2009 Long Island Index

09
Long Island Index
Working Together in New Ways for Long Island’s Future

The Index is a status report on the Long Island region that aims to engage the larger Long Island community in
thinking about the region’s future and to be a catalyst for corrective action.
Director, Lawrence Levy CUNY Mapping Service at the

Long Island Index Hofstra University Center for Urban Research
Ann Golob David Kapell Steven Romalewski, Lead
Kapell Real Estate and Antiques Lee Hachadoorian
Project Consultants
Thomas Amper Jeffrey Kraut The Early Years Institute
Doug Henton North Shore-Long Island Jewish Dana Friedman, Lead
Michael Holzman Health System Celeste Hernandez
Rebecca Sanin
Communications & James Large, Jr.
Dime Savings Corporation (retired) Fiscal Policy Institute
Public Relations
Frank Mauro
Patricia L. Randolph— Robert Mackay
Trudi Renwick
Long Island Index Society for the Preservation of
Deanna Morton—InfiniTech Long Island Antiquities Hofstra University
Robert Simkins—InfiniTech Marc Silver, Lead
Nadia Marin-Molina
Amy Armenia
Website The Workplace Project
William Mangino
www.longislandindex.org Ken Morrelly
Middle Country Public Library
Long Island Forum for Technology
Advisory Committee Elizabeth Malafi, Co-Lead
David Ochoa Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, Co-Lead
Nancy Rauch Douzinas, NuAlliance, LLC
Publisher Salvatore DiVincenzo
Rauch Foundation John Racanelli Sara Fade
Farrell Fritz, P.C. James Ward
Richard Amper
Long Island Pine Barrens Society Janice Rohlf Rauch Foundation
Stony Brook University John McNally
Drew Bogner Max Poltarak
Molloy College Joseph Scaduto
Long Island Life Sciences Initiative Ravi Ramkeesoon
Diane Cohen Regional Plan Association
Nassau University Medical Center Howard Schneider
Stony Brook University Christopher Jones, Lead
Matthew Crosson School of Journalism Richard Barone
Long Island Association Robert Freudenberg
Robert Scott
John Durso Juliette Michaelson
Adelphi University
Long Island Federation of Labor Katie Nosker
Bruce Stillman
Sandy Feinberg Renewable Energy Long Island
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Middle Country Public Library (RELI)
Paul Tonna Gordian Raacke
George Frank Energeia
Rauch Foundation Stony Brook University Center for
Edward Travaglianti Survey Research
Robert Gaffney Commerce Bank Long Island
Dowling College Leonie Huddy, Lead
Reginald Tuggle Linda Pfeiffer
Margarita Grasing Nassau Community College
Hispanic Brotherhood of Sustainable Long Island
Rockville Centre John Wenzel Sarah Lansdale, Lead
Rauch Foundation Lyle Sclair
Elaine Gross
ERASE Racism Michael White Teachers College
Long Island Regional Planning Board Amy Stuart Wells, Lead
Patrick Halpin Bianca J. Baldridge
Institute for Student Achievement Technical Committee Jacquelyn Duran
Richard Hawkins Center for Governmental Research Courtney Grzesikowski
Hawkins & Associates Organizational Charles Zettek Jr., Lead Richard Lofton
Learning Consultants Joseph Stefko Allison Roda
Miya Warner
Terrenda White
Table of Contents
PAGE
ABOUT THE INDEX 3
SPECIAL ANALYSIS: Long Island’s Educational Structure: Resources, Outcomes, Options 4
ECONOMY 32
Goal #1: Growth and Prosperity: Our economy grows at a rate that results in an improved quality of life for all.
Gross Metropolitan Product/Gross Domestic Product 32
Employment Trends 34
Growth in Wages over the Past 10 Years 34
Household Income Distribution 35
Industry Clusters 37
Goal #2: Supportive Business Environment: Long Island provides a business friendly environment for companies to grow.
Local Bidder Preference Laws 39
Goal #3: Innovative Economy: Our economy incubates, supports and retains companies.
Venture Capital Financing 41
Research and Development Investment 43
OUR COMMUNITIES 44
Goal #4: Vibrant Communities: We create exciting communities and downtown centers that offer people a wide choice
of places to live, work and play.
Long Island’s Changing Population 44
Long Island’s Downtowns 49
Goal #5: Affordable Homes: We generate housing options that are affordable to people of all ages and income levels.
Housing Affordability 51
Housing near Rail Stations 55
Home Mortgage Trends 57
Goal #6: Safety Net: We assure that people are provided with basic necessities such as food and shelter.
Poverty 59
Hunger 60
Goal #7: Transportation: We increase mobility by investing in an integrated, regional transportation system and by
encouraging creative problem solving to find transportation alternatives.
Transit Ridership 61
Vehicle Miles Traveled 62
HEALTH 63
Goal #8: Healthy People: All people have access to quality affordable health care that focuses on disease and
illness prevention.
Paying for Hospital Care 63
EDUCATION 65
Goal #9: Educational Readiness: All students are prepared to learn at each stage of the educational pipeline.
Poverty Index 65
Percent of Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) 67
Performance Tests 68
College Readiness 70
Availability of Child Care 71
Child Care Affordability 72
OUR ENVIRONMENT 73
Goal #10: Natural Resource Conservation: We promote the conservation and efficient use of the region’s natural resources.
Land Preservation 73
Brownfields Redevelopment 75
Energy Consumption 77
GOVERNANCE 79
Goal #11: Managing for Results: Long Island’s counties, towns, villages and other jurisdictions manage their costs and
provide quality local and regional services.
Expenditures and Revenues 79
REFERENCE MAPS 84
HOW TO USE www.longislandindex.org 86
Note to readers:
You will find our full Appendix including sources and methodology on our website, www.longislandindex.org.
page 1
Page 2 | 2009 Long Island Index
>>
about the index
Good Information Presented in a Neutral Manner Can Move Policy
About the Index
The Long Island Index is a project that gathers and publishes data on the Long Island region. Our operating
principle is: “Good information presented in a neutral manner can move policy.”
The Index does not advocate specific policies. Instead, our goal is to be a catalyst for action, by engaging the
community in thinking about our region and its future.
Specifically, the Index seeks to:
• Measure where we are and show trends over time
• Encourage regional thinking
• Compare our situation with other similar regions
• Increase awareness of issues and an understanding of their interrelatedness
• Inspire Long Islanders to work together in new ways to achieve shared goals
The governing board of the Long Island Index is the Advisory Committee, composed of leaders from Long
Island’s business, labor, academic and nonprofit sectors.
The Rauch Foundation acts as the convener of the Advisory Committee and the financial underwriter of the
project. Initially funded for a three year period, the Foundation has since decided to continue the project.
What Are Indicators?

Indicators are facts that help show how a region is doing, the way the unemployment rate helps show the
health of the economy. Measuring these kinds of data helps communities:
• Identify existing conditions
• Measure progress toward goals
• Mobilize action to improve the region
How to Use the Index

Each Long Island Index is centered on the following components:
(1) We define 11 goals to measure the region. The goals span six major areas of investigation: economy,
our communities, health, education, our environment, and governance.
(2) Next, there are key findings. These are the indicators, specific measures of how we are doing.
Example: The largest industry cluster on Long Island is Health with more than 150,000 employees.
The findings are presented through both written and graphic analyses.
(3) Next is, “Why is this important?” This explains why the indicator is a good measure of progress
toward a particular goal.
(4) “How are we doing?” puts the information in context.
page 3
Page 4 | 2009 Long Island Index | Special Analysis
Long Island’s Educational Structure:

