest suit was a dispute over an appointment to the Board of Acquisition and Contracts, a powerful trio historically made up of the county executive, the county board chairman and the public works commissioner, an Astorino...