By MIKE CAPUTO and MIKE RUSSO
About 200 young adults answered the call, attending a special county master planning forum on July 22 at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola. Some had grown up and continue to live in Nassau County, while others had been raised here but had moved out. A handful had grown up out of state but now attend college in Nassau, while some had no connection to the county.
Paul Serte, 31, grew up in Merrick but moved to Bayside, Queens, when he got married. After spending four years enjoying the restaurants and nightlife of Bell Boulevard, Serte began thinking about having children, and move back to where he grew up. He explained that Nassau's quality of life safety and school districts led his family back to his roots.
The high cost of living, however, is discouraging for Serte, who said his taxes have gone up at least 31 percent in the three years since he resettled in Merrick. "We're fighting a battle where the wind is in our faces," he said.
Tameka Miller, 28, an East Meadow resident who is also married, said she always dreamed of starting a family in a home of her own. She looked in Hempstead, and was surprised to see several houses for sale or foreclosure. So she decided to investigate.
"When I figured in taxes, furnishings and improvements, the cost was too high," said Miller, who, with her husband and daughter, is living with her parents for now.
While the rising cost of living continues to be a burden, many young adults who attended discussed the attractiveness, or lack thereof, of downtowns and the pros and cons of transportation around the county. In virtually all of the dozen groups spread across the legislative chambers, the term "cool downtowns" was discussed. In his introductory address, Suozzi listed the downtowns in Nassau that he considers "cool" or that have the potential to be, based on the availability of public transit, retail, restaurants and affordable housing, usually all within walking distance.
Suozzi also pointed to the Lighthouse project - the massive plan to redevelop 150 acres surrounding the Nassau Coliseum, which is still seeking approvals from the county and the Town of Hempstead - as a crucial component of Long Island's future.
Alicia Brosen, 24, of Woodmere, who studies library science at Queens College, said that more shopping options and movie theaters would be a positive for the county, and added that a good example of a "cool" downtown is the area surrounding the Coliseum and Hofstra University.
Brosen, who grew up in Nassau, said she wants to stay there. "I like where it's going," she said.
According to statistics released by the county, only 8.7 percent of Nassau County's population of 1.3 million is in the 25-to-34 age range. That number is higher in Suffolk County (10.7 percent) and New York City (15 percent).
Suozzi said that while 90 percent of Nassau should remain as is, 10 percent needs to be revitalized. "We want to define ourselves as the new suburbia," he said. "We want to be the model for the country."
Matthew Terranova, 30, of Valley Stream, noted that the county's imposition of a home heating oil tax adds to the already high cost of living, which has driven out most of his friends. "I love Nassau County - my grandfather moved here and my father lived here, too," Terranova said. "Now I live here, but my friends are all gone. It went wrong somewhere. Where it went wrong I don't know."
Stephanie Rothman, a 20-year-old from Woodmere who is home for summer break from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, said she hopes to attend law school someday in New York City, but is unsure if that commute would be from Nassau. "I'll keep the option open," she said.
A Facebook group was formed for forum participants - and all others who are interested - to continue exchanging ideas on their futures, and that of the county. The group is called "Tom Suozzi Wants You to Come Home to Nassau County."
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