Resources, Outcomes, Options
Introduction What we found is significant. conducted an in-depth survey
of Long Islanders to gauge their
• There is a tremendous differ
The Long Island Association knowledge of the current situa
ence in what districts spend
describes the region’s schools as tion and openness to change.
per-pupil. Even the state fund
“the centerpiece of our lifestyle” We were surprised to learn how
ing formula which is supposed
and “the driving force behind this many Long Islanders are unaware
to even out the disparities
region’s economic vitality and of how unevenly educational
between districts does not end
attractiveness to business.” But resources are delivered across the
up doing that when all the
while some of our schools are the region. But we were heartened
funding streams are looked at
best in the country, many are not to find that there was significant
in their totality.
doing well at all. support for solutions that would
• There is a great difference in give poorer students and the
What accounts for these differ
educational needs. communities they live in access
ences? The Long Island Index set
to wider opportunities. We were
out over the past year to study our • Where needs are highest, we
particularly struck that those
region’s educational system. We spend the least; unsurprisingly,
individuals who understood the
approach the subject not from outcomes are the lowest. Con
scope of the problem were the
the standpoint of pedagogy—we versely, where we spend the
most supportive of considering
are not educators—but rather in most, student needs are the
alternatives.
structural terms. We quantified least; in these districts, edu
how educational services are deliv cational outcomes are not sig With so many school districts,
ered on our island. By unraveling nificantly better than in the Long Island has evolved a zero-
the intricate relationships between middle range. sum mentality—if one district
funding sources and educational gains, another loses. There are
• Isolating high-needs students
outcomes in a way that hasn’t other options. We look at what
compounds low performance.
been done before, we find that other parts of the country have
Our study showed that high-
while we pay a lot in taxes, we done to address these same prob
needs students in relatively
don’t always get what we expect lems, and we find there are many
wealthy districts significantly
and sometimes we don’t get what ideas for Long Islanders to con
outperformed high-needs stu
we need. sider and adapt for our situation.
dents in poor districts. Access
Starting a discussion on Long
We worked with several research to more resources and inter
Island’s delivery of educational
teams to uncover the multiple action with a more diverse
services is tough in good economic
aspects of this problem. Hofstra student body promote better
times, and conventional wisdom
University completed a statistical achievement.
would say it is dead on arrival in
analysis of the relationships
Long Island has resisted tinker the current economic climate.
between disparities in educational
ing with its educational system. But if the current system is too
resources, challenges, and out
Over the years, proposals to create expensive and doesn’t offer what
comes. Fiscal Policy Institute
more opportunities for students, we need to move the region for
studied the impact of New York
consolidate districts, build mag ward, then perhaps this is the
State’s complex and shifting for
net schools have gone nowhere. best time to consider new ideas.
mulas for educational funding.
Yet maintaining the status quo They have worked elsewhere, and
The Survey Center at Stony Brook
will not work either—it is both they hold a strong potential to
University polled Long Islanders
too expensive to sustain and address our issues. It is with this
on their opinions about our edu
not delivering the necessary out goal that the Long Island Index
cation system and their attitudes
comes for the region. As we have conducted this research and makes
toward proposed reforms.
done in past Index reports, we it available here.
I. District Structure
The Legacy of We currently have well over 100 majority of counties in the state
school districts. Nassau contains include only 15 districts or less.
the One-Room 56 and Suffolk 68, placing them Long Island is the stark exception.
Schoolhouse seventh and fourth—out of 3,066
Not surprisingly, most of our dis
counties in the nation—in the
In comparison to the rest of the tricts are small, in both enroll
number of districts per county.
state, and the country, the most ment and area: 75% enroll fewer
conspicuous feature of Long In the first three centuries of than 5,500 students. Eighty-three
Island’s educational landscape is European settlement in this area, percent cover less than fifteen
the number of districts we have. single-school districts and one- square miles, and 36% less than
room schoolhouses were the norm. five square miles.
Our historic development has By 1905, New York State had accu
separated Long Island into local This fractionated structure, as
mulated 10,625 districts. Seeing
districts that vary enormously we will see, aside from being
the need to consolidate, the state
in size, race, income, and other intrinsically unwieldy, produces
reorganized in 1947 and again
features. Indeed, our region is a great range of anomalies and
in 1958. By 1965 the number of
exceptional, both in how many aberrations: in school revenues,
school districts had been brought
school districts we have and in expenditures, and educational
down to 792. There the process
how segregated they are. outcomes.
stopped. Today the overwhelming
Long Island counties have far more districts than most places in New York and the country.
page 5
Long Island districts vary greatly in enrollment, but 75% have fewer than 5,500 students.
Thirty-six percent of districts cover less than five square miles. Another 47% cover 5–15 square miles.
* “Home Rule” Lives. But Not in Its Original Home.
The proliferation not only of the English themselves (along
school districts but police dis with other European countries)
tricts, fire districts, sanitation found that Home Rule interfered
districts, water districts etc., is with their efforts to modernize
a relic of Long Island’s colonial and have buried the concept.
history. Home Rule is an ancient Only in the New World does this
concept of English law that spread medieval idea live on.
across Long Island like trans
planted sparrows. Interestingly,
* 125 School • Three districts are high school multiple common school districts,
only: Bellmore-Merrick, “free” from the restrictions that
Districts? Are Sewanhaka, and Valley Stream. had barred them from operating
You Sure? Eleven elementary school only high schools.
districts feed these high school
We keep saying that Long Island Central School Districts are the
districts. Another eight districts
has 125 school districts. But: most common type in New York
are also elementary only, and
State, but only 22 are found on
• In discussing results on achieve an additional five are elemen
Long Island. These were formed
ment exams, we refer only tary and middle school only.
through the consolidation of
to the 124 school districts
common, union free, and/or cen
that include all or some of
Grades K–12. * What’s in a Name? tral school districts. In general
the laws governing their struc
• The 125th, Little Flower, is a Common School Districts repre ture are the same as union free
“Special Act Public School” sent the original type of school school districts.
established to provide educa district. Today there are only 11
left in New York State, four of We have three Central High
tional services to residents of
them on Long Island. By law, they School Districts, which provide
the Little Flower Residential
may not operate high schools, secondary education to students
Treatment Center.
and therefore must contract with in two or more common or union
• When we refer to state financ neighboring districts to provide free districts.
ing, we count 121 districts. secondary education. We have two City School
New Suffolk, Sagaponack, and
Ninety-seven of our districts, Districts: Glen Cove and Long
Wainscott are too small to
78%, are Union Free School Beach.
receive state funding; Little
Flower receives its funding Districts. This indicates that they
through different mechanisms. were formed from the “union” of
page 7
Page 8 | 2009 Index | Special Analysis | II. Revenues
2008 Long Island Index
II. Revenues
The Revenue • Long Island taxes have increased
20% in the past ten years; state
Jungle wide, the increase was only 6%.
Revenue streams for Long Island Among all our local taxes, school
schools are complicated and vary taxes have grown the most.
greatly from district to district. • Per capita property taxes on
The principal sources are local Long Island are comparable
real estate taxes, state aid to edu to those in peer counties such
cation, and local commercial as Westchester, Bergen, and
taxes. (Federal funding for Long Fairfield. However, they are
Island schools is small and rela almost 60% higher than those
tively evenly distributed.) in Fairfax, Virginia, an area
In each of these revenue streams, of comparable wealth. The big
there are great anomalies and difference in Fairfax: a single
disparities. Put together, educa school district serves the entire
tional revenues seem madden county.
ingly inconsistent and capricious. School taxes vary drastically
between districts overwhelming burden for many,
A. Real Estate Taxes Because property values vary so particularly senior citizens or
greatly between communities, other long-term owners forced
School taxes are the largest to pay taxes on houses that are
reliance on real estate taxes pro
component of local property now worth much more than when
duces enormous disparities. For
taxes, which on Long Island are they bought them.
one thing, wealthy districts are
oppressively high. Indeed, Long
able to raise far higher revenues
Islanders consistently name prop On the other hand, people in dis
than poor districts.
erty taxes as our region’s Number tricts where income and property
One problem. At the same time, the system values are low are forced to tax
inflicts hardship on taxpayers themselves at extraordinarily high
• According to a 2006 study by rates, and still are not able to raise
at both ends of the spectrum.
the Long Island Index, Long adequate funds for their schools.
Residents of wealthy districts pay
Island property taxes are 2.5
enormous sums. These are an
times the national average.
chart for page 9
hart A
Long Island Schools and Government Percent Change in Real Property Tax Levy Compared to Inflation 1998-2006
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Consumer Price Index 100% 102% 105% 108% 111% 114% 118% 123% 127%
Change in Real Property Tax Levy:
School Districts 100% 104% 109% 116% 126% 137% 148% 161% 172%
County Governments 100% 101% 109% 116% 127% 144% 144% 146% 146%
Town Governments 100% 102% 104% 109% 111% 117% 121% 128% 133%
Village Governments 100% 101% 107% 110% 115% 123% 132% 143% 150%
Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.
School taxes on Long Island have climbed 172% in eight years—faster than any other levy, and much faster than the
rate of inflation.
School District
Total School Expenditures
District Revenue Per Pupil
Per Pupil
$30,000
$30,000
%
REPLACED WITH
25,000
25,000
20,000
20,000
Dollars
NEW CHART 9
20072007
15,000
15,000
10,000
10,000
5,000
5,000
00
’95
’95 ’96
’96 ’97
’97 ’98
’98 ’99
’99 ’00
’00 ’01
’01 ’02
’02 ’03
’03 ’04
’04 ’05
’05
Top
Top10%
10% Middle
Median Bottom 10%
Bottom 10%
Source:
Source:New
NewYork
YorkState
StateEducation
EducationDepartment;
Department;Hofstra
HofstraUniversity.
University.
From 1995 to 2005, the gap in per-pupil revenues between the

wealthiest 10% of districts and the poorest increased from $8,756
to $11,032, in constant dollars.
Gap in Achievement: Highest Obstacles vs. Lowest Obstacles
50%
40
Percentage Points
30
20
page 9
10
The effort required to raise revenues for education varies
tremendously across long island. SPECIAL ANALYSIS CH 4
Tax Increase on a $450,000 Home If District Raises Expenditures by $250/Student
Fire Island
Amagansett
Bridgehampton
Quogue
Montauk
Oysterponds
Fishers Island
Southampton
Remsenburg-Speonk
Shelter Island
Sag Harbor
East Hampton
Tuckahoe
Springs
East Quogue
Southold
Oyster Bay-East Norwich
Port Jefferson
Locust Valley
Manhasset
Island Park
Greenport
Great Neck
Mattituck-Cutchogue
Lawrence
New Hyde Park-Garden City Park
Westhampton Beach
Bellmore
Merrick
Floral Park-Bellerose
Bellmore-Merrick Central High
Port Washington
Franklin Square
Jericho
Hampton Bays
Cold Spring Harbor
Sewanhaka Central High
Valley Stream 30
North Shore
Garden City
Valley Stream Central High
Mineola
Valley Stream 13
Valley Stream 24
East Williston
Roslyn
Northport-East Northport
Hauppauge
Long Beach City
North Bellmore
Glen Cove City
Syosset
North Merrick
Riverhead
Carle Place
Hewlett-Woodmere
Herricks
Huntington
East Moriches
Half Hollow Hills
Elmont
Hicksville
Rockville Centre
Plainview-Old Bethpage
Shoreham-Wading River
Malverne
Massapequa
Bethpage
East Rockaway
Three Village
South Huntington
Oceanside
Kings Park
West Hempstead
Lynbrook
Smithtown
Farmingdale
Amityville
Seaford
Connetquot
Babylon
Commack
Harborfields
Elwood
East Meadow
Uniondale
Bayport-Blue Point
Deer Park
Plainedge
Bay Shore
Baldwin
Wantagh
South Country
Westbury
Miller Place
Longwood
Sachem
Brookhaven-Comsewogue
Sayville
Island Trees
Mount Sinai
Center Moriches
Islip
Levittown
Patchogue-Medford
West Islip
Middle Country
West Babylon
Eastport-South Manor
East Islip
North Babylon
Rocky Point
Copiague
Lindenhurst
Freeport
Central Islip
William Floyd
Roosevelt
Hempstead
Wyandanch
Brentwood
0 $0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $350
Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute.
Some districts could raise per-pupil revenues $250, just by adding a few dollars to the tax on a $450,000 home. For other
districts, it would cost hundreds.
The disparity can be seen in an students in the district and the • It would cost a Fire Island tax
analysis provided by the Fiscal overall wealth of the community payer $1.72 per $450,000 home
Policy Institute. They asked how (i.e., more homes with higher to raise the funds; in Brentwood
much, in each Long Island dis property values). the cost would be $325.67.
trict, taxes would have to rise
• In districts with high wealth- • When districts of similar size
on a $450,000 home in order to
per-pupil, a relatively small are compared, poor districts
increase revenues by $250 per-
tax increase will significantly must increase taxes up to 6.5
pupil. The Institute found:
raise per-pupil revenues. Where times as much as wealthy dis
• The tax increase needed wealth-per-pupil is low, a much tricts, in order to raise the
depends on the number of greater tax increase is needed. same per-pupil revenue.
SPECIAL ANALYSIS CH 5_7

Comparison of Eight Districts
Number of NYS Defined Percent Higher in

School District Name Students in District Need Level Tax Increase High Need Districts
Wyandanch 2,254 3 $314.39
658%
Locust Valley 2,284 6 $ 47.81
Roosevelt 2,945 3 $303.92

397%
Mineola 2,865 6 $ 76.57
Hempstead 6,913 3 $312.35

374%
Syosset 6,677 6 $ 83.48
William Floyd 10,191 3 $270.27

207%
Smithtown 10,541 6 $130.28

NYS Defined Need Level*
3 = High Need Districts
6 = Low Need Districts
*These categories are based on a measure of a district's ability to meet the needs of its students with local resources.
This measure is caluclated by dividing a district's estimated poverty percentage by its Combined Wealth Ratio.
When districts of similar size are compared, poorer districts must increase taxes up to 6.5 times as much as
wealthier districts
Mathto achieve
Resultsthe
forsame
Highincrease in Schools
Obstacle per-pupilin
revenue.
Most Affluent and
Least Affluent Communities
100%
tacle schools
Percent Meeting NYS Standard
ffluent communities
80
60
tacle schools
ffluent communities 40
20
0
Math 4 Math 8 Regents Math A
GAP 11% 17% 19%
High Obstacle Schools in High Obstacle Schools in

