Regional Priorities

Regional Priorities for Long Island

Long Island is an economic engine for New York. A study done by the Center for Government Research in Rochester found that, as of 2001, Long Island generated over $2.8 billion more for New York State that it received back from the state in aid and services. That figure undoubtedly now exceeds $3 billion per year. The revenue Long Island produces for the state coffers helps the state support the needs of other regions.

But like any engine, Long Island’s economy continues to require attention and maintenance to keep running smoothly. Our region faces a variety of significant challenges that must be addressed immediately and forthrightly by the Governor and the State Legislature. Many of these issues require no state funding, some require very modest funding, but have wide ranging fiscal and public safety implications.

The Long Island Association urges state action on the following Long Island regional priorities for 2007.

AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING

The lack of affordable housing is widely agreed to be the most significant threat to Long Island’s regional economy. It continues to affect every sector of the economy, and threatens prospects for the region’s long-term growth.

Long Island is losing young people, and losing them at an alarming rate. U.S. Census Bureau data shows that during the 1990s, Long Island lost almost 130,000 people between the ages of 20 and 34; a 20 percent rate of loss that is matched only in Western New York, which has been suffering from economic stagnation for many years.

The losses are continuing. During the period 2000-2005, Long Island 25 t0 44 year old population declined by over 87,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

The principal reason for the loss of Long Island’s young people is the lack of housing they can afford.

Continued reliance on local solutions to the problem of affordable workforce housing has not produced enough affordable housing to meet the region’s needs. The only realistic alternative is state legislation requiring local municipalities on Long Island to mandate that all new housing projects of a certain size contain a meaningful proportion of affordable housing.

Legislation to accomplish that, the Long Island Workforce Housing Initiative bill, unanimously passed the State Assembly in 2004, 2005, and 2006 but was not acted upon in the State Senate. The legislation would require all sub-divisions of 5 units or more built on Long Island to include at least 10% for affordable housing. We request that the State Senate pass and the Governor sign that bill as soon as possible. The addition of financial or other incentives for local municipalities would be acceptable.

There is more the State can do to help Long Island deal with this problem. We request that the Governor assemble a list of state-owned properties on Long Island that are suitable for affordable workforce housing and begin a process aimed at making those properties available for that purpose. Additionally, we support the use of state retirement funds to build affordable housing, as has been done successfully in California, and the use of state tax credits to encourage employers to use employer assisted housing programs.

EDUCATION

There is continuing concern on Long Island over the possible diversion of education aid funds from our region’s schools to New York City as a result of the 2003 Court of Appeals decision in CFE v. New York State. We recognize that obeying the Court’s mandate in that case may require additional funding for New York City schools. Our position is that any additional funding for the New York City school system should not reduce current or future funds for any other region of the state, and any new revenue sources that are necessary should be derived from New York City alone.

Currently, New York City residents only pay 46 percent of the cost of local education; Long Island residents pay, on average, 72 percent of the cost of local education; and the statewide average is 60 percent. Given that disparity, it would be fundamentally unfair for residents of Long Island to be asked to further subsidize, directly or indirectly, the cost of the New York City schools. Additionally, if the State intends to comply with the Court of Appeals mandate based upon the Courts reasoning in CFE, then the State must provided equivalent financial support to all of the under-funded and under-performing school districts on Long Island and across the state.

Furthermore, if changes are made in the school aid operating formula, a regional cost of living adjustment must be included within the formula. It is more expensive to educate a child in downstate New York because of regional cost differences. A regional cost standard was included years ago in the building aid formula, but was not included in the general operating aid formula.

REGIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

In view of unfolding world events, Long Island needs a regional emergency response plan so that its residents better understand the actions to take in response to an emergency situation. Currently, the response plans that do exist are not fully integrated into a regional plan. In addition, many Long Island residents do not know where to go or where to turn to for necessary information in an emergency.

Development of a region-wide plan for a region as densely populated and complex as Long Island will require full-time professional assistance. And, given the number of local governments affected, it also will require state intervention to ensure that all jurisdictions coordinate properly. A state appropriation of $3 million should be made to allow Long Island’s county and town governments to fashion a new integrated plan for all emergency response activities. We have asked for state assistance in the development of a regional emergency response plan for four consecutive years, without any response.


SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF TOURISM

Tourism is now Long Island’s largest industry, employing over 120,000 people and bringing into the region over $4.5 billion. Long Island also is one of New York’s principal tourism destinations, attracting over 20 million visitors each year. Despite these facts, Long Island does not receive its fair share of state tourism promotion funds and is the only region without a modern tourism information center.

Under current law, state tourism promotion funds are distributed to the regional tourism agencies on the basis of the number of counties in the tourism region, not on the basis of the number of visitors to or the population of the region. That law discriminates against Long Island that has only two counties, while upstate tourism regions have a larger number. State law should be changed to distribute tourism promotion funds based upon the number of visitors to the region.

In addition, for over ten years, Long Island tourism agencies have been working with the New York State Department of Transportation to develop a modern tourism information center at the rest area near Exit 51 on the Long Island Expressway. Under the current schedule, construction of the new facility is not scheduled to begin until 2009. New state funds must be earmarked for the acceleration of the schedule so that construction can begin in 2008.


TRANSPORTATION

Long Island has economic needs that can be directly influenced by the choice of state transportation priorities. Our region faces a shortage of skilled workers and it needs access to workers in New York City who have difficulty finding employment. Currently, about 120,000 people commute from New York City to Long Island for work, and almost all of them travel by car or bus. Without a third track on the Long Island Rail Road’s main line, the rail road cannot run trains on a reverse commutation route during rush hours. Effectively, Long Island has no mass transit for reverse commutation. For that reason, the region’s highest transportation priority is a third track for the LIRR’s main line. Associated with that priority is the completion of East Side Access for the railroad.

We also propose that the Nassau and Suffolk bus systems receive their fair share of the MTA funds collected from regional taxes paid by Long Island residents.

Long Island’s bus systems are essential to the region’s economic vitality. They permit thousands of workers to get to and from their places of business, and otherwise contribute significantly to the region’s quality of life. Continuing fiscal issues faced by both counties have resulted in increases in bus fares and a reduction in services being provided.

The State of New York currently collects four regional taxes from the residents of Long Island alone that are used to operate the MTA system, an estimated $100 million. None of these funds go to either of the bus systems. This is unfair. Long Island’s bus systems should get their fair share of existing MTA tax revenues.

ENERGY-ENACTMENT OF ARTICLE 10 LEGISLATION

It is more important than ever that new energy plant siting legislation be enacted to provide an expeditious and equitable procedure for the location of new energy plants throughout New York State. Long Island’s energy sources are barely adequate to meet the region’s rapidly growing rate of consumption. Without legislation to expedite the power plant siting process, the inevitable delays will hamper our ability to provide new sources of energy on Long Island, which will significantly inhibit the expansion of the region’s economy.

HIGH TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES

Keeping Long Island at the forefront of technology research and development provides additional job creation opportunities and ensures our future as one of the leading high tech areas in the region. We support the following technology needs for the region for this year:

1. Support federal designation of Long Island as a homeland security center.

2. Obtain funding for additional research and development programs on Long Island including:

i. Millennium Centers for Convergent Technologies

ii. Long Island Advanced Manufacturing Center to pursue cooperation between prime contractors and sub-contractors to ensure that such manufacturing stays on Long Island

iii. Software industry inventory

iv. Enhanced centers for advanced technology

v. Technology development funding to add value to early stage technologies, invented in Long Island research centers, at the pre-licensing stage.

3. Secure the release of already-committed funds for:

i. Construction of the New York State Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology – Stony Brook University

ii. Construction of the Center for Functional Nanomaterials – Brookhaven National Laboratory

iii. Construction of the STAR Center in Biomolecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics – Stony Brook University

iv. Construction of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center – Stony Brook University

v. Rehabilitation of an existing facility to house the New York State Applied Science Center of Innovation and Excellence in Homeland Security

4. Re-create the Long Island Research Institute. LIRI was Long Island’s technology transfer organization. It combined the resources of Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Book University, Cold Spring Harbor University, and North Shore-LIJ Health Systems, as well as a venture fund to help develop new technologies. It had to be dissolved due to lack of state funding support. It should be re-created with state help.

To get involved on these and other issues of regional importance, contact Claire Fratello, assistant to the vice president, government affairs at 631-493-3050 or via e-mail at: cfratello@longislandassociation.org