Sustainable Strategies for LI 2035

1. Sustainable Strategies for LI 2035 Presentation for New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Thursday, June 10, 2010

2. Long Island 2035 Regional Visioning Initiative • Achieve a regional public consensus for where the next generation of Long Islanders could live and work, the transportation systems needed to support these settlements, and the institutional actions required to ensure a prosperous, equitable and environmentally sustainable Long Island • Analysis and findings to be incorporated into LI 2035 Regional Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

3. Visioning Initiative Informing Sustainability Plan • Baseline Scenario for 2035 • Priorities Expressed at Visioning Workshop/Outreach • Alternatives Scenarios for 2035 • Distributing Growth Throughout Long Island • Concentrating Growth Around Existing Transit Network • Developing New Centers of Population and Jobs • Recommendations for Further Study

4. Assets • Nationally-leading public services, with some of the best schools in the nation • Close proximity to the largest job center and market in the U.S. • Premier research & academic institutions • Quality of life & treasured natural resources • Beaches, parks and open space

5. Assets • Institutions; social, cultural and political networks • Entrepreneurial energy; access to international networks, institutions and capital • Abundant and inexpensive clean water supply from the aquifer • Long Island Rail Road provides commuter service to NYC • Long Island’s highway and arterial grid, while congested, provides access to all points on the Island

6. TAX & GOVERNANCE Challenges • The property tax burden is unsustainable • LI governance is expensive and the cost is rapidly growing • Services are duplicated • The quality of government services is not monolithic Source: U.S. Census Bureau, The Tax Foundation, PFM U.S. 2006-2008 Average= 2.9%

7. ECONOMY Challenges • High wagesstagnating in recent years • High relative cost of doing business • Increasing dependence upon population growth to sustain our economy • Attracting and retaining young workers 2009 Business Climate Rankings Review of 200 metro areas Long Island • Overall business climate 138th • Cost affordability 170th • Projected job growth 139th • Education attainment 32nd Source: Forbes 2009 Best Places for Business and Careers

8. EQUITY Challenges • Fragmented and inefficient delivery of key public services • Racial segregation • Tenuous relationship between immigrant population and host communities, with immigrant workforce essential in many important industries

9. INFRASTRUCTURE Challenges • Transportation: Lack of viable alternatives to the automobile; single-purpose LIRR; congestion; lack of financing for transportation and transit projects; social stigma of transit • Water: Aquifer contamination and over-pumping • Sewer: Lack of strategic planning; inadequate sewer provision • Energy: Very high rates; limited access to wider, renewable supply • Waste: Above average waste generation; high cost and impact • Global climate change: Reliance on carbon; vulnerability to sea level rise

10. Long Island at a Crossroads (since 1978)

11. Goals Ensure a Long Island that is: • Rationally governed – more efficient and coordinated governmental systems • Affordable for all – housing options and affordability with more employment opportunity • Prosperous – a stronger local economy with strategies that put Long Island on the national map for the 21st century economy • Protected – strengthened and expanded infrastructure systems that sustain existing communities while allowing for sustainable growth in the future

12. Work Plan • Tax & Governance • Economy • Infrastructure • Equity

13. Our Plan for Long Island 2035

14. Equitable, Affordable, Accessible Long Island Equity is dealt with holistically across strategy areas Tax & Governance • Focus the region’s collective resources on boosting the poorest schools • Transform schools into multi-functioning neighborhood centers Economy • Stimulate development and preservation of workforce housing options • Establish mechanisms to train workers for 21st century jobs Infrastructure • Create transit-served job centers

15. EQUITY Our Plan for Equity – Immediate Priorities • Craft a fair housing action plan • Establish a taskforce on the low-wage immigrant workforce • Catalyze social and economic development through arts & cultural programs • Establish training, educational, and employment centers for technical jobs in low-income and minority communities

16. TAX & GOVERNANCE Our Plan for Tax & Governance - Immediate Priorities 1. Implement a temporary property tax freeze followed by a property tax cap 2. Establish shared services for local governments and school districts 3. Streamline government permitting and approval process for significant projects 4. Coordinate and centralize property tax assessments • Implement regional collective bargaining for government units, schools and police • Improve voter turnout • Focus the region’s collective resources on boosting the poorest schools 8. Retool Grade 12 in Long Island schools 9. Transform schools into multi-functioning neighborhood centers 10. Replace or expand secondary school course offerings with less expensive “distance learning” opportunities 11. Meet the health needs of an aging, diverse and sedentary population 12. Expand coverage and contain costs of health insurance

17. ECONOMY Our Plan for the Economy - Immediate Priorities • Build consensus for a regional economic strategy and implementing entity • Level the economic playing field for business retention & attraction incentives • Market Long Island’s assets nationally to attract new businesses & workforce • Create a new industry and competitive job base for innovation in home energy efficiency, distributed energy generation and renewable energy sources • Enhance supportive resources for high-tech start-ups • Establish mechanisms to train workers for 21st century jobs • Stimulate development and preservation of workforce housing options • Institute local preference laws for publicly-funded procurement that favor awarding contracts to qualified Long Island based companies • Build the healthcare industry as an employment source

18. INFRASTRUCTURE Our Plan for Infrastructure - Immediate Priorities Transportation • Create vibrant downtowns and transit-supportive communities • Create culture-rich downtowns • Establish transit-served job centers • Implement a meaningful suburban transit system • Create an ongoing funding program focused on sustainable transportation systems through the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) • Improve and create new regional connectivity: New connections and network expansion • Develop a deepwater port on the Long Island Sound in eastern Suffolk County • Take action to manage congestion and make transit competitive • Expand pedestrian and bicycle mobility • Create alternative dedicated local funding sources for Long Island infrastructure and transportation projects

19. INFRASTRUCTURE Our Plan for Infrastructure - Immediate Priorities Infrastructure, Municipal Services & the Environment • Implement a plan to protect Long Island’s natural water resources • Develop a regional energy strategy to realize an affordable, reliable and diverse low carbon energy supply • Create a Long Island-wide “zero waste plan” as part of a regional strategy • Protect the Long Island Sound, Beaches and Bays • Develop a Climate Change resilience plan to anticipate sea level rise • Coordinate an emergency preparedness plan across Long Island

20. INFRASTRUCTURE Our Plan for Infrastructure - Immediate Priorities Land Use • Complement town, village and city-level land-use regulation with overlay guidelines 2. Preserve open spaces and protect the natural environment 3. Protect farmland and ensure local food access 4. Protect neighborhood character and provide for location-compatible and appropriate new development

21. Sustainable Strategies Framework for the Long Island 2035 Sustainability Plan • Avoid a Newsday series in 2050 that says the same things as the one a few months ago comparing 1978 to today.

22. Thank You • Michael E. White • Executive Director, • Long Island Regional Planning Council • (516) 571-7613 • mwhite@nassaucountyny.gov • michael.white@suffolkcountyny.gov