Most Affluent Communities Least Affluent Communities
Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
page 11
Page 12 | 2009 Long Island Index | Special Analysis | II. Revenues
B. State Aid for Fiscal Equity, was found to Aid to High Tax Districts is an
be inadequate, because it did not aid program particularly targeted
All districts receive funding from
take sufficient account of the toward Long Island and other
the state. But here again, amounts
greater educational obstacles downstate suburban school dis
differ greatly. Because wealthier
that poor districts confront. tricts. The plan employs a com
districts raise so much more money
plex formula, which despite the
from property taxes, state aid is A new formula to direct aid based
use of “high tax” in the name,
provided disproportionately to poor on district need was established for
directs aid mainly based on high
districts. The additional state aid, the 2007–08 academic year. The
per-pupil expenditures. The pro
however, does not come close to Foundation Formula weighed sev
gram distributed a little over $200
bridging the gap: the wealthiest eral indicators of a district’s need
million statewide, of which 70%
districts end up with almost 50% (e.g., poverty, Limited English
came to Long Island.
more revenue per-student than Proficiency, regional cost of living
the poorest districts. differences), as well as the dis The effect of STAR and Aid to
trict’s ability to provide resources High Tax Districts is to reduce
When districts are grouped by
to meet those needs (e.g., district the equalizing effect of the Foun
affluence, these disparities become
property wealth, income per-pupil, dation Formula. That formula
apparent. The more affluent the
and combined wealth ratio). As would have provided Long Island’s
community, the more total reve
shown in the chart on page 13, neediest districts with almost
nues they raise, and the higher
the poorest districts were now to three times as much aid as the
the percentage coming from
receive about three times as much wealthiest districts. When the
local taxes.
as the wealthiest. two other programs are included,
Some aid programs undo the the aid dropped to only 1.8 times
This, however, is not what hap
work of others the aid to the wealthiest districts.
pened, because of the effects of
Formulas for apportioning state That’s actually less than the
other state aid programs—two
aid are complicated. Moreover, 2005–06 level, which had been
in particular.
aid comes from a variety of pro found inadequate.
grams. Some programs redistrib The STAR (School TAx Relief)
One way to correct the imbalance
ute aid in ways that undercut the program provides property tax
would be to take the total amount
equalizing effect of the current relief for homeowners by paying
of state education aid coming to
state “Foundation Formula.” a portion of the school taxes on
Long Island, including STAR and
owner-occupied, primary resi
Prior to the current formula being Aid to High Tax Districts, and
dences. STAR pays to each resi
enacted, in the academic year divide the whole sum in accord
dent’s local district the school
2005–06, the 20% of districts ance with the Foundation Formula.
tax on the first $60,096 of prop
with the highest proportion of If this were done, Long Island’s
erty value in Nassau County and
students in poverty received twice high poverty districts would
the first $56,436 in Suffolk. (An
the amount of total state aid per- receive an average of 20% more
enhanced STAR program pro
pupil as the 20% of districts with aid per-student.
vides additional assistance to
the lowest proportion of students
elderly homeowners who meet a
in poverty. This formula, chal
maximum income requirement.)
lenged in court by the Campaign
1 2 3 4 5
Aid Per Pup

Bottom 20% Top 20% 3,000
2,000
Least Most
1,000
Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
Source: 0
ent 20% a2 a3 a4 NewMost
York Affluent
State Education
20% Department; Hofstra University. 1 2 3 4 5
Bottom 20% Top 20%
Least Most
Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute; Hofstra University.
ecial Analysis client excel chart #14
Revenue Source Per Pupil byTalked
Affluenceto
Coree did not Foundation Aid Per Pupil, 2008-2009
make sense to start at -1000
$30,000 $7,000
Revenue Per Pupil, 2007 Dollars
Per Pupil, 2007 Dollars

25,000 6,000
notSpecial Analysis client excel chart #15
20,000 Foundation Aid Per Pupil, 2008-2009
5,000 Total State Aid Per Pupil, 2008-2009
-1000 15,000
4,000
$7,000 3,000
$12,000
AidDollars
Aid Per Pupil, 2007 Dollars
10,000
6,000 2,000
10,000
5,000
Aid Per Pupil, 2007

5,000 1,000
8,000
0 0
ent 20% a2 a34,000 1a4 Most Affluent
2 20% 3 4 5 6,000 1 2 3 4 5
3,000 Bottom 20% Top 20% Bottom 20% Top 20%
4,000
2,000
Least Most 2,000 Least Most
1,000
Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
0
ent 20% a2 a3 0 a4 Most Affluent 20% Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute; Hofstra University.
1 2 3 4 5
1 Revenue 2
Local 3
State Revenue 4 Federal Revenue5
Bottom 20% Top 20% Bottom 20% Top 20%
Under the Foundation Formula, the poorest districts would receive
Least Most Least Most
about three times as much as the wealthiest.
Affluent
Long --------------------------------------------------------
Island’s poorest districts get much more state Affluent
aid than the Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
wealthiest, butState
Source: New York still lag farDepartment;
Education behind in total
Fiscal school
Policy revenues.
Institute; Hofstra University. Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute; Hofstra University.
Special Analysis client excel chart #15
Total State Aid Per Pupil, 2008-2009
$12,000
10,000
Special Analysis client excel chart #16
Total State Aid Per Pupil, 2008-2009 8,000 Effect of Distributing All State Aid According to the Foundation Formula
6,000
$12,000 $16,000
4,000
10,000 14,000
State Aid Per Student
2,000
12,000
8,000
10,0000
ent 20% a2 a36,000 a4 Most Affluent 20% 1 2 3 4 5
8,000
4,000 6,000 Bottom 20% Top 20%
4,000
2,000 Least Most
2,000 Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
0 0 Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute; Hofstra University.
20% a2 a3 a4 1 Most Affluent
2 20% 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Bottom 20% Top 20% Bottom 20% Top 20%
Least Most Least Most

Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
Special Analysis client excel chart #16 Total Aid Including STAR Total Aid Including
STARtoDistributed
Effect of Distributing All State Aid According Based Formula
the Foundation
In practice, Long Island’s poorest districts receive only 1.8 times on Foundation Aid Formula
as much state aid as our wealthiest districts—less than under the Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute.
$16,000
Foundation Formula, and not enough to compensate for huge
14,000
differences in local revenues.
12,000
If all state aid were distributed according to the Foundation Formula,
Effect of Distributing All State Aid According to the Foundation Formula
10,000
Long Island’s neediest districts would receive 20% more aid.
8,000
$16,000 6,000
14,000 4,000
12,000 2,000
10,000 0
20% a2 a3 8,000 a4 Most Affluent 20% 1 2 3 4 5
6,000 Bottom 20% Top 20%
4,000
Least Most
2,000 Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
0
1 2 3 4 5 Total Aid Including STAR Total Aid Including
Bottom 20% Top 20% STAR Distributed Based
on Foundation Aid Formula
Least Most Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute.
Total Aid Including STAR Total Aid Including

STAR Distributed Based
page
on Foundation Aid Formula 13
* What Some Places Are Doing.

In 1997, in response to a lawsuit, • Local school boards may pro
the state supreme court ordered pose, and communities may elect
that these “gross inequities in to spend above the base level.
education opportunities” end. Residential tax rates (property
and income) in each commu
In designing a new system, the
nity increase proportionally
state sought greater statewide
as voted spending per-pupil
equity while allowing communi
increases above the base.
ties to make their own decisions
about funding their schools. • The legislature sets one school
property tax rate—not variable
At its simplest, here’s how it works:
with local school spending—
• T here are no longer local for all non-residential property
school taxes. Public education (land, businesses, second homes)
is funded by state taxes depos statewide.
Dealing with Disparity ited in the state Education Fund.
The system, which has been tin
Funding inequalities exist in many
• School taxes on primary resi kered with over the years, has
states. Vermont had huge inequities
dences are based on property largely succeeded in eliminating
between towns with ski resorts,
value or household income, disparities between districts, while
industrial plants, malls, or vaca
whichever is less. A base per- preserving local control. Work
tion homes—and few children—
pupil spending level and base continues to address differences in
and towns with small tax bases
tax rates (on both property and educational achievement includ
and many children.
income) are set by the legisla ing the issue of higher-need dis
ture for primary residences. tricts receiving more funding to
successfully address their needs.
C. Commercial Taxes located, and this results in enor pay crushing property taxes and
mous disparities. still schools remain underfunded.
Besides differing in private wealth,
Homeowners in Uniondale, for
Long Island’s school districts also In communities with a large num
example, pay only 29% of the
vary enormously in revenues from ber of commercial properties,
school district tax levy, while those
commercial real estate taxes. schools can be very well funded,
in districts such as Roosevelt,
Under existing law, these reve while homeowners’ tax burden is
Mount Sinai, and Herricks shoul
nues go entirely to the school light. In places with little commer
der more than 90%.
district in which the business is cial development, residents often
Between one district and its next-door neighbor, per-student revenues from commercial taxes can fluctuate widely.
Commercial and Industrial Tax Revenue Per Student by School District
10 Highest Districts 10 Lowest Districts

