presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance

March 25th, 2022

Quote(s) of the Week

“It was great to have the Long Island Lobby Coalition back in-person in Albany this week for an important discussion about our region’s needs and priorities. I’m grateful for Co-Chairs Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Eric Alexander of Vision Long Island for spearheading this important effort, and I look forward to a continued strong partnership with the entire coalition as we fight for Long Island during the State budget season.” - New York State Senator Anna M. Kaplan

Long Island Lobby Coalition Heads to Albany

The Long Island Lobby Coalition traveled to Albany on March 8, 2022, with a diverse delegation of Long Islanders ranging from local civic and chamber organizations to island-wide transportation, environmental, child, human needs and housing advocates. With over 100 organizations working together to advance meaningful improvements to Long Island’s quality of life and economy, the Coalition’s 2022 agenda included important regulatory, budget and legislative actions which are both practical and reasonable for Albany to achieve in order to help Long Island.

The Long Island Lobby Coalition was founded in 2009 as a diverse alliance of organizations working together to advance meaningful improvements to Long Island’s quality of life and our economy.  Since its founding, 16 bills on the Coalitions agenda have been enacted into law, and over 25 budget and regulatory proposals were approved with key Long Island infrastructure projects funded.

This year’s agenda included the following:

• Transportation: Funding for LI Buses, Pedestrian Safety & Complete Streets bills
• Economic Development: Direct funding for Small Businesses Small Business Savings Accounts and funding for downtowns.
• Environment: Environmental Bond Act, Wastewater Funding, OffShore Wind,
• Housing & Human Services: Affordable Housing, Child Care, nutrition, increased support for social work staff  & support for family caregivers.
• Major Infrastructure projects for Long Island communities.

A delegation of the group met with the LI Senate Majority Delegation including NYS Senators Anna Kaplan, Jim Gaughran, Jon Brooks, Kevin Thomas and Todd Kaminsky

A delegation of the group met with the LI Senate Minority Delegation including NYS Senators Phil Boyle, Mario Mattera, Alexis Weik and Anthony Palumbo

Meeting with LI Assembly Delegation including members of the Majority and the Minority including Judy Griffin, Gina Sillitti, Steve Stern, Kim Jean Pierre, Charles Lavine, Ed Ra, Michael Fitzpatrick, Keith Brown, Jarret Gandolfo, Jodi Giglio, Fred Thiele and David McDonough along with the staff of other Assemblymembers who had pre-existing conflicts.

The day closed with a Meeting with 11 members of the Governor’s Policy Team led by the Secretary to the Governor.

All of the meetings there was significant and in some cases enthusiastic support for the agenda put together by the Coalition.  A focused exchange of ideas and follow up items were part of the conversations with the budget being negotiated during the time of the groups visit.   In most cases there was a focus on bipartisanship for Long Island’s needs as the consensus of the meetings.

Special Thanks to NYS Senator Anna Kaplan, Phil Boyle, Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, Office of Senator Todd Kaminsky and Andrew Mulvey from the Office of NYS Governor Kathy Hochul for setting up the meetings for the Coalition as the Capital was reopening. 

Senator Anna M. Kaplan said “It was great to have the Long Island Lobby Coalition back in-person in Albany this week for an important discussion about our region’s needs and priorities. I’m grateful for Co-Chairs Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Eric Alexander of Vision Long Island for spearheading this important effort, and I look forward to a continued strong partnership with the entire coalition as we fight for Long Island during the State budget season.”

The following are some highlights of several key LI Lobby Coalition agenda items which have been embraced by the Governor’s office and have now been included in either/or both the Senate One-House Budget Bill and the Assembly State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022-23 Budget:

Bus Funding for NICE and Suffolk County Transit
With the fiscal climate in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties being seen as uncertain and challenging, cuts to public buses are once again being proposed in Nassau and have already been seen in Suffolk. Bus service is a lifeline for students, working families, seniors and the disabled. Without a dedicated funding stream for Long Island’s transit system, continuity of operations and needed expansions will be in question, jeopardizing the livelihood of many Long Islanders, especially the most vulnerable.
 
The Executive proposal assigns $471 million in non-MTA aid that will benefit bus systems in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
 
The Assembly proposed $179.5 million in non-MTA transit capital funding, a $20 million increase above the executive proposal.
 
Child Care Funding & Facilitated Childcare Enrollment/Childcare Workforce Needs
Now more than ever, New York State needs to make substantial investments to give families equitable access to affordable quality childcare and afford a living wage for childcare providers. Absent a substantial investment in childcare, workers face the treacherous prospect of losing child care assistance on which they depend in order to retain jobs that pay the rent and put food on the table.
 
