Suffolk Seeks State Funds for Transit & Housing, Nassau Co. Exec. Sinks in Court

"I want public transportation to be easy, reliable, and dependable. Imagine if it was more convenient. Imagine if we get greater subsidies and I could do more routes. I think our ridership would blossom," Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) told Newsday about his funding ask of Governor Hochul. "These improvements are critical as we expand residential developments near new train stations and downtown areas to attract and accommodate a growing number of young professionals."

"Romaine’s letter comes as he has attempted to establish a positive relationship with Hochul, an effort that observers have highlighted as being in direct contrast to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who has criticized the governor and earlier this year asked the state to 'stay out of Long Island.' Romaine went to Albany for Hochul’s State of the State speech in January, where he visited the governor to tell her she would 'always be welcome in Suffolk.' And Hochul already has focused her attention on Suffolk, most recently providing 13 acres of state land for an East Farmingdale housing development at Republic Airport, the first example of the state's efforts to build housing on state land," summarized Newsday..

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R)'s recent effort to ban transgender athletes from using public parkland has predictably been struck down in court, but it was Blakeman's dismissive response to a judge with a deep Republican pedigree that raised eyebrows in political circles.