Thursday, October 1, 2026
The message that emerged from last Friday’s annual Long Island Association State of the Region breakfast was focused on ideas that matter deeply to everyone who calls Long Island home: affordable housing, clean water, reliable energy, fiscal responsibility and caring for the most vulnerable.
The event brought together voices from across the political spectrum: Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, just to name a few.
Unsurprisingly, with Hochul and Blakeman widely expected to face each other in November’s gubernatorial election, some of the discussion previewed the themes that will likely define the campaign ahead. But the most striking takeaway was not the contrast in party labels — it was the amount of common ground.
Long Island’s growth and success were recurring themes. LIA President Matt Cohen noted that since the organization was founded in 1926, the region’s population has increased by 900 percent, transforming what was once largely a bedroom community into a diverse economic engine with world-class schools, hospitals and tourist destinations.
Schumer, reflecting on decades of visiting every corner of the state, noted that when Long Island does well, all of New York does well.
Water infrastructure emerged as a point of broad agreement. In her remarks, Hochul previewed a proposed five-year, $3.75 billion investment in that infrastructure, calling it historic. On an island where drinking water comes from a sole-source aquifer, protecting water quality is not optional — it is existential.
Upgrading sewers, improving wastewater treatment and replacing outdated septic systems are investments that will pay dividends for generations, regardless of who occupies the governor’s office.
Blakeman pointed to Nassau County’s public safety record and quality of life, citing national recognition as one of the most desirable places to live.
Housing affordability dominated much of the conversation, particularly as younger New Yorkers struggle to remain in the region. DiNapoli referenced a recent report from his office showing that Gen Z and millennials are being squeezed by high housing costs and limited entry-level job opportunities — a troubling trend for a region that depends on retaining its workforce and future leaders.
Romaine underscored that affordable housing cannot be addressed in isolation; it requires smart planning and significant investment in infrastructure such as roads and sewers to support new development.
Energy infrastructure, including offshore wind, food security, support for safety-net hospitals and maintaining a strong social safety net, was also part of the discussion. These are foundational responsibilities of government. People cannot go hungry. Communities cannot thrive without reliable health care. Economic growth means little if it leaves large segments of the population behind.
What was perhaps most encouraging was DiNapoli’s reminder of fiscal discipline. Even in a relatively strong economy, uncertainty looms as federal funding decisions evolve. Thoughtful, responsible budgeting — looking not just at the next election cycle but years down the road — is itself a bipartisan value.
This election year will bring sharp rhetoric and clear contrasts. That is inevitable, and healthy, in a democracy. But the ideas discussed at the State of the Region breakfast should not become casualties of partisanship. They are good ideas — the kinds of ideas that all elected officials, at every level of government, should be eager to pursue. All of the state’s leaders must resist the temptation to govern by party line alone.
The issues highlighted at the breakfast must remain priorities, regardless of which way the political winds blow.