Valley Stream 24 $14,246 Cold Spring Harbor $162
Valley Stream 30 $14,037 Sagaponack $261
Carle Place $11,831 Springs $300
Mineola $10,620 Roosevelt $376
Uniondale $10,488 Shoreham-Wading River $376
Hauppauge $ 7,923 Locust Valley $407
Great Neck $ 7,898 Miller Place $442
New Hyde Park-Garden City Park $ 7,307 William Floyd $474
Wainscott $ 6,693 Kings Park $496
Jericho $ 6,314 Eastport-South Manor $503
Commercial taxes in some districts bring in more than $14,000 per-student; in other
districts only a few hundred dollars.
Those Who Said They Strongly or Somewhat Agree All White Black Latino
Favor the creation of magnet schools 66% 63% 76% 75%
Favor consolidation of school districts 64% 61% 82% 77%
Favor allowing children in failing school districts

the chance to attend better schools in nearby districts 64% 64% 79% 76%

“The Minnesota each county contributes 40% of distributed, with Uniondale receiv
Miracle” the growth of its commercial sector, ing extra shares to offset local
with the pool distributed based on impacts from the development.
In regions where school districts
population and property values. SURVEY
are large, revenue disparities are x SURVEY
Now in its fourth decade, the pro * SURVEY *

less glaring. But even where dis
gram, known as “The Minnesota
tricts are small, inequities can be The idea of tax pooling appeals
Miracle,” has reduced disparities
reduced by sharing or “pooling” to Long Islanders. In a Long
and is credited with saving older
commercial taxes among neigh Island Index survey this year,
towns from insolvency.1
boring districts. 73% said they would support
Harvey Levinson, former Chair “a proposal to pool commercial
Commercial tax pooling was most
man of Nassau County’s Board property taxes and distribute
famously implemented in the
of Assessors, has raised the idea them equally throughout the
Minneapolis-St. Paul region, where
of pooling in relation to the pro county’s school districts.” The
the Mall of America and other
posed Nassau Hub. If all of the 2006 Suffolk County Home
commercial development brought
added tax revenues from this owners Tax Reform Commission
in huge revenues to Bloomington,
development went to one school agreed that regionalizing com
while nearby communities lan
district—Uniondale—homeown mercial taxes could promote
guished. The Fiscal Disparities
ers there could see their taxes cut greater equity, but noted that
Act in 1975 brought a seven-
in half, while residents in neigh “implementation would be
county area into a tax-sharing
boring communities would get difficult.”2
pool. Existing commercial reve
no relief at all. Levinson suggests
nues were left untouched, but
that the benefits be more widely
1
yron Orfield and Nicholas Wallace, “The Minnesota Disparities Act of 1971: The Twin Cities’ Struggle and Blueprint for Regional Cooperation,” William Mitchell
M
Law Review, Volume 33, Number 2, March 7, 2007, pages 591–612.
2
uffolk County Homeowners Tax Reform Commission, Report delivered to the Suffolk County Legislature on December 27, 2006; Section IV: Fixing the Existing
S
System, Page 6.
III. Resources
Resources vs. Needs Impacts on Schools schools in the wealthiest com
munities, compared to 82%
Lower expenditures translate into
We have seen how the educa in the poorest. In some of the
substantial educational disadvan
tional landscape creates
School Poverty anoma
on Long Island: latter schools, only 50% of
Percent in
of revenues.
tages for Long Island’s poorest
Students Meeting NYS Eighth Grade Mathematics
lies and imbalances teachers have a Master’s degree.
schools. Comparing key features
Turning to school expenditures,
100%
in Long Island schools, Hofstra • Schools in the wealthiest dis

we find similar inconsistency
80 University researchers discovered: tricts have twice as many com
and irrationality. Often schools
verty Schools (10%) puters, essential educational
with the60greatest needs get the • Schools in the poorest com
tools today, as schools in the
verty Schools fewest resources, while elsewhere munities have larger numbers
40 poorest districts.
verty Schools (10%) large sums are spent that do not of students than those in
improve20educational achievement. wealthier communities: an • Wealthy districts also provide
average of over 800 compared newer text books, better facili
To begin0with, the vastly different
to about 600. ties, more Advanced Placement
revenues raised’01
by school ’02districts
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
courses, and more specialized
result in huge differences in per- • T he poorest communities have
Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty classes such as art and music.
pupil expenditures. On average,
Schools (10%) higher student-teacher
Schools Schools ratios:
(10%)
almost $8,000Source:
moreNewis spent each 15:1, compared to 13:1
York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
in the Differences in resources make
year on a child in one of the wealthiest districts. Long Island’s poorest and wealthi
wealthiest districts than a child est schools very different places.
• Almost all teachers, 97%, have
in one of the poorest.
a Master’s degree or higher in
Average School Expenditures Per Pupil by Community Affluence

Expenditure Per Pupil, 2007 Dollars
$26,000
22,000
18,000
14,000
10,000
1 2 3 4 5
Bottom 20% Top 20%
Least Most
Schools spend 45% more—almost $8,000 more—per child

in the wealthiest one-fifth of districts than the poorest.
Revenue Source Per Pupil by Affluence
$30,000
er Pupil, 2007 Dollars
Revenue
venue 25,000
venue 20,000
page 17
15,000

4 read
ncy?
Percent Passing Math Exams: Addressing Educational

School District
Elementary, MiddleExpenditures Per Pupil
and High Schools
Obstacles
100%
$30,000 Long Island school districts differ
80 greatly not only in their resources,
25,000
60
20,000
REPLACED WITH but also in their needs. Some
schools face special educational
NEW CHART 9
2007
15,000
40 hurdles, including high poverty,
10,000 high population of students with
20
Limited English Proficiency (LEP),
5,000
0 and a high degree of racial segre
0 1 2 3 4 5 gation—Whites and Asians sepa
’9520%’96
Highest ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03
Lowest’0420% ’05
rated from Blacks and Latinos.
MostTop 10% Middle Bottom
Least 10% The researchers grouped the
Obstacles -------------------------------------------------------
Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.Obstacles
schools from those with the
Math 4 Math 8 Math Regents greatest obstacles to those with
Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University. the least, and correlated the
obstacles with academic achieve
The fewer the obstacles, the higher the achievement. But the ment. They found that achieve
quintile that faces the greatest obstacles is by far the most affected. ment in high-obstacle schools
consistently lagged behind that
Obstacles by Community Affluence
in low-obstacle schools.
70% • Students in the highest-obstacle
Points ------------ Obstacles
group showed by far the poorest

High
60 Gap in Achievement: Highest Obstacles vs. Lowest Obstacles

50 performance. Gaps between
50%
40
other groups were slight.
30
40
• T he gap widens as students
20 grow older. By eighth grade the
Obstacles
30 difference in math proficiency

Low
10
reaches 45 percentage points—
Percentage
0
20
1 2 3 4 5 2.5 times the fourth grade gap.
10 Bottom 20% Top 20% (The seemingly lower gap in
Regents scores is misleading:
0 Least Most
Affluent
Math 4 --------------------------------------------------------
Math 8 Affluent
Math Regents many underperforming students
Source:
Source: New
New York
York State
State Education
Education Department;
Department; Hofstra
Hofstra University.
University.
have dropped out of school by
then and do not take the test.)
The achievement gap for children with the most obstacles,
significant in fourth grade, becomes overwhelming by eighth.
• Similar patterns were found for
scores on English examinations,
graduation rates, and overall
college readiness.
School Poverty on Long Island:
Percent of Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
30%
%)
25
%) 20
Percent LEP
15
10
5
0
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
High-Poverty Mid-Poverty Low-Poverty

Schools (10%) Schools Schools (10%)
Most Least
Obstacles ------------------------------------------------------- Obstacles
Math 4 Math 8 Math Regents

alysis client excel chart #9

Structural Mismatches Obstacles by Community Affluence
Schools facing higher obstacles

70%
obviously require greater resources.
Obstacles ------------ Obstacles

High
60
But here again our local district
structure creates anomalies. Not 50
surprisingly, the schools with the 40
highest obstacles exist in commu 30
nities with the least affluence, as 20
the accompanying chart shows.3
Low
10
These20%
schools start out with less 0
a3 a4 Most Affluent 1 2 3 4 5
money, and have to devote more Bottom 20% Top 20%
of it to everything from more ESL
(English as a Second Language) Least Most
staff to remedial programs to Affluent -------------------------------------------------------- Affluent
greater school security. That
leaves less money available for
Schools in the least affluent communities are the ones that face
all those other things: the small the greatest educational obstacles. These schools need more
class-sizes, qualified, experienced resources; instead they get less.
teachers, computers, enrichment
programs,
alysis client excel chart #10and so on.
Meanwhile, in other districts SPECIAL
Percent ANALYSIS
of Students CH
with Limited 19 Proficiency (LEP)
English
large sums are spent that do not
30%
translate into higherHigh-Poverty
achieve Schools (10%)
Special Analysis client 25
ment.excel chart
On eighth #8math Schools
Mid-Poverty
grade
Learning Obstacles by Race
tests, for example, 80% of stu Schools (10%)
Low-Poverty 20
Percent LEP
dents in Long Island’s wealthiest 15

100%
schools are proficient—no better Asian
10
than in mid-range schools.
Proportion of Students
Latino 80
5
Black
60
0
White ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
04 ’05 '06 '07
40
20 Schools (10%) Schools Schools (10%)
0
Most Obstacles a2 a3 a4 Least Obstacles 1 2 3 4 5
Highest 20% Lowest 20%
Most Least
Obstacles ------------------------------------------------------- Obstacles
White Black Latino Asian

Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
3
he greater presence of obstacles in the most
T
affluent 20% of schools is an anomaly based on Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
a number of very affluent districts, particularly Obstacles fall heaviest on people of color. Schools facing the greatest
in the East End and on the South Shore, where learning obstacles are, taken together, almost 80% Black and Latino,
there are a large number of second homes which while schools with the least obstacles are over 90% White.
adds to the communities’ affluence but the full-
time residents are not as wealthy. There are also
a few districts where a high percentage of wealth
ier families send their children to private school
rather than the local public schools. Both factors
contribute to this slight upward trend in obstacles
within the schools compared to the community
as a whole.
page 19
Least Most
School Poverty on Long Island: Meeting the LEP

Percent of Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
Challenge
30%
%) One major obstacle to student
25 achievement is Limited English
%) 20 Proficiency. LEP students need
Percent LEP
15 special instruction, which can

add to school costs. The problem
10
is aggravated because the poorest
5 schools have the highest percent
0 ages of LEP students—five times
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 the percentages of low- and mid-
poverty schools. In other words,
Schools (10%) Schools Schools (10%) the schools with the most LEP
Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University. students have the least resources
to help them.
What is more, the percentages of
LEP students are rapidly rising.
Greater Resources, teachers in schools with high proposed consolidating districts
More Flexibility immigrant populations, for exam with fewer than 1,000 students,
ple, or reducing class sizes where as a way to reduce school costs
“You have a whole system react
necessary to meet the needs of and taxes. The plan would autho
ing to a problem.” That’s how one
struggling students. rize the State Commissioner to
town mayor explained one big
require consolidation of districts
advantage of schools in Northern “I believe we must support these
up to 2,000 students.
Virginia. students to ensure they graduate
with the same skills as their peers,” ERASE Racism examined the
Fairfax and neighboring Loudoun
says Fairfax Superintendent Jack effect of consolidating Long
County in the suburbs of Northern
Dale. There is no question that Island’s districts along town and
Virginia (NVA) resemble Long
Long Island superintendents share city lines. This would produce a
Island, in both levels of affluence
his goals. They simply do not total of 15 districts, which would
and levels of poverty—and in
command the overall level of be far less segregated by race
exceptional student achievement.
resources, or the flexibility to and income. The new districts
The big difference is that in NVA
put them where they’re needed. would greatly reduce differences
each county has a single consoli
in per-pupil spending, and provide
dated school system.
the flexibility to direct resources
Closer to Home
That gives them the ability to more effectively.
The New York State Commission
focus resources where they are
on Property Tax Cap recently
needed. Adding more ESL
If districts followed town and city boundaries, none would have an overwhelming proportion of poor students. Also, more resources
would be available to target specific needs.
page 21
Page 22 | 2009 Index | Special Analysis | III. Resources

