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Neither, Long Island will stay the way it is.
The problem it now has as a tourist destination is that there's no there, there. If the East End had some nice hotels/casinos close to the natural gifts Long Island has I could see people heading there.
"If you build it they will come." If you squabble and 3 layers of hack crony govt table it for years, someplace else "will build it and they will come." The world keeps turing whether LI develops or not. The money is like a liquid and will follow the path of least resistance.
I had to move my family out of Long Island because finding an affordable home in a good neighborhood close to work is nearly impossible unless you have some help. The taxes have outpaced inflation by a gross margin. Without a housing bubble there is not much to fuel the economy of long island. Not everyone can work close enough to commute to the city for work. So much of the "growth" that we thought was taking place over the last 20 years was not real nor sustainable.
Miami and Orlando have long been havens for the wealthy in Latin America to protect their assets. There was already an established banking and financial system/infrastructure in place to cater to this market. In that regard it has a natural advantage that would soon help attract other financial companies to relocate there once the technology became available.
Ive tried long and hard to bite my tongue on some of the responses but just have to chime in - I agree casinos are NOT the answer. I think NY already has enough casinos, the one at Aqueduct in Queens and Empire City in Yonkers. The casinos at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are barely a 3 hour drive north of NYC so I really dont think casinos are the answer.
As for developing LI, my suggestions are in line with what others have already posted:
1. Consolidate school districts where feasible (ie at least eliminate the multiple K-2 or K-5 schools, have all Towns agree on 1 major HS, 1 major MS, 1 or 2 major Elementary schools). The property taxes are somewhat related to school taxes, and while I don't know all the details of who gets what - I think more transparency needs to be provided by School District boards and County legislators on where taxpayer money REALLY is going.
2. Invest in infrastructure. Long Island isnt going to grow into a mega power house for business and industry because of NYC's proximity. NYC overshadows Rockland/Westchester/Nassau/Suffolk. People move TO LI to avoid NYC and its congestion, yet are upset to discover there is just as much traffic and congestion here (hello, just drop by Roosevelt Field after 12 pm on any Saturday, or be able to make it down Old Country Road without constant bumper to bumper traffic). People move to LI to have kids, raise families. That was how it was marketed to middle class families in the 50s/60s and that perception still seems to be the norm today, and more so as major industries have left only leaving behind property owners to deal with the increased taxes from lost commercial revenue.
Improving LIRR service would help. Add additional lines. Don't have trains break down every day just because of weather related issues. We are in the year 2013, not 1813. It is EMBARRASSING that we live in a first world country like the US and have a decaying transportation system that makes us look worse than what is in place in Japan, Russia or Latin America. Create parking garages to encourage people to use the RR instead of driving. I stopped taking the LIRR because by 8 am, I could not find ONE DECENT parking spot at the Baldwin train station. I was also sick and tired of changing at Jamaica or Hunters Pt Ave, or running from 1 train to another hoping it wasn't late. For me, driving was a much more pleasant experience than mass transit and it really shouldn't be like that. When I lived with my ex-boyfriend in Rye/Port Chester, I would take the Metro North from there and never enountered as many delays or crappy service as what I experienced for 1 year dealing with the LIRR Babylon branch. It should not be like that!
Third, is to extend the roads to CT. Having a major airport in Suffolk county would help, since many people in Suffolk county are stuck with whatever airlines operate out of McArthur or Republic airport, if they choose not to travel to JFK or LGA for air travel. Build that bridge from the Seaford-Oyster Bay (135) into CT and extend some of the other roads further down to Ocean Parkway. People are reluctant to move to Suffolk County because its like living at the end of a cul-de-sac. Unless they are close to the Pt Jeff ferries, the only way out is going back East toward Queens. I always think to myself, if Armageddon arrives and everyone in western Suffolk, eastern Nassau had to evacuate LI in a hurry, the LIE would morp into giant parking lot. We need to increase transportation options from LI into CT. I think doing this would help alleviate congestion, the overcrowding while increasing the options of road travel for residents
(I would add more but I am typing from my iPhone, sorry for any typos).
