Albany's Central Warehouse is scheduled for demolition and a battle may be brewing over the awarding of the contract to two Long Island contractors.

Central Warehouse on Thursday in Albany. The building is scheduled for demolition.

Central Warehouse on Thursday in Albany. The building is scheduled for demolition.

ALBANY — If you follow the news, you’ll eventually encounter somebody claiming that “campaign contributions have no impact on government decisions.”

The claim, made recently by a spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul, is hogwash, as anyone who pays attention to New York state government — and governments elsewhere — will surely know. Campaign contributions significantly impact government decisions, even if the link is difficult to prove in individual cases.

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So, let’s discuss the contract to demolish the Central Warehouse, our old friend in North Albany.

Sandy Jackson of Schenectady-based Jackson Demolition is justifiably “angry and disgusted,” as he put it, that his company was passed over in favor of two downstate firms, even though his $14.1 million bid was $546,000 lower. Jackson argues he was more familiar with the warehouse’s condition than his competitors and believes his firm was equally, if not more, qualified.

“I don’t need their money, but I have pride in my company and pride in my workers,” Jackson told me Monday, indicating that he intends to file a lawsuit. “I don’t know how they could so blatantly throw away........

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