He graduated from North Babylon High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and communications at Queens College in 1991.

[citation needed] Bellone received national attention after spearheading an innovative environmental program called Long Island Green Homes.

[6] As a result of these revitalization efforts, Wyandanch Rising was selected to be the first permanent home of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame museum on October 23, 2014.

[11] Using the same economic policies instituted in the Town of Babylon to restore fiscal balance, the Bellone administration reduced Suffolk's deficit by hundreds of millions of dollars.

[21] Bellone initiated a series of economic development plans to build innovation economies throughout Suffolk County to attract highly skilled and knowledge workers, and to keep young professionals on Long Island.

[23] The plan strengthened local businesses by expanding natural customer bases and developed the necessary infrastructure to provide residents with north-to-south transportation options.

[citation needed] In order to maintain core government services while operating with reduced staff, the Bellone administration expanded its Performance Management department, which is responsible for ensuring the county workforce is as productive as possible.

[14][24] Bellone was prevented from running for reelection in 2023 by a Suffolk County law on term limits that he had signed and was overwhelmingly passed in a referendum the previous year.