27. Steve Bellone

Suffolk’s shining star was such a big hit at the Suffolk County Democratic Party’s annual spring dinner in Holbrook that county chairman Rich Schaffer compared him to Bruce Springsteen. Bellone demurred, of course, but there’s no doubt he’s the boss at the H. Lee Denison Building in Hauppuage. After weathering Superstorm Sandy, he’s got his eyes on the horizon for the next big one—and he wants to make sure that Suffolk’s shores and infrastructure can stand up strong when the time comes. With the governor’s help, Bellone hopes to tap into federal funds to protect our precious underground aquifer and improve the water quality in our rivers and bays, estuaries and the Sound. From the East End to the Nassau border, Bellone’s always on the move. His effort to plug the budget gap without adding to the taxpayers’ burden remains daunting. Moody’s downgraded the county’s rating in March—Suffolk borrowed almost $200 million more in short-term bonds than Nassau did—but at least he gets credit for trying. One thing’s for sure, the rancor that rattled Suffolk’s communities of color under his predecessor is a thing of the past, and Bellone’s tolerant tone is a welcome blessing.