The Executive proposal allots $900 Million in Childcare Stabilization Grants to cover operational costs for 15,000 childcare providers statewide; Builds $832 million in existing subsidies and $2.3 billion in Federal childcare resources; Increases eligibility for subsidies; and earmarks $75 million investment in child care worker wages and $125 million in funding annually to maintain child care subsidies.
 
The Senate proposes a $4.1 billion investment over four years to reform and expand New York’s child care system; Expands access to subsidized child care statewide for households earning up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level; Proposes workforce stabilization grants to child care providers and grants for child care infrastructure in both capital funding and assistance with recruitment, training, and retention of child care providers; Provides $200 million to support the construction, conversion, and rehabilitation of properties to create and expand access to child care; and restores $4 million for the Child Care Facilitated Enrollment Demonstration Projects in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

The Assembly proposed spending plan includes more than $3 billion in childcare investments, including $2 billion to maintain current subsidies and expand the eligibility from 200 percent of the federal poverty level to 400 percent; Increases the childcare market rate from the 69th percentile to the 90th percentile; Adds $500 million for additional childcare stabilization grants to assist with provider costs such as wages, rent, and other operational needs; and $200 million in capital support to expand childcare access and availability, with a priority on investments in childcare deserts.

Environment & Energy
The $4 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, if approved by voters in November, will fund projects to improve coastal resiliency, protect open space, upgrade water infrastructure, restore habitat, and combat harmful pollution, while creating tens of thousands of jobs throughout the state, resulting in billions of additional project spending. Long Island Lobby Coalition supports the 5 offshore wind projects advancing off LI’s coast. The Lobby Coalition strongly supports the inclusion of $1 billion for clean water infrastructure to advance the upgrading of septic systems and cesspools, as well as critical sewer projects that reduce nitrogen pollution entering Long Island’s waters.
 
The Executive proposal includes $4 billion for the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act; $500 million for clean water infrastructure funding; and $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund.
 
The Senate proposal modifies the Executive proposal by increasing the Environmental Bond Act from $4 billion to $6 billion, adding $2 billion to the Climate Change Mitigation suballocation.
 
The Assembly budget includes $5 billion for the Environmental Bond Act of 2022; and a $2 billion increase allocated to climate change mitigation.
 
Housing
A plan to support 100,000 affordable homes statewide is significant and the LI Lobby Coalition is hopeful that the Island’s development projects will get their fair share of funding to meet a critical need that has gotten worse during the pandemic.
 
The Executive proposal includes a five-year, $25 billion comprehensive housing plan to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 homes with support services for vulnerable populations, and electrify an additional 50,000 homes. Funding includes $5.7 billion in capital resources, $8.8 billion in State and Federal tax credits and other federal allocations, and $11 billion to support the operation of shelters and supportive housing units and to provide rental subsidies.
 
The Senate proposes modifying the Executive proposal for a new five-year Housing Capital Plan of $4.7 billion as follows: An additional $500 million for the New York City Housing Authority; $150 million for the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act; and $25 million for the Affordable Housing Corporation.
 
The Assembly budget would require the governor submit a new five-year housing plan every five years. The plan builds on the Governor’s current five-year affordable housing capital plan by adding an additional $1.7 billion for a total of $6.2 billion. Within that funding, the Assembly spending plan includes $1.35 billion to fund a new Assembly homeownership program.

This year is the coalition's 13th year with over 100 organizations in support and 40 of the groups represented at this year’s Lobby Day.   A full summary of the proceedings will follow on the social media pages of Vision Long Island, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, LI Federation of Labor, LI Main Street Alliance, Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce, LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, LI African American Chambers of Commerce and other coalition members.
 
You can view the Senate One-House Budget Bill here.

The NYS Assembly State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022-23 Budget is available here.
 
Check out the Governor’s FY 2023 Budget Book here.

Check out Long Island Business News' coverage of Lobby Day here.

New Yorkers Seek Solar Energy Amid Skyrocketing Energy Bills

With energy bills skyrocketing, many New Yorkers are looking for alternative energy sources, such as solar power.

While COVID has left some industries struggling, solar has seen a recent boom on Long Island. Scott Maskin, CEO of SUNation in Ronkonkoma, confirms there has been a business surge, especially over the past few months

"We're seeing a surge really in energy awareness. That's what I like to refer to it as," said Mr. Maskin. "It's not just solar, it's backup storage systems, and electric vehicle charging, especially with the climate that we're in right now."