Top Students Need and top districts vary in what Opposition comes mainly from
Resources, Too they offer: the top districts, which fear that
such schools would skim off their
In New York City, acclaimed • One district may have an unbe
best students, as well as state aid
schools such as Stuyvesant and lievable music program: it would
based on enrollment. But experi
Bronx Science offer peerless be perfect for Angela, but too
ence elsewhere shows that students
educational opportunity to top- bad—she lives in the next vil
in districts with solid programs
performing children from across lage over.
for the gifted and talented usually
the city. A large district can do
• Over 20% of the semi-finalists stay there. Most of the children
that on a level that small districts
in Intel’s national Science in high-performance schools come
cannot match.
Talent Search in the last ten from the districts, both rural and
But even where districts remain years have come from Long urban, where educational resources
independent, regional high- Island schools—but half of are limited.5
performance schools are possible. them came from just seven SURVEY SURVEY
x
In the 1980s and again in the districts. Imagine what Long * SURVEY *
1990s “high schools of excel Island’s kids would do if they
When Long Islanders were
lence” for the best and brightest all had access to what’s going
asked whether they would
students were proposed for New on in those seven districts.
support a magnet school to
York State, including one for
Indeed, when Governor Cuomo provide in-depth instruction
Long Island.
came to Hauppauge to drum in science, mathematics, or the
Such schools provide a path to up support for a high school of arts, two-thirds said that they
outstanding achievement for chil technology for gifted students, would. When asked if they
dren in districts that lack the he emphasized the role of such would support the creation of
resources to offer such programs. schools in growing a corps of top such a school in their own dis
Wealthier districts are able to graduates with the talent to reju trict, support did not waver—
nurture such students within venate the business sector. Cuomo 63% said that they would.
their own schools, through AP said of Long Island, “You either
programs, special art programs, make this place a high-tech capital
and the like. But even wealthy of the United States or it won’t
schools can’t do everything, develop.” 4
4
“Cuomo Pledges Technology School for Talented,” New York Times, August 25, 1994.
5
Pearl R. Kane, “Send Gifted Kids to High School Together,” Newsday, Section: Viewpoints, December 5, 1988, page 51.
IV. Outcomes
Troubling in poor communities face added Segregation patterns emerged in
obstacles to learning. Their the postwar era from housing
Disparities schools need more resources to development that was often seg
help these children, but because regated by design. Long Island’s
Poor Children Fare of disparities in local tax reve most famous suburb, Levittown,
Poorly nues, they usually have less. is a prime example. The original
There is a wide and persistent Levittown deeds forbade occu
Segregation
gap in educational achievement pancy by “any person other than
Long Island districts are separated
between schools on Long Island, members of the Caucasian race.”7
by race as well as by income.
with low-poverty and medium- Despite the Supreme Court’s 1949
Blacks and Latinos are clustered
poverty schools far outstripping ruling finding such restrictive
in areas of such extremely high
schools where poverty is high. covenants unconstitutional, pri
concentrations, that to achieve
A comparison of eighth grade vate restrictions remained in
racial balance across the region,
Mathematics tests, a key indicator effect until the Civil Rights Act
74% of Blacks would have to
of high school and college suc of 1968. The impact of these
move. That makes Long Island
cess, showed 80% of Long Island restrictions persists. Today 89.3%
the third most racially segregated
students in low- and medium- of Levittown’s residents are White,
region in America.6 Segregated
poverty schools meeting state 9.7% are Latino, 4.7% Asian and
communities mean segregated
standards. In high-poverty schools 0.6% are Black. Much of Long
schools: island-wide, half of all
the rate plummets to 40%. Island reflects a similar pattern.
Black and Latino students attend
The source of this disparity has schools that are at least 95%
SPECIAL ANALYSIS
already been discussed. Children
CH 1_3
students of color.

Percent of Students Meeting NYS Eighth Grade Mathematics
100%
80
verty Schools (10%)
60
verty Schools
40
verty Schools (10%)
20
0
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty

Students in the wealthiest third of school districts do no better than

those in the middle third. But in our poorest schools, proficiency rates
drop by half.
Average School Expenditures Per Pupil by Community Affluence

6
U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000.
upil, 2007 Dollars
7
john powell,
$26,000 Institute on Race and Poverty, Racism and the Opportunity Divide on Long Island (Briefing paper prepared for ERASE Racism, 2002), p. 5.
22,000 page 23
Page 24 | 2009 Long Island Index | Special Analysis | IV. Outcomes
By 1965 concerns about segrega been understood—and has been which translate into smaller
tion had moved the State Educa the law of the land—that going classes, more experienced teach
tion Department along with the to school in separate facilities is ers, and the rest. The other is a
New York State Commission for harmful to children. Over the different educational environment.
Human Rights to investigate the decades, countless national studies As Richard Kahlenberg explains,
matter. They found the situation have confirmed that kids do not
It’s an advantage to have peers
on Long Island particularly worri do well in segregated conditions.
who are academically engaged
some. In Nassau County, twelve They do worse in segregated
and expect to go to college;
communities were found to have schools than in integrated ones.
parents who actively volunteer
a very high concentration of non Within integrated schools, they
in the classroom and hold school
whites; in Suffolk County, nine do worse in highly tracked, sub
officials accountable; and highly
communities. According to the stantially segregated classes than in
qualified teachers who have
1965 report, “Racial and Social heterogeneously grouped classes.
high expectations. On average,
Class Isolation,” as Long Island’s
all these ingredients [of] good
population expanded, nonwhites
Improving Outcomes for schools are far more likely to
remained an isolated group.
“Numbers of nonwhite residents
Poor, Students of Color be found in middle-class than
To isolate the role of school dis poor schools.9
advanced in only a few commu
nities,” the report observed in tricts themselves in educational
classic understatement, “and achievement, researchers at Hofstra
there the proportions were mark compared students in poor schools
edly greater than in neighboring in poor districts to students in
locations... .”8 poor schools in wealthier districts.
Across the board—in achievement
Looking ahead, the report said, tests at different grade levels and
“If the existing population pat in high school graduation rates—
terns persist, there will be even the students in wealthier districts
greater concentrations of non outperformed those in poor dis
whites in given suburban com tricts. On state math tests, stu
munities as the over-all increases dents from wealthier districts
occur.” Forty-plus year later, this scored 11 to 19 points higher
prediction stands confirmed. than those in poor districts.
Segregation and education Two factors help explain the
Since Brown vs. Board of Educa difference. One is the greater
tion over a half-century ago, it has resources of wealthier districts,
8
Robert P. O’Reilly, Racial and Social Class Isolation in the Schools: Implications for Educational Policy and Programs, 1970, Praeger Publishers, New York, page 61.
9
Richard Kahlenberg, “Radical idea: Open the doors of affluent schools to Chicago students”; Chicago Tribune, August 22, 2008.
Long Islanders See Diversity as an Important Goal
Do you agree or disagree: Children

* SURVEY *
who attend schools with a mix of
Don't Know / Refused
SURVEY
x students from different ethnic,
SURVEY
racial and economic backgrounds

Disagree / Opposed are more prepared for Comparison
the diverse of Eight Districts
rt #5
settings of college and the
Agree / Favor workplace than children who Number of NYS Defined Percent Higher in
attend segregated schools.
School District Name Students in District Need Level Tax Increase High Need Districts
Wyandanch 2,254 3 $314.39
To what extent do you favor or 658%
oppose the consolidation Locust
of Valley 2,284 6 $ 47.81
school districts if it would help
to include children of all racial
Roosevelt 2,945 3 $303.92
and ethnic backgrounds in the 397%
Mineola 2,865 6 $ 76.57
same school district?
Hempstead 6,913
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 3 100% $312.35
374%
Syosset 6,677 6 $ 83.48
Agree/ Disagree/ Don't Know/
Favor Opposed Refused
William Floyd 10,191 3 $270.27
207%
Smithtown 10,541 6 $130.28
Source: New YorkInState

our Education Department;
poll 79% strongly Fiscal Policy
or somewhat Institute.
agree that when children
attend
NYS Defined Need Level*schools that are more diverse it better prepares them for
college and the workplace. 64% support consolidation to make
3 = High Need Districts
6 = Low Need Districts
the schools more diverse.
*These categories are based on a measure of a district's ability to meet the needs of its students with local resources.
This measure is caluclated by dividing a district's estimated poverty percentage by its Combined Wealth Ratio.
rt #6
Math Results for High Obstacle Schools in Most Affluent and
Least Affluent Communities
100%
High obstacle schools
in least affluent communities

80
60
High obstacle schools Rockville Centre Regents Diploma Rates by Year of Entry and Race/ Ethnicity
in most affluent communities 40
Percent Receiving Regents Diploma
100% 20
Black/Latino
White/Asian 80 0
Math 4 Math 8 Regents Math A
60
GAP 11% 17% 19%
40
High Obstacle Schools in High Obstacle Schools in
20 Most Affluent Communities Least Affluent Communities
0
’95 ’96 ’97 students
Poor ’98score 11–19
’99points higher
'00 in wealthier
'01 districts than similar
students in similar schools in poorer districts.
White and Asian Black and Latino
Source: New York State Education Department; Carol Burris.
rt #7 Ooops I think is actually the exact same graph??
Racial Composition by Level of Poverty in
Long
page 25Island Schools
Long Islanders See Diversity as an Important Goal
Page you|agree
Do26 2009 Long Island
or disagree: Index | Special Analysis | IV. Outcomes
Children
who attend schools with a mix of
Know / Refused students from different ethnic,
racial and economic backgrounds
ree / Opposed are more prepared for the diverse
e / Favor * W
settings of college and the
hat ome laces
workplace than children who
S P Are Doing.
attend segregated schools.
Unbounded Success the classes by ability and race, for Blacks and Latinos shot
To what extent do you favor or and they taught a new, more rig up to 77%. What about the
Pursue
oppose theequity. Excellence
consolidation of will follow, orous curriculum to everyone. Whites and Asians? They
believes
school Carol
districts Corbett
if it would helpBurris,
toprincipal
include children of all Side
racial High climbed to 94%.
of South What happened to achievement?
and ethnic backgrounds in the
School in Rockville Centre. She • When South Side opened
same school district? Intuition might tell you that the
speaks from experience. Advanced Placement calculus
low-track students might go up,
to all its students, enrollment
Administrators in Rockville0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
but the high-track students would
jumped 40%. Despite all those
Centre were troubled by the perAgree/ go down. That’s not what
Disagree/ educa
Don't Know/
extra “low achievers,” the
sistent achievement gap between, Favor tional research
Opposed shows, however.
Refused
class average on the AP exam
on the one hand, Blacks and
And it’s not what happened in went up.
Latinos, and on the other, Whites
Rockville Center.
and Asians. They were troubled, And so it went in class after
too, by the over-representation • In 2000, the last year biology class. All groups went up. And
of Blacks and Latinos in low- classes were tracked, 48% of the achievement gap closed.
achieving classes. Black and Latino students
Burris draws a lesson from her
passed the State Regents exam,
And so in the late 1990’s they experience. Give all students
and 85% of White and Asian
started de-tracking their classes. access to first-class learning
students. In 2001, with hetero
Instead of isolating all the “gifted” opportunities, she concludes,
geneous classes and a more rig
students in one class, the “slow and everyone wins.
orous curriculum, the pass rate
learners” in another, they mixed
Rockville Centre Regents Diploma Rates by Year of Entry and Race/ Ethnicity
Percent Receiving Regents Diploma
100%
80
60
40
20
0
’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 '00 '01
White and Asian Black and Latino

Source: New York State Education Department; Carol Burris.
In Rockville Centre, when heterogeneously grouped classes were introduced,

Blacks and Latinos dramatically closed the achievement gap.
2
35,000
30,000
’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Long Island United States

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Hofstra University.

