The Long Island Lobby Coalition formed in 2009 in response to political chaos in Albany that put politics first and public service second. The groups in the growing coalition represent over 30 Long Island businesses, environmental groups, civics, human services, Smart Growth planners, labor groups and transportation advocates.  Members include:

AARP
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Empire State Future
Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce
Long Island Federation of Labor
Long Island Business Council
Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Long Island Software and Technology Network
Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless
Suffolk Community Council
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Vision Long Island

The coalition developed a substantive platform for the day that will help Long Island. It includes five key issues: Transportation, Energy and Environment, Human Services, Small Business, Jobs and Economic Development and Sewer Infrastructure. Also included are key pieces of state legislation.

Read the Coalition’s Platform.

Long Island Lobby Coalition Heads to Albany

On Tuesday, February 9, 2010, fifty Long Island leaders traveled up in a bus to Albany for the second annual Long Island Lobby Day. The LI Lobby Coalition met with over a dozen Senators, Assembly members, senior staff and agencies to remind leaders that Long Island priorities cannot be ignored. There was an overall positive tone throughout the day and the group successfully delivered our message of a vital Long Island agenda.

The day began with a press conference where the group introduced the Platform. Despite the political chaos that seems to have gripped Albany in the past year, Long Island wants and deserves strong leadership. It is possible for lawmakers to deal with their internal issues and make policy at the same time. There has been some good statewide progress over the past few years, such as the Smart Growth Cabinet, but as a whole, we need to refocus politics to the grassroots now. The group emphasized that these are not Republican or Democrat issues, but are universal to all Long Islanders. The proposed action items are all common sense and budget-neutral, as they already exist in some form.

The coalition met with: Senator Majority Leader John Sampson, Senator Brian Foley, Senator Craig Johnson, Senator Dean Skelos, Senator Chuck Fuschillo, Senator John Flanagan, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assemblyman Chuck Lavine, Assemblyman Phil Ramos, Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, Assemblyman Marc Alessi, Assemblyman Andrew Raia, Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, Assemblyman Joseph Saladino and members of Governor Paterson’s staff. In addition, the group met with the Environmental Facilities Corporation about Long Island’s sewage infrastructure needs.

Read the Newsday article, Coalition lobbies state for LI's fair share

Read the Newsday article, LI coalition heading to Albany for sewer funding

Watch the News 12 piece, Long Island lobbyists storm the state capital

Updated by mdolan 2/15/10