SUNation, a solar installer, has found the recent economic uncertainty driving more people to focus on energy independence. Solar systems can decrease electric costs, increase property value, and as a renewable resource, significantly decrease carbon emissions.

According to Mr. Maskin, although there is an upfront cost to install solar panels, “The goal is to get to zero, and to size the solar system to get to zero so that the average savings is their whole electric bill.” In some cases, those panels can take care of almost an entire energy bill.

You can see more at the Eyewitness News ABC7 NY article and video here.

Reimagine Transit Public Meeting

Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, in coordination with the Department of Public Works, is hosting two public information meetings as part of the next round of updates and input on the Reimagine Transit project, an initiative to redesign the Suffolk County Bus Network and align its transit investments with community goals and priorities. More information about this initiative is available at https://connectli.org/ReimagineTransit.html.
 
Two virtual public meetings were held in May 2021 to share progress on the Reimagine Transit initiative, identify public priorities, and gather input regarding potential changes to the bus network. A public survey was conducted both online and in-person throughout the months of May and June 2021 to share the two transit concepts and capture feedback from transit riders, residents and other stakeholders. The project team has incorporated that feedback and is ready to introduce the Draft New Network. At these upcoming public meetings, the County plans to discuss the Draft New Network, its key outcomes, and get feedback from the community.
 
There will be two opportunities for the public to attend these meetings. Meetings will be held on Wednesday, March 30th 12:00pm to 2:00pm at the Maxine S. Postal Auditorium in Riverhead or via zoom and Thursday, March 31st 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the H Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge or via zoom. To register please visit https://connectli.org/RTGetInvolved.html.
 
Additionally, on the above website there is an opportunity to take a survey which is being circulated to obtain public feedback on the proposed new bus network and help the County’s project team finalize the draft bus route network.
 
To help ensure strong public engagement, please feel free to share this information. If there are any questions, contact Steven Delligatti at steven.delligatti@suffolkcountyny.gov.

SBA to Defer Payment on COVID EIDL Loans

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer announced on March 15, 2022 that the Small Business Administration (SBA) will defer payment on all approved COVID EIDL loans for an additional 6 months, for a total of 30 months of deferment of principal and interest payments from inception of the COVID EIDL loan.
 
Senator Schumer recently wrote to SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman urging for this extended pause, citing the latest Omicron wave and economic uncertainty due to rising costs and global supply chain disruptions. The Senator said that this additional relief will put small businesses and nonprofits in every county of New York and across the country in a better position to fully recover from the pandemic and give borrowers’ much-needed breathing room to get back on their feet.
 
Long Island has received 55,718 approved COVID EIDL loans, equaling $6,149,007,952 in loan approval amount.
 
“The EIDL program has been a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of New York’s small businesses and nonprofits, across every county of the state, and now over 330,000 small businesses and nonprofits across the Empire state will be given much-needed, additional relief to help them recover as we exit the Omicron wave,” said Senator Schumer. “This will allow our Main Streets to breathe a sigh of relief and ensure that they will not have to take another hit to their bottom line with new loan payments amid ongoing global supply disruptions and economic uncertainty. I thank SBA Administrator Guzman for heeding my call to extend the pause, putting our hardest hit businesses in the best position to fully recover.”
 
You can read Senator Schumer’s press release here.

NYS Comptroller’s Conducting Survey on Cost of Climate Change Adaptation

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is undertaking an assessment of how much local governments are spending to adapt to climate change.

The Comptroller’s office is asking the NYS DEC’s Climate Smart Communities to describe and quantify the costs related to any planning, capital or maintenance investments that their local government has made to fix problems caused or exacerbated by climate change-related hazards, and to reduce risks of future damages. A report summarizing the results of this survey will be generated.

The survey will be open to respondents from March 7 through April 18, 2022 and can be viewed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K92F5J6.

Local government officials are encouraged reach out to Comptroller DiNapoli’s office at localgov@osc.ny.gov or (518) 408 -4934, option 1 with any questions or concerns.

Village of Hempstead Pushes for Funding to Cover Cost of Water System Repairs

Revealing that the Village of Hempstead’s water plant has leaked, and the Village’s entire water distribution system needs serious upgrades to continue ensuring adequate water supply, quality and treatment in the Village of Hempstead, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has made a $3.2 million-dollar federal push to jump-start water system rehab across the Village. In a March 7th press release, Senator Schumer announced that he will fight to add the Village of Hempstead’s water plant project and upgrades to the upcoming federal budget, advancing the chance for phase one of this project to get off the ground ASAP. The total cost hovers at around $10 million and includes the central Hempstead Village.