Smart Move benefit. A study of Boston’s Geographically, transfer programs
METCO program found that aca would be quite practical on Long
Seven regions across the country
demic achievement for the trans Island: the small size of our dis
promote educational opportunity Comparison of closely
Averagemirrored
Salary andthe Change in tricts
Employment, Long Island
fer students would make transportation
through Voluntary Inter-District
high achievement of the suburban manageable.
Transfer programs.
In Thousands, 2007 Dollars
Finance & Insurance students. The transfer students SURVEY

x SURVEY
Students from struggling Business Services

schools,
Information/Communication Services
attend college at nearly the same * SURVEY *
typically in inner cities,Manufacturing
attend rate as their suburban classmates,
Our poll asked Long Islanders
school inTransportation & Freight
nearby suburban Services
dis and at a rate 10% higher than
Biomedical what they thought of offering
tricts. The programs are voluntary
Education the statewide average. 100% of
a limited number of children
for both Construction & Building
the transferring Materials
students METCO seniors passed the 10th
Health Services in failing school districts the
and the receiving schools. Yet Retail grade state achievement exams in
Regional Recreation chance to attend better schools
the programs have been running English and math, compared to
25 30 $075%
$10in$20 in nearby
-10% -5% 0% districts
5% 10% where space
15% 20% 25% 30%
for 45 years, and have grown in the$30 $40 $50
Boston city $60 $70 10$80
schools.
is available: 67% were in favor
size—to as many as 8,000 chil In a 1997 evaluation of METCO,
-2007 Average Pay Per Cluster, and onlyChange in Employment,
27% were opposed.
dren, and as many as 37 districts. researchers2008,found that 82% of
in Thousands 2003-2008
When asked if they would favor
students surveyed reported a good
These are win-win programs, in Average Wage, Long Island such a Change
Average plan inintheir own school
Employment, Long Island
or excellent experience with the
which both the transferring stu Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Hofstra University. district, support did not signifi
program.11
dents and the receiving schools cantly decrease: 64% were in
favor and only 30% opposed.
No Title?
Year Current Student Participating

City and Program Name Founded Enrollment Districts Waiting List
St. Louis, MO Voluntary Seats available for 31% of
Interdistrict Transfer Plan 1983 8,000 16 the students who apply.
Hartford, CT Estimated to be in the thousands;

Choice Program 1997 1,070 27 exact records not available.
Boston, MA Reported to be as high

METCO Program 1996 3,300 37 as 13,000.
Milwaukee, WI Chapter Seats available for 19% of

220 Program 1976 3,000 22 the students who apply.
Rochester, NY Urban-Suburban Seats available for 20% of

Transfer Program 1965 800 7 the students who apply.
Tinsley (Palo Alto, CA) Seats available for 75% of

Interdistrict Transfer Plan 1986 824 1 the students who apply.
Minneapolis (MN)
The Choice Is Yours Program 2001 2,000 10 N/A
Source: Holme, J. J. & Wells, A.S. (2008). “School Choice Beyond District Borders: Lessons for the Reauthorization of NCLB
from Interdistrict Desegregation and Open Enrollment Plans” In Richard Kahlenberg (Ed.) Improving on No Child Left Behind.
New York, NY: The Century Foundation.
10
METCO Program publication, Education Policy Initiatives, January 19, 2007; http://www.metcoinc.org/METCO_Policy_Initiatives_Updated_1-19-07.pdf.
11
“ METCO Study Finds Broad Support from Parents/Students,” The Harvard University Gazette, September 25, 1997;
http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/1997/09.25/METCOStudyFinds.html.
page 27
Page 28 | 2009 Index | Special Analysis | V. The Future
V. The Future
Taking up the A study for the Lumina Founda have raced past us. Today college-
tion found that at current rates, degree rates are increasing faster
Challenge by 2025 the nation will face a in every other country tracked by
Our examination of education shortfall of 16-million college- the Organization for Economic
on Long Island shows us a school educated workers. Nationwide, Cooperation and Development
system with a rich history, but the race is on among regions (OECD) than here in America.
an unpromising future. A system both to attract educated workers
In this environment, a region
handed down over centuries now and to “grow them locally.” In
that leaves significant numbers
lacks efficiency and flexibility. successful, high-tech centers like
of its children undereducated
From kids with learning disabili Silicon Valley and San Diego,
is heading for disaster. Already
ties to budding artistic prodigies, region-wide groups are focused
Long Island’s economy is stag
too many of our children aren’t as never before on raising school
nating. Growth in high-paying
getting what they need. Our costs achievement.
skilled jobs has stalled, and our
keep soaring, while thousands Nations around the world have decades-long income advantage
continue to fail. joined the competition, and are over the rest of the country has
gaining on the United States at now disappeared. Our economic
The Imperative for alarming rates. We used to have future hinges on whether we can
the highest college-education succeed in incubating new busi
Change
rates in the world, and still do nesses in next-generation tech
The failures and enormous dis among those aged 55–64. But nologies such as biotech. That
parities of our school system among those aged 25–34, we’ve simply will not happen without a
raise concerns both ethical and SPECIAL ANALYSIS
fallen to tenth, as other nations
CH 11_13
highly educated young workforce.
xcel chart #11 practical.
On the one hand, these condi
tions do not match our values. Average Pay Per Employee, U.S. and Long Island
Such vast inequity violates our
most basic concept of fairness, $50,000
and America’s foundational belief
in equality of opportunity. 45,000
2007 Dollars
US From a practical standpoint, our

40,000
Long Island failure to meet the needs of so
many students threatens the eco
35,000
nomic viability of our region.
08 In a post-industrial, high- 30,000

technology society, a region’s ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
economic survival stands or falls Long Island United States
on the talent of its workforce. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Hofstra University.
Long Island was long known for high incomes.

That advantage has all but disappeared.
xcel chart #12

Comparison of Average Salary and Change in Employment, Long Island
ds, 2007 Dollars
ance Finance & Insurance

vices Business Services
vices Information/Communication Services
ring Manufacturing
vices Transportation & Freight Services
The Path to Change Openness Centuries have shaped our local
perspective, which now views
To meet the challenge, we need The problems we face are long-
education as a zero-sum game. If
to come together in a vigorous standing and have deep, struc
one district gains, another must
and sustained regional dialogue. tural roots. We need a vision as
lose. If a magnet school opens,
big as the challenge.
We must elevate education to the districts that send their students
top of our regional agenda. Leaders We need a wide search for solu will lose funding. If ESL students
and ordinary citizens, experts and tions, not a narrow one. This get more, regular education pro
advocates, educators and business Special Analysis has offered grams will get less. The conver
people, must come to the table— snapshots of some of the many sation stops. The answer is no.
and stay for as long as it takes. approaches being tried in other Such has been the history of our
We’re going to need both leader places. Now is a time to lay all region, and it has to change.
ship and cooperation. options on the table and earnestly
To change it, we must maintain
explore each one: Could it work
We’ll also need to study hard, and the bigger picture. Stay clear about
here? How might it be adapted to
think big. how our region depends on better
make it work?
educated students. Keep in sight
We need an unbounded vision. that we will stand or fall together.
We must preserve what’s best
in our schools, without being
constrained by the way it’s
always been.
page 29
Commercial and Industrial Tax Revenue Per Student by School District
Page 30 | 2009 Index | Special Analysis | V. The Future

10 Highest Districts 10 Lowest Districts
Valley Stream 24 $14,246 Cold Spring Harbor $162
Valley Stream 30
SURVEY
$14,037 Sagaponack $261
* SURVEY * x SURVEY
• 61% believe that a Black or Latinos than Whites. In part, the
Carle Place $11,831
Latino child inSprings
Long Island difference may$300
reflect the fact
AwarenessMineola $10,620 Roosevelt
public schools receives the $376would most
that these groups
Poll dataUniondale
reveal that many people same quality of
$10,488 education as aRiver directly benefit$376
Shoreham-Wading from proposed
are as yet unaware
Hauppauge of our educa White
$ 7,923child, and 57% believe
Locust Valley reforms. But a second
$407 factor
tional realities.
Great NeckFor example: poor children
$ 7,898 receive the
Miller Place same may also be at work:
$442 Blacks
quality as middle-income and Latinos are more aware of
• Half New Hyde
of all Park-Garden
Black studentsCity Park $ 7,307 William Floyd $474
children. the problems.
attendWainscott
schools that are 95% $ 6,693 Kings Park $496
non-White,
Jericho but only 34% Polls$ show a majority ofManor The Long Island
6,314 that Eastport-South $503Index commits
of Long Islanders realize Long Islanders support systemic itself to the effort to increase
Source:
this fact. New York State Education changes
Department; to decrease
Fiscal inequities,
Policy Institute. public awareness and under
reduce segregation, and bring standing in regard to our educa
• Only 26% of Long Islanders
more resources to poor students tion system; we urge individuals
know that expenditures vary
and students of color. But while and groups from across the Island
greatly from one school dis
all groups support change, sup to join in the effort.
trict to another.
port is higher among Blacks and
Those Who Said They Strongly or Somewhat Agree All White Black Latino
Favor the creation of magnet schools 66% 63% 76% 75%
Favor consolidation of school districts 64% 61% 82% 77%
Favor allowing children in failing school districts

the chance to attend better schools in nearby districts 64% 64% 79% 76%
Favor offering White parents the option of sending

their child to a more racially diverse school outside
their district, including a magnet school 60% 58% 77% 62%
Favor pooling commercial property taxes 73% 69% 87% 80%
Favor housing for lower-income families in middle

class and wealthier neighborhoods 61% 57% 84% 70%
An Urgent Challenge The can-do spirit that made Long coming generation of children
Island America’s leading suburb may well be Long Island’s last
Our school system, though admi
in the post-war era came mainly best hope for economic renewal.
rable in many ways, does not
in local, individualized efforts. Our actions in just the next few
reflect our values, nor serve our
Today we must harness that spirit years will determine whether
needs. As the demand for a well-
to a new cooperative effort. we nobly save or meanly lose
educated workforce becomes more
that hope.
urgent, so does the necessity of Time is not on our side. Our
securing a top-flight education for economy is losing ground—to
every student. Failure to do so regions that have made educa
now threatens to blight not only tional reform a top priority. It is
the dreams of our children, but unreasonable to think conditions
the viability of our region. The will improve for us, if we don’t
status quo is not an option. take steps to improve them. The
“I believe deeply that we cannot solve the

challenges of our time unless we solve
them together—unless we perfect our
union by understanding that we may have
different stories, but we hold common
hopes; that we may not look the same
and we may not have come from the same
place, but we all want to move in the
same direction—towards a better future
for our children and our grandchildren.”
Barack Obama
page 31
Page 32 | 2009 Long Island Index | Economy
Economy
Goal #1—Growth and Prosperity

Our economy grows at a rate that results in an improved quality of life for all.
Indicator:
Gross Metropolitan Product/Gross Domestic Product
Long Island’s economy may be at the beginning of stagnation.
Why is this important?
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a measure of the extent of economic activity within a defined geo
graphical region or within a sector of a defined economic region. When referencing a defined metropolitan
area it is sometimes referred to as the Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP). Essentially the GDP/GMP
measures the economic output of a region and can be used to compare overall economic activities across
regions, or the contributions of various sectors.
0
0 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 '07 '08 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Includes private sector, non-farm/fishing/hunting/private

household employment. Excludes government sectors.
Source: Economy.com; Hofstra University.
nomy client excel chart #2

Gross Metropolitan Product for Long Island ECONOMY CH 1_3
Growth in Long Island’s GMP Compared to U.S. GMP
8 $140 8%
US
7 120 7
In Billions, 2007 Dollars
6 100 6
Annual Growth
Long Island
5 80 5
4 4
60
3 3
40
2 2
1 20 1
0 0 0
a99 a00 a01 a02 a03 a04 ’98 ’99
a05 a06 a07 ’00a08
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Includes private sector, non-farm/fishing/hunting/private

household employment. Excludes government sectors.
Source: Economy.com; Hofstra University. Source: Economy.com; Hofstra University.
Economy client excel chart #3

Long Island Average Annual Employment
1,200 How are we doing? 1400

Growth in Long Island’s GMP Compared to U.S. GMP
Employment in Thousands
1,000 The total private sector GDP for Long Island in 2008 was about $129 billion. This was up only from $128
1200
billion
8%
in 2007. Overall, Long Island’s private sector1000
of the economy has grown by 32% from 1998 to 2008.
800
US
Growth
7 has averaged about 3% per year. However, there
800 was greater growth earlier in the period and slower
600 growth more recently. Growth in GDP from 2004 to600 2008 has averaged about 2%. There was almost no
6
Annual Growth
Long Island
400 change
5 between 2007 and 2008 (growth of .08%). Significantly,
400 Long Island’s growth trails the U.S.
Private sector
200 4
200
What 3 does “2007 dollars” mean? Public sector
0 0 a99 a00 a01 a02 a03 a04 a05 a06 a07 a08
The
2 ’01purchasing
’99 ’00 ’02 ’03 ’04 power’05 ’06of’07a dollar
’08 changes over time. If the items we buy generally cost more today than
1
they did ten years ago, then one dollar today is worth less than a single dollar was back then. Therefore,
Public Sector Private Sector Changes side scale value
it0 is necessary to adjust for that in order to create a common scale when we compare dollar values (e.g.,
’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
when comparing wages) over several years. By picking a single year as the standard (say, 2007), dollars
From 1999 to 2008, Private sector employment grew by 6%.
Public from Long Island
earlier
sector employment years
grew bycan “inflated” using theUnited
be15%.
almost States Price Index in order to estimate what those ear
Consumer
Source:lier dollars would be able to buy in 2007. Similarly, dollars from later years can be “deflated” to what
Bureau of Labor Statistics; Hofstra University.
their purchasing power would have been in 2007. By converting all values to the same scale it is much
easierSource:
to detect the presence
Economy.com; or absence of any trends over time (e.g., are wages actually rising, falling or
Hofstra University.
remaining the same?).
Economy client excel chart #3

ent Long Island Average Annual Employment
1400 1,400
1200 1,200
1000 1,000
800 800
600 600
400 400
Private sector
200 200
Public sector
0 a99 a00 a01 a02 a03 a04 a05 a06 a07 a08 0
’08 page 33 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Sector Changes side scale value Public Sector Private Sector

2 2
A
1 1
0 0
a99 a00 a01 a02 a03 a04 a05 a06 a07 a08 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08

Source: Economy.com; Hofstra University.
my client excel chart #4 Economy client excel chart #3

Long Island Average Annual Employment Average Pay Per Employee, U.S. and Long Island
Long Island
1,200 US 1400$55,000
1,000 1200
50,000
1000
800
2007 Dollars
800
600 45,000
600
400
400 40,000
Private sector
200 200
Public sector
01 a02 a03 a04 a05 a06 a07 a080 0 35,000
a99 a00 a01 a02 a03 a04 a05 a06 a07 a08
’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Public Sector Private Sector Changes side scale value

From 1999 to 2008, Private sector employment grew by 6%.

Public sector employment grew by almost 15%.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Hofstra University. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Hofstra University.
my client excel chart #5

Indicator: Indicator:
Household Income Distribution of Long Island Residents
Employment Trends Growth inRepresenting
Wages over theof P
a Household Four
ast
$250,000
Overall employment growth decreased in the 10 Years
Top 10% of LI Households 200,000
last twelve months. Long Island wages stagnate, while U.S. wages
LI Median
2007 Dollars
Why is this Bottom

important?
increase.
150,000
10% of LI Households
Job gains or losses measure regional economic Why 100,000
is this important?
US Median
vitality. This chart shows annual average private Average pay per employee is a basic measure of
50,000
non-farm employment, government and military, the economy’s health. Increasing or decreasing
and total employment on Long Island during the inflation-adjusted
0 pay per employee reflects the
00 A01 A02 A03 A04 A05 A06 A07
past ten years. ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
relative economic vitality of Long Island. It does
How are we doing? not, however, assess
Long whether Longthe returns
Long of eco U.S.
Long Island’s overall private sector employment nomic activityIsland Island
are being distributed Island
equally Median
Top 10% Median Bottom 10%
grew by about 6% between 1999 and 2008. That throughout the workforce.
reflects an average annual increase of .7% and How are we doing ? Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey; Hofstra University.
Source: 2007
an absolute increase of about 55,000 jobs. More Average pay per employee on Long Island
recently, between 2007 and 2008, private sector increased 3% from 1999 to 2007, compared to
employment fell by 3% (about 28,000 jobs). the U.S.Major
which roseClusters
Industrial 7%. Between 2007
in Long Island’s and 2008
Economy,
2008 Long Island wages per employee actually
my client excel chart #6
Employment Concentration, 2008 (Relative to U.S.)
fell 2.00
5%, while the U.S. figure rose 3%. In con
stant 2007 dollars, average pay Retailper employeeBiomedical
Manufacturing
was1.50
$834 lower in 2008 than it was in 1999. Education
Finance and
Insurance
1.00
Information/Communication Construction
Services & Building Health
Regional Recreation Materials Services
0.50
Business Services
Transportation &
Freight Services
0
-30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30%
Change in Employment, 2003-2008

35,000
’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
5 Household Income Distribution of Long Island Residents

Representing a Household of Four
$250,000
Top 10% of LI Households 200,000

LI Median
2007 Dollars 150,000
Bottom 10% of LI Households
100,000
US Median
50,000
0
’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Long Long Long U.S.

Island Island Island Median
Source: 2007 Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey; Hofstra University.
Major Industrial Clusters in Long Island’s Economy, 2008
6
2.00
Indicator: Retail
• Real incomes for households at the top 10%
Biomedical How to Read Thi
Manufacturing rose by 9%. Education
Household Income Distribution
1.50
Finance and
Higher concentration but decreasing Highe
number of employees numb
Household income for the top 10% continues Insurance • Median household income has been relatively QUA
and ex
1.00
to grow while the middle stagnatesInformation/Communication
and the stagnant. Lower concentration and decreasing Lower
Construction
Services & Building number of employees—“Worst” growin
bottom 10% declines. Regional Recreation Median household
Materials
Health
incomeServices
has declined relatively
Quadrant reflecting decline
0.50
steadily since 2003.
Business In constant 2007 dollars, the
Services
Why is this important? Transportation &
typical household of four earned 6% less in 2007
This measure shows how Long 0Island’s standard Freight Services
as compared to 2003.
of living among households at different
-30% income
-20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30%
levels has changed from year to year. It tracks Change in

These patterns indicate a widening of income
Employment, 2003-2008
the income of a representative four-person house

Bubble size represents cluster’s employment concentration in Long Island’s economy.
inequality on Long Island and an increased eco
hold. The chart plots the family-of-four house nomic burden on Long Island households.
hold income of the top 10%, the median and the
bottom 10% of the income distribution.
How are we doing?
Looking at the long-term trend from 1998 to 2007:
• Real incomes for households in the bottom 10%
actually dropped 4%.
page 35
’98 ’99 Island
’00 ’01 Island
’02 ’03 Island
’04 ’05 ’06Median
’07
Long Long Long U.S.

Source: 2007 Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey; Hofstra University.
Island Island Island Median
Top 10% Median
Page 36 | 2009 Long Island Index | Economy Bottom 10%
Major Industrial Clusters in Long Island’s Economy, 2008
Employment Concentration, 2008 (Relative to U.S.) Source: 2007 Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey; Hofstra University.
2.00
Retail Biomedical How to Read This Chart
Manufacturing Education
1.50
Higher concentration but decreasing Higher concentration and growing
Finance and number of employees number of employees—“BEST”
Insurance QUADRANT reflecting growth
and expansion
Major1.00
Industrial Clusters in Long Island’s Economy, 2008 Lower concentration and decreasing Lower concentration but
Information/Communication Construction
Services & Building number of employees—“Worst” growing number of employees
Health Quadrant reflecting decline
0.50
2.00 Business Services
Transportation &
0
Freight Services
Retail Biomedical How to
-30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30%
Manufacturing Education
1.50 Change in Employment, 2003-2008
Higher concentration but decrea
Finance and
Bubble size represents cluster’s employment concentration in Long Island’s economy.
number of employees
Insurance
1.00
Information/Communication Construction Lower concentration and decrea
Services & Building number of employees—“Worst”
Health Quadrant reflecting decline
0.50
Business Services
Transportation &
Freight Services
0
-30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30%

7
Bubble size represents cluster’s
Wages, Employment employment
Growth concentration
and Employment Concentration in Long Island’s economy.
ECONOMY 7-9
Source: BureaubyofClusters,
Labor Statistics; Hofstra
Long Island, 2008 University.
40%
Health Services Education
30 How to Read This Chart
Biomedical
Business Services
20
Increasing number of employees but Increasing number of employees
Construction & Building Materials lower wages and higher wages—“BEST”
Wages,0 Employment Growth and Employment Concentration

10
Retail
Finance and
Insurance
QUADRANT reflecting growth
and expansion EC
Declining number of employees and Declining number of employees
Regional lower wages—“Worst” Quadrant but higher wages
by Clusters,
-10 Long Island, 2008
Recreation Manufacturing reflecting decline
Median Pay Information/
-20
Transportation & Communication
40% Freight Services Services
-30
Health Services Education
30 How to R
-40
$0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 Biomedical
$70 $80 $90
2008 Average Annual Wage in Thousands (2007 Dollars)

Business Services
20
Bubble size reflects 2007 employment concentration.
Increasing number of employees b
Construction
Source: Bureau of& Building
Labor Materials
Statistics; Hofstra University. lower wages
10 Finance and
Retail Insurance
0
Declining number of employees an
Regional lower wages—“Worst” Quadrant
-10
Recreation Manufacturing reflecting decline
Median Pay Information/
-20
Transportation & Communication
t #8 Freight Services Services
-30
-40
$0 $10 $20 $30 Comparison
$40 of Average
$50 Salary$60
and Change in Employment,
$70 $80 Long$90
Island

Finance & Insurance

Business Services
Manufacturing
Transportation & Freight Services
Biomedical
Education
Construction & Building Materials
Health Services
Retail
Indicator: How are we doing?
Reading the two charts in relationship to each
Industry Clusters
other, a critically important trend becomes appar
Retail, which pays below-average wages, is the ent. Overall, employment in these strategic clusters
most concentrated industrial sector. Health is relatively stagnant. We are not growing high
Services and Education, which pay near- wage opportunities; rather, low wage jobs are
average wages, continue to be the sectors expanding in our region. Employment opportu
with the greatest employment growth. nities tend to be increasing in sectors of the
economy that pay wages close to or somewhat
Why is this important? below the median, and declining in those sectors
Long Island’s industry clusters make up approxi that generally offer higher wages and salaries.
mately 70% of Long Island’s employment base. How do these bubble charts show us that?
An industry cluster is a geographic concentration
of interdependent firms in related industries and • The first chart shows that the most concen
includes a significant number of companies that trated cluster relative to the U.S. economy is
sell their products and services outside the region. Biomedical. The least concentrated is Transpor
tation and Freight Services. The second chart
The first bubble chart illustrates three key dimen indicates that these two clusters are close to
sions of Long Island’s industry cluster: the median wage divide. Overall, Long Island’s
• The cluster’s employment concentration relative economy reflects a similar pattern to the U.S.
to the nation (vertical axis). as a whole with respect to the relative presence
of these clusters.
Employment concentration measures the
percentage of employment on Long Island • The clusters experiencing the greatest employ
compared to the same cluster, nationally. ment growth have been Education (15% in
the past five years) and Health Services (26%).
A concentration greater than one indicates Both are among the three most concentrated
that Long Island has relatively more employ clusters (each representing about 11% of employ
ment in that sector as compared to the national ment). The second chart indicates that both
economy as a whole. pay close to median level wages.
• Change in employment from 2003 to 2008 • For Long Island, those clusters yielding the
(horizontal axis). highest average pay tend to be both the smaller
• Concentration in 2008 (size of circle). Concen sectors and those that have experienced employ
tration shows the size of the cluster relative to ment declines between 2003 and 2008 (Infor
the Long Island economy as a whole. mation and Communication Services fell 3%,
Manufacturing fell 6%, Finance and Insurance
The second bubble chart illustrates key dimensions fell 6%).
of Long Island’s industry clusters in relationship
to wages and employment growth from 2003
to 2008.
On each chart, the upper right hand quadrant
represents those clusters with the most positive
indicators in concentration and employment (first
chart) or employment and wages (second chart).
page 37
-40
$0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70 $80 $90

chart #8
Comparison of Average Salary and Change in Employment, Long Island

Finance & Insurance

Business Services
Manufacturing
Transportation & Freight Services
Biomedical
Education
Construction & Building Materials
Health Services
Retail
Regional Recreation
0 25 30 $0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70 $80 -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
02-2007 Average Pay Per Cluster, Change in Employment,

2008, in Thousands 2003-2008
Average Wage, Long Island Average Change in Employment, Long Island
chart #9
Total Venture Capital Investment in Long Island Firms,
Another way to view this data is to compare the average growth in wages with the average change in
1998-2007
employment. Again we see that growth is occurring in those industries where salaries are near the average
Investment in Millions, 2007 Dollars
$350 1.4%
Investment as Percent of U.S.
rms %
rather than in the higher paying clusters.
ADDITIONAL 1-3 300 1.2
For more 250
information on employment by occupations, see 1.0
Economy Indicators, at www.longislandindex.org.
VC Investment
ollars Invested
200 0.8
150 0.6
100 0.4
What People in the Region Are Saying 50 0.2

0 0
Overall, what do you think is the MOST important
’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
problem facing residents of Nassau/Suffolk
1 County today? Dollars Invested % of All U.S. Investment
nts?
80% Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree™.
DABLE HOUSING
Report based on data from Thomson Reuters; Hofstra University.
OMY 60
40
20
0
’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Taxes Economy Affordable

Housing
Local residents have been deeply concerned about high local taxes in all recent
Long Island Index polls, but the level of concern about taxes and the economy
has risen in response to the bleak national economic outlook.
What People in the Region Are Saying

Goal #2—Supportive Business Environment
Long Island provides a business friendly environment for companies to grow.

Public Work Projects and Purchase of Goods and
Local Bidder Preference Laws
Services: Both Nassau and Suffolk have equiva
Nassau and Suffolk counties both enacted lent language stating that the county may award
local laws in the early 1990’s which provide the bid to a bidder “other than the lowest bidder”
a 10% pricing preference to local bidders. who “maintains a place of business in or sells sup
plies, materials or equipment manufactured in the
county…or an adjoining municipality and submits
The intent of local preference laws is to give local
a sealed bid not exceeding ten percent more than
businesses a competitive advantage for winning
the other lowest bidder… .” These statutes refer
awards for local government work. However, many
specifically to public works projects and purchases
companies and governments perceive local pref
of goods and services. In a telephone survey of
erence laws to be anti-competitive. Thus, while
the 36 most populous counties in New York State
local preference laws may benefit specific local
(out of a total of 62 counties), only three were
companies, these laws also may drive up the costs
found to contain local preference statutes: Nassau
of goods and services to all taxpayers, which get
and Suffolk counties each have a defined upper
reflected in the form of higher taxes. For this
limit of 10% for a vendor to receive a preference,
reason, local preference laws are not widely utilized
and Erie County has an upper limit of 5% and
across the state and country.
page 39
can only invoke the statute for projects larger proposals and making awards for professional
than $100,000. services allow local governments to take into
account factors other than price in awarding con
A series of additional phone calls made to other
tracts. Thus, for professional service contracts,
comparable suburban counties—Fairfax, VA,
localities are allowed to develop their own solici
Fairfield, CT, Santa Clara, CA, Bergen, NJ—
tation and award criteria, which often incorporate
indicates that none of these regions use local
either an implicit or explicit local preference.
bidder preference laws. Further, a review of state
Typically this gives local professional service con
laws using the Lexis-Nexis database found that 43
tractors, including architects and engineers, a
states do not provide for local preference for state-
competitive advantage over outside companies.
awarded contracts (New York State is included in
Since pricing is typically only one of the criteria
this group). Seven states allow local contractors to
considered in a professional services contract
have preference if they fall within certain guide
award process, a specific local preference price
lines. The rationale for the types of local bidder
advantage threshold is not required, nor does it
preferences and the specific preference thresholds
appear to be commonly described in law. Hence,
vary widely across these states. Percentages vary
it is not possible to measure the impact of local
from 1% to 15% with the most common threshold
vendor preferences on these types of services.
being in the range of 5%.
Professional Services: Large contracts are also For more information on local bidder
awarded for professional services which are sub preference laws, see Economy Indicators, at
ject to competitive requirements set forth by each www.longislandindex.org.
local government. In general, the rules for soliciting
Regional Recreation
-5 0 15 20 25 30 $0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70 $80 -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
5 10
Change in Employment, 2002-2007 Average Pay Per Cluster, Change in Employment,
2008, in Thousands 2003-2008
Average Wage, Long Island Average Change in Employment, Long Island
yeary client excel chart #9

Total Venture Capital Investment in Long Island Firms,
1998-2007
Investment in Millions, 2007 Dollars

1.4 $350 1.4%
Investment as Percent of U.S.

Firms %
1.2 300 1.2
VC Investment
1.0 Dollars Invested 250 1.0
0.8 200 0.8
0.6 150 0.6
0.4 100 0.4
0.2 50 0.2
0.0 0 0
06 a07 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Dollars Invested % of All U.S. Investment
keep scales at even increments?
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree™.

Goal #3—Innovative Economy

Our economy incubates, supports and retains companies.
Indicator: Typically, only firms with potential for exception

ally high rates of growth over a 5- to 10-year
Venture Capital Financing
period will attract venture capital. Thus, a high
Long Island’s venture capital investment sunk rate of venture capitalist investment suggests a
to its lowest level in more than ten years. changing and dynamic economy with relatively
Why is this important? new enterprises entering the scene. A lower rate
New venture capital investment is an indicator of of venture capitalist investment suggests a less
innovation and dynamism within the economy. dynamic mix of economic enterprises in the
Venture capitalists generally seek to invest in new regional economy.
enterprises that have a potential for strong growth.
page 41
0
ECONOMY 10-11
Total Venture Capital Investment by Industry

on Long Island, 1998-2007
Biotechnology
Business Products and Services
Computers and Peripherals
Consumer Products and Services
Electronics/Instrumentation
Financial Services
Healthcare Services
Industrial/Energy
IT Services
Media and Entertainment
Medical Devices and Equipment
Networking and Equipment
Retailing/Distribution
Semiconductors
Software
Telecommunications
300
$0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300
Investment in Millions (2007 Dollars)
nt excel chart #11
How are we doing? and 2007 (from $47 million down to $5 million).
Since 2002, venture capitalist investment in As a percent of total U.S. investment, the 2007
Long Island firms has ranged between a high amount represented only .02%.
NYSTAR Funds Awarded to Long Island, 2000-2007
of $47 million and a low of $5 million in 2007
Funds Awarded, in Millions (2007 Dollars)
The four industries receiving the largest investments

dollars. As a percentage
$25 of total venture capital
over100%
the past ten years are Telecommunications,
investment in U.S. firms, there was a slight 90
Long Island as a % of Total