It’s back to business in Albany—but will it last?

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In an interview with RNN’s Karen DePodwin this week, a somewhat-surely Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska, who recently abandoned the Democratic Party to run for president as a Libertarian, didn’t seem to understand why people would doubt he can win the election.

He also doesn’t seem to like that “Gotcha” stuff!!

See the video here.

Westchester’s Andrew Spano and Rockland’s C. Scott Vanderhoef  are among the 10 or so county executives from around the state taking part right now in a conference call with reporters to once again blast the state budget.

As they have since then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer first unveiled his 2008-2009 spending plan in January, the executives are arguing that budget proposals now on the table will shift more costs on to county governments, forcing them to raise taxes.

“This is really a charade,” Spano, a Democrat, told reporters on the call.

Vanderhoef said Albany is unwilling to cut state mandated programs so it simply wants to shift those costs dowanrd.

“Who takes the heat for that, of course, is the counties,” Vanderhoef said.

Vanderhoef and the other executives are urging state lawmakers to address this issue as they press on with budget negotiations this weekend.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli must really like Westchester County.

The Long Island Democrat, who took office after the ouster of Alan Hevesi last year, will speak before the Business Council of Westchester on April 11, his third high-profile appearance in the county in less than two months.

An invitation to the 7:30 a.m. event at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown describes it as a “A Frank Conversaation with New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.”

So far this year, DiNapoli has appeared before the editorial board of The Journal News (Feb. 21) and the Westchester County Association (March 24). At each stop, DiNapoli warned of New York’s worsening economy and expressed doubt that the state could afford to pay for the replacement of the Tappan Zee Bride.

His next appearance may be noteworthy because it is scheduled for after the April 1 deadline for state lawmakers to adopt a new budget.

Is the Westchester GOP having trouble finding candidates to run this year?

A blast e-mail sent out by Republican Chairman Doug Colety seems to suggest that. It begins with the headline, “REMINDER – CANDIDATES NEEDED.”

“I am committed to having an inclusive process for selecting candidates for public office, which is why I am inviting all Republicans who are interested in running to discuss a potential candidacy,” Colety writes in the e-mail. “We have important races for U.S. Congress, State Senate & Assembly, and County Court this year.”

The e-mail goes on to list the offices up for grabs this November, including all three House seats that cover Westchester and the county’s state Senate and Assembly positions. Among those listed was the 40th state Senate District, which is currently held by Republican Vincent Leibell.

“It is not too late to join the process if you are interested in running,” Colety stated.

UPDATE – Colety,  in a telephone call this afternoon, said the party is having success in recruiting candidates. The e-mail, he said, was simply an attempt to get more people involved.

“Many of those seats have candidates already but I don’t want to discourage anyone from coming forward,” Colety said. “Anybody that wants to run for office should have an opportunity  to come here and talk to us.”

Dr. Jon R. Cohen, who sought the lieutenant governor nomination only to back out when it was headed to David Paterson, was tapped by Paterson today to serve as his senior advisor.

Cohen is currently managing director of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for Health Industries Advisory Services in Manhattan.

“Dr. Cohen’s extensive background in the medical field makes him an excellent choice for this important role,” Paterson said in a statement. “He thoroughly understands the state’s hospital network, its specific challenges and the investments that must be made to support the future of quality health care. He will be an invaluable advisor for my administration and I am looking forward to working closely with him.”

Cohen has spent more than two decades in the health care field, according to the governor’s press release. He served for six years as chief medical officer (CMO) of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System.

Paterson’s aides were quick to point out that Cohen will not be replacing Health Commissioner Richard Daines or health-care advisor Dennis Whalen.

Cohen will receive a salary of $160,500.

   Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, just announced that the Senate plans to work through the weekend to meet the fast-approaching April 1 budget deadline. The GOP-controlled Senate and the Democrat-led Assembly are far away from an agreement on the 2008-09 spending plan.  

“We have had very positive and productive discussions on the budget following the passage of the Senate and Assembly budgets,” Bruno said in a statement.  “We believe that we can reach an agreement on a new budget that meets the needs of the people of New York State, that reduces spending below the Executive Budget and avoids any increases in broad based taxes. I’m confident that if we continue to work through the weekend, we can get an agreement in place before April 1.”

A reader sent over an online petition circulating against former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s nominee for the state Thruway Authority, White Plains Attorney Brandon Sall.

Sall was considered a strange pick for Spitzer earlier this month because he’s a downstate attorney as the Thruway Authority faces criticism for plans to increase tolls on the Thruway, mainly an upstate issue.

Spitzer, before he resigned, argued he didn’t have any control to stop the toll hikes because the board was made up of former Gov. Pataki appointees.

Yet instead of picking an upstate person to replace Nancy Carey Cassidy, daughter of former Gov. Hugh Carey, he went with Sall, a Democratic campaign contributor.

The petition calls on the state Senate to deny Sall’s appointment. It’s unclear when the Senate will take up the appointment amid all the budget negotiations.

“It is our hope that current Gov Paterson should appoint an individual of esteem, intellect and appropriate experience be appointed to the existing vacancy on the New York State Thruway Authority Board,” the petition reads.

I left a message at Sall’s office for comment, but haven’t heard back yet. He works at DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr LLP, based in White Plains.

Updated: Sall called back and declined comment, saying he needed to wait until his Senate confirmation before talking about appointment.

There are more and more reports that Republicans could lose one or both open congressional seats in western New York. The problem is that even though Republicans hold enrollment edges in both the 25th and 26th districts, Republicans are struggling to find strong candidates.

A recent Evans-Novak report put both seats as “leaning Democratic takeover.”

Even Republican Rep. Thomas Reynolds, who announced he is retiring from the 26th District at year’s end, bemoaned the fact he would likely be in the minority if he ran again.

Also, potential GOP candidates are being scared off by the likelihood that in 2010, Democrats would control the state Legislature and redraw congressional districts that take away at least one upstate seat—likely combining the 26th District, which runs from Greece in Monroe County to the Buffalo suburbs, and the 29th District, which runs from Monroe County through the Southern Tier.

In the 25th District, Republicans best hope, former state fair director Peter Cappuccilli, just backed out because of health issues after Republican Rep. James Walsh announced he’s retiring at year’s end. The district covers Syracuse to Webster in Monroe County.

The Evans-Novak report says that “there are murmurs that the National Republican Congressional Committee is giving up on this district to focus on stopping losses elsewhere.”

That’s a likely possibility, considering Walsh, even with this 20 years in Congress, barely won re-election in 2006 against Democratic upstart Dan Maffei, who is running again this year.

In the 26th District, with Reynolds gone, Republicans had hoped that Sen. George Maziarz would run, but he’s sticking with the Senate and second choice Assemblyman Jim Hayes is also out.

That may open the door for Greece Supervisor Jack Auberger to run for the seat, some Republicans said.

So it’s becoming pretty ironic that Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-Hammondsport, Steuben County, (R) could be the next New York Republican to fall. Kuhl was viewed as the weakest of the three GOP incumbents in western New York and barely beat Democrat Eric Massa in 2006, whom Kuhl will face again this year.

Evans-Novak, though has that race “Leaning Republican Retention.”