“The drip-drip-drip of longtime disrepair, due to such high costs, at this plant and throughout the village water system, has compromised water quality, distribution and supply in the Village of Hempstead for far too long,” U.S. Senator Charles Schumer advised, and locals should not have to foot the bill for the entire project because it would be impossible to afford.

The Village has long faced critical water infrastructure challenges, Senator Schumer stressed. Village officials have confirmed that the water system is already capacity-strained and needs to be upgraded to sustain current service levels and to accommodate future service levels.

The Village’s proposed Water Improvements Project will utilize locally held funds for the construction of improvements to the Village water treatment plant and water mains distribution system to improve water quality, availability and fire flow downtown. The construction will include "Phase 1" and "Phase 2" which will include the areas of Lent Ave, Washington St, Burr Ave, Kallum Place, and Main St. The project will install 7,430 LF of water mains in the downtown area to replace the deteriorating water distribution system which is adversely affecting the health and safety of residents. The Village acknowledges the total project cost is near impossible to afford at the local level and that the project involves essential infrastructure.

Most of the existing drinking water infrastructure in the Village is in a compromised and deteriorating state, causing significant health risks to Village residents. The current capacity of 12.62 million of gallons per day (MGD) of the water system is just about adequate to meet only the Peak Day demand. This capacity is inadequate to meet the design flow of 14.94 MGD, which includes the Fire Flow requirement, and the possibility of downtown development.

“Senator Schumer has always been a friend to the people of the Village of Hempstead. Clean water is a basic human right and I am thankful he has not forgotten about Hempstead as we work together to bring greater resources to our community,” remarked Hempstead Village Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr.

Patchogue Restaurant Committee and Blue Point Brewery Team up to Support Ukraine

The Patchogue Restaurant Committee and Blue Point Brewery are joining forces in support of Ukraine with a benefit tasting event.
 
Taste of Patchogue for Ukraine is set for March 23, from 5 to 9 PM at the Blue Point Brewery, located at 225 West Main St. in Patchogue.
 
Jayme Bonanno, chair of Patchogue’s Restaurant Committee, said all funds raised will go directly to World Central Kitchen, an organization that provides meals in response to climate, humanitarian and community crises, such as the current invasion by Russia that has displaced millions of Ukrainians.
 
“Something we take for granted, having a hot, cooked meal at our fingertips, has now become a difficult thing for these refugees,” Mr. Bonanno said. “We’re just happy to help.”
 
You can view the Greater Patchogue article here.

Long Island Main Street News, Under Production, makes Extended Interviews with Local Leaders Available

Vision Long Island has been in the process of interviewing some of our community partners: local civics, small business/chamber friends, municipal officials and local food pantry and religious leaders. 

As part of these efforts, we have reached over half of the communities we work in and are starting now to connect to some of our friends not rooted in any one community from development, design and infrastructure professionals and environmental leaders as well.   These interviews will be pieced together into a future show titled "Long Island Main Street News," but, in the meantime, you can view an extended version of these interviews here.

Special thanks to our guests for sharing their experiences, to our friends at Pink Tie for providing access to their studio, and to Rob Comforto from Videomasters for the filming and production.

Great to have Suffolk Legislator Tom Donnelly in for a LI Main Street News interview.  Legislator Donnelly shared the issues he hears from the constituents in his district.  

His approach to his work at the legislature is very service oriented which makes sense given his background in the NYPD, Deer Park Fire Dept, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Check it out here.

Happy to have Marilyn Banks Winter and Justin Winter from A&M Electrical Contractors in for a LI Main Street News interview.

The Winters shared with us the work of a successful MWBE electrical contractor and the opportunities for business in this current market.  

With some older buildings in downtowns set ablaze due to aging electrical systems it is good to hire I licensed electrician in advance of any emergency.  

Check It out here.

We enjoyed having Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer Desena in the studio for a LI Main Street News interview. The Supervisor shared with us some of the goals she has and the approach of working in a bipartisan manner to work with all of the neighborhoods across the Township.  

Some of the issues she wants to tackle is handling the building department process along with working with the incorporated Villages in her district and bringing the voices of residents to Town hall.   She also shared her background in human services which brings an important sensitivity to where folks are at post Coronavirus.  

Check it out here.

Good to have Suffolk Legislator Leslie Kennedy in for a LI Main Street News interview.  

Legislator Kennedy shared with us the issues she hears about in her district, the constituent services her office provides.   She also shared with us some of the projects she is working on ranging from sewers in Smithtown to clean up of Lake Ronkonkoma among other issues.  

