Blakeman: New York Should Stay out of Long Island
Hochul: I’m Taking the Money
By Hank Russell
The Long Island Association kicked off the new year with a powerful panel discussion during its annual State of the Region Breakfast, which took place on January 5 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. Some of the topics covered included politics, affordable housing solutions and how to address the number of New Yorkers leaving the state.
The event featured remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York). An appearance by Governor Kathy Hochul followed the panel discussion that engendered a contentious exchange between her and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
During the panel discussion — featuring newly elected Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Blakeman, former U.S. Congressman Peter King and LIA President/CEO Matt Cohen — affordable housing and the state’s involvement on Long Island became a focal point of the discussion. Romaine brought up outmigration from New York, noting that, while Suffolk and Long Island did not lose any of its population, the rest of the state did.
“[People] don’t just vote at the ballot box; they vote with their feet,” Romaine said, adding that he will follow up on his campaign promise to “beef up” law enforcement. “New York lost the most people [due to outmigration] than any other state. That’s a wake-up call.”
Making living on Long Island affordable is a top priority for Blakeman. “In my view, economic development is the most important thing because it creates good-paying jobs and creates sales tax revenue.”
Blakeman noted that, last year, the county’s revenues increased by $140 million. As a result, “we didn’t raise real estate taxes for the next few years,” he said.
Romaine was irate at the taxes that Suffolk residents have to pay on their electric and home heating bills. As part of his campaign, he promised to suspend the gasoline tax and the electric and home heating bills. “We should make it more affordable for the average person to live here,” he said. If not, he said, people will move off Long Island “like the rest of the state.”
“We should be the island of hope, promise and opportunity,” Romaine continued. “When we create these opportunities, we will see people staying here, not leaving Long Island. … We will not stop until we prevail. If we stand up for Long Island, we will win the future.”
When asked what their “Christmas or Hanukkah wish” would be, Blakeman said his wish was for the state to “stay out of Long Island,” possibly alluding to Hochul’s housing policy. He also cited a recent Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC) study and made the point that Long Island contributes more to New York State than it gets back.
“We give billions of dollars to Albany,” he said. “We get very little in return, other than aggravation. … The state should realize that Long Island is the goose that lays the golden egg.”
The LIRPC report showed that, in 2022, Long Island contributed $24.6 billion to the state, a 40% increase over the amount given in 2013. In response, the state sent back only approximately $9.8 billion, which is 10% less than what the region received from the state back in 2013. This was an imbalance of $14.8 billion, which is a 122% increase over 2013.
When Hochul took the podium, she shot back at Blakeman, “I’m walking in, I hear somebody doesn’t want New York on Long Island,” Hochul said jokingly, possibly referencing Blakeman. “Like, I don’t know, should I just walk off the stage right now? You know I’m gonna take all the money with me though, right?” Audio of her remarks can be heard here.
She also defended her housing policy against her critics. “The objective is to give a home to your children, and to the firefighters, and the police officers, and our teachers, and the people who work in the building trades, and drive our subways,” she said, accusing her critics of “weaponizing” local housing policy and placing “silly ads and pictures showing skyscrapers next to a little tiny house in your neighborhood. You know that’s not happening.”
Other elected officials chimed in on the exchange between Blakeman and Hochul. “For too long, Albany has treated Long Islanders like an ATM,” said New York State Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square). “Despite contributing significant funds to the state, our region receives minimal returns. The best way Albany can support Long Island is to give us our fair share of funding for schools and roads and ensure access to reliable public transportation. New mandates, taxes and measures that further hamper the jobs of our law enforcement will only intensify the exodus of New Yorkers. With Hochul’s 2024-25 state budget proposal upcoming, it’s time for Albany to acknowledge its bias or risk further alienating the very community that fuels its coffers.”