Ive tried long and hard to bite my tongue on some of the responses but just have to chime in - I agree casinos are NOT the answer. I think NY already has enough casinos, the one at Aqueduct in Queens and Empire City in Yonkers. The casinos at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are barely a 3 hour drive north of NYC so I really dont think casinos are the answer.
As for developing LI, my suggestions are in line with what others have already posted:
1. Consolidate school districts where feasible (ie at least eliminate the multiple K-2 or K-5 schools, have all Towns agree on 1 major HS, 1 major MS, 1 or 2 major Elementary schools). The property taxes are somewhat related to school taxes, and while I don't know all the details of who gets what - I think more transparency needs to be provided by School District boards and County legislators on where taxpayer money REALLY is going.
2. Invest in infrastructure. Long Island isnt going to grow into a mega power house for business and industry because of NYC's proximity. NYC overshadows Rockland/Westchester/Nassau/Suffolk. People move TO LI to avoid NYC and its congestion, yet are upset to discover there is just as much traffic and congestion here (hello, just drop by Roosevelt Field after 12 pm on any Saturday, or be able to make it down Old Country Road without constant bumper to bumper traffic). People move to LI to have kids, raise families. That was how it was marketed to middle class families in the 50s/60s and that perception still seems to be the norm today, and more so as major industries have left only leaving behind property owners to deal with the increased taxes from lost commercial revenue.
Improving LIRR service would help. Add additional lines. Don't have trains break down every day just because of weather related issues. We are in the year 2013, not 1813. It is EMBARRASSING that we live in a first world country like the US and have a decaying transportation system that makes us look worse than what is in place in Japan, Russia or Latin America. Create parking garages to encourage people to use the RR instead of driving. I stopped taking the LIRR because by 8 am, I could not find ONE DECENT parking spot at the Baldwin train station. I was also sick and tired of changing at Jamaica or Hunters Pt Ave, or running from 1 train to another hoping it wasn't late. For me, driving was a much more pleasant experience than mass transit and it really shouldn't be like that. When I lived with my ex-boyfriend in Rye/Port Chester, I would take the Metro North from there and never enountered as many delays or crappy service as what I experienced for 1 year dealing with the LIRR Babylon branch. It should not be like that!
Third, is to extend the roads to CT. Having a major airport in Suffolk county would help, since many people in Suffolk county are stuck with whatever airlines operate out of McArthur or Republic airport, if they choose not to travel to JFK or LGA for air travel. Build that bridge from the Seaford-Oyster Bay (135) into CT and extend some of the other roads further down to Ocean Parkway. People are reluctant to move to Suffolk County because its like living at the end of a cul-de-sac. Unless they are close to the Pt Jeff ferries, the only way out is going back East toward Queens. I always think to myself, if Armageddon arrives and everyone in western Suffolk, eastern Nassau had to evacuate LI in a hurry, the LIE would morp into giant parking lot. We need to increase transportation options from LI into CT. I think doing this would help alleviate congestion, the overcrowding while increasing the options of road travel for residents
(I would add more but I am typing from my iPhone, sorry for any typos).
Please understand, I fully agree with you, but wow, talk about a dreamy wonderland... You just have to force the very powerful NYS Teachers Union to accept school district consolidation and all of the mayhem that will ensue. In the end, I think studies have shown consolidating administrative roles will give a bigger bang-for-buck than actually combining schools.
Infrastructure is really crumbling here on LI, since most of the funds are going to labor, but when the state, counties and towns are steps from bankruptcy and leading the nation in indebtedness, good luck finding the funding. The LIRR example you point out is good one, where federal funds will go to the 2nd Ave. tunnel/East side access and Moynahan Station projects. Arguably, neither of the projects will improve time from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station. The 3rd rail main line project has been killed by nimbys. Forget about roads and airports, the first crumbling the later finding it difficult to find major carriers who will pay the price to fly into Suffolk, when you divert all of your funds to Politicians pet projects and the rest to union and public labor, there's no money left. Not to mention, the cost to have have a dude filling the potholes is huge, because he is going to have a more plush retirement than you or I.
The Seaford-Oyster Bay - CT bridge has been treated in detail in another thread on this forum, so I won't repeat, needless to say it aint going to happen. Not in our lifetimes.
The only hope becomes raising revenue and presently that means raising your taxes and adding fees and surcharges to services and stuff you buy. Gambling, while not pretty or a desirable neighbor, is an untapped source of huge revenue.
Ive tried long and hard to bite my tongue on some of the responses but just have to chime in - I agree casinos are NOT the answer. I think NY already has enough casinos, the one at Aqueduct in Queens and Empire City in Yonkers. The casinos at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are barely a 3 hour drive north of NYC so I really dont think casinos are the answer.
As for developing LI, my suggestions are in line with what others have already posted:
1. Consolidate school districts where feasible (ie at least eliminate the multiple K-2 or K-5 schools, have all Towns agree on 1 major HS, 1 major MS, 1 or 2 major Elementary schools). The property taxes are somewhat related to school taxes, and while I don't know all the details of who gets what - I think more transparency needs to be provided by School District boards and County legislators on where taxpayer money REALLY is going.
2. Invest in infrastructure. Long Island isnt going to grow into a mega power house for business and industry because of NYC's proximity. NYC overshadows Rockland/Westchester/Nassau/Suffolk. People move TO LI to avoid NYC and its congestion, yet are upset to discover there is just as much traffic and congestion here (hello, just drop by Roosevelt Field after 12 pm on any Saturday, or be able to make it down Old Country Road without constant bumper to bumper traffic). People move to LI to have kids, raise families. That was how it was marketed to middle class families in the 50s/60s and that perception still seems to be the norm today, and more so as major industries have left only leaving behind property owners to deal with the increased taxes from lost commercial revenue.
Improving LIRR service would help. Add additional lines. Don't have trains break down every day just because of weather related issues. We are in the year 2013, not 1813. It is EMBARRASSING that we live in a first world country like the US and have a decaying transportation system that makes us look worse than what is in place in Japan, Russia or Latin America. Create parking garages to encourage people to use the RR instead of driving. I stopped taking the LIRR because by 8 am, I could not find ONE DECENT parking spot at the Baldwin train station. I was also sick and tired of changing at Jamaica or Hunters Pt Ave, or running from 1 train to another hoping it wasn't late. For me, driving was a much more pleasant experience than mass transit and it really shouldn't be like that. When I lived with my ex-boyfriend in Rye/Port Chester, I would take the Metro North from there and never enountered as many delays or crappy service as what I experienced for 1 year dealing with the LIRR Babylon branch. It should not be like that!
Third, is to extend the roads to CT. Having a major airport in Suffolk county would help, since many people in Suffolk county are stuck with whatever airlines operate out of McArthur or Republic airport, if they choose not to travel to JFK or LGA for air travel. Build that bridge from the Seaford-Oyster Bay (135) into CT and extend some of the other roads further down to Ocean Parkway. People are reluctant to move to Suffolk County because its like living at the end of a cul-de-sac. Unless they are close to the Pt Jeff ferries, the only way out is going back East toward Queens. I always think to myself, if Armageddon arrives and everyone in western Suffolk, eastern Nassau had to evacuate LI in a hurry, the LIE would morp into giant parking lot. We need to increase transportation options from LI into CT. I think doing this would help alleviate congestion, the overcrowding while increasing the options of road travel for residents
(I would add more but I am typing from my iPhone, sorry for any typos).
Got my vote. All been said. Here come the posts on why it can't/won't ever be done, all of which will involve varying degrees of NIMBY (some rich, some poor, some public).
I disagree about the casinos though. 3 hours away isn't close enough to here. The tax money goes directly from NY to CT. Casinos without table games are a joke. You'll never see a hotel at a video gaming only casino. A real casino on LI should/would lead to an entertainment complex, hotels and feeder businesses.
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