Check it out here.

Great to have Caitlyn Servidio and Rob Tassey from the Posillico Organization in for an edition of LI Main Street News. 

Ms. Servidio and Mr. Tassey shared the work of the organization that has grown from a transportation contractor building our local roads to a multifaceted developer of our region's infrastructure.   We zoomed into their most recent project the "Wash Plant" which cleans contaminated soil and recycles the material back into productive use which helps our environment on multiple levels.  

This unique project received a Smart Growth Award in 2021.  Enlightening conversation with these two young professionals. 

Check it out here.

Enjoyable time with Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, who was in for a LI Main Street News interview recently.  

Comptroller Kennedy shared with us the role of his office keeping the County's finances on track and getting bills paid to the over 13,000 vendors in the system.  He also shared the innovative and cost saving measures he has put in place with the over 100 staff in his office. 

Nice to get his economic outlook on the County and to hear his perspective as we recover from the Coronavirus.  

Check it out here.

Great to have Charlie Montana and Charles Razenson from the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce in for a LI Main Street News interview.  

They shared with us the work of the Chamber halping small business through the Coronavirus and an update on the revitalization efforts for the train station area.  

Check it out here.

Nice interview with Town of Huntington Councilman Dr. Dave Bennardo for a LI Main Street News show. 

We covered his experience as an education professional and transition into his new role with the Town.  He shared what he heard from residents and business owners during his campaign and some of the goals he has for the upcoming year.  

Check it out here.

Great to have Roger Weaving and Hunter Gross from the Huntington Township Housing Coalition in for a LI Main Street News interview recently.  

Mr. Weaving and Mr. Gross shared the past and present work of the Coalition that includes advocacy for projects, public education and creation of zoning, policies and funding that advance affordable housing in the Town.  The need for affordable units at this time is overwhelming but the community-based approach they have embraced over two decades is a model for other Towns.   

Check it out here.

We had a good time with Renee Flagler from Girls Inc., in for a LI Main Street News interview.  Ms. Flagler shared with us the work of her organization helping young girls particularly in middle and high school through educational and empowerment programs.  

We also spoke about the challenges and pressures of social media that are particularly hard on teens and preteens.  Her organization has a long history and happy to see a very active chapter on Long Island. 

Check it out here.  

Middle Island Civic to Host Local Clean Up

The Middle Island Civic Association is joining with the Coram and Gordon Heights Civics, Gordon Heights Chamber, Longwood CSD, Suffolk County Police Department and local elected officials for a cleanup of Main Street on Saturday, April 2nd. Home Depot and other area businesses are donating supplies.
 
Middle Country Road is the essential corridor connecting many hamlets in Longwood. After finally getting most of it repaved last year, it is time to "Take Back 25" from litter and loitering. Contact Legislator Dominik Thorne's office to sign-up, or just join that morning.
 
Date: April 2, 2022
Time: 9:30 AM
Location: Coram Home Depot parking lot, 346 Middle Country Road, Coram

Baldwin Civic Encourages Local Community to Join Cash Mobs

The Baldwin Civic Association is encouraging community members to support local businesses by joining a cash mob at the following eateries:
 
• Thursday, March 31, 5:00-8:00 PM: Cash Mob at Kitty O'Hara's Restaurant - 845 Merrick Road
• Tuesday, April 5, 5:00-8:00 PM: Cash Mob at Novi Restaurant  - 99 Merrick Road
• Tuesday, April 12, 5:00-8:00 PM: Cash Mob at Gino's of Baldwin Restaurant  - 919 Atlantic Avenue
• Wednesday, April 20, 4:00-7:00 PM: Cash Mob at DeFrancisco's Pizzeria  - 97 Merrick Road
 
Participants can win a $100 gift basket at each location. Contact the Baldwin Civic Associations with questions at baldwincivic@gmail.com

Spring Cleanup in Mastic Beach

The Great South Bay will only be as healthy as the 50 creeks leading into it. All are welcome to help in a spring cleanup along Pattersquash Creek, including scouts, students, families, local organizations, company teams, and nature lovers of all kind.
 
Date: Saturday, March 27th
Time: 9:00-11:00 AM
Location: Meet up at St. Jude’s Church Parking Lot
 
Pick a buddy and then pick up a Grab ‘n Go gear packs with bags, picker, disposable gloves, safety vests & a map of your designated clean up area. Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and waterproof shoes/boots. Current COVID guidelines will be in effect. Community service available.
 
Volunteer at savethegreatsouthbay.org/volunteer
For info, call 646-827-0733 or email info@savethegreatsouthbay.org

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