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News
Suffolk County Comptroller Announces Interest In Making Long Island The
51st State:
Dowling College to Prepare Study for The Effort
Suffolk County Comptroller Joseph Sawicki, Jr. (R) announced at the
Long Island Economic and Social Policy Institute's March 28 Roundtable
for Long Island's Future his plans to explore Long Island as the
nation's 51st state. Comptroller Sawicki, Suffolk County's chief
fiscal officer, explained that his interest in Long Island seceding from
New York State was driven by his "concerns for the future of Long
Island's economy, the affordability of living on Long Island, how the
state budget does not focus on the needs of Long Island, the housing
slump, increasing costs and eroding property values." Sawicki said
that he is"dissatisfied with how Albany treats Long Island's tax
revenues and that Long Island is a jewel to preserve, rather than a cash
cow to milk."
Long Island Economic and Social Policy Institute at Dowling College
Director, Martin Cantor, supported Comptroller Sawicki's interest
saying that, "there is something wrong when Long Island sends to
Albany more money than we get back and we educate 17% of the students in
New York State but receive only 12% of the state aid to education."
Cantor, citing previous studies, said, "Long Island had received $2.9
billion less than it received in aid from New York State and, including
an economic multiplier, Long Island is exporting over $6 billion of
economic activity to Albany, never to feel the regional economic benefit
again." "We are literally sending nearly 5% of what could be
additional regional economic activity to Albany that is redirected to
other regions of the state." Sawicki said, "just think what $2.9
billion could mean to Long Island households. It could make paying
property taxes, education, health insurance and mortgage payments
easier."
Cantor concluded that, "we are the largest suburban region in the
United States and have a larger population than 22 states, yet we
operate under a New York City-dominated State government in Albany. So,
it's no wonder why Comptroller Sawicki is interested in secession."
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at
its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre
Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk
border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor′s, Master′s, and Doctoral degrees in several
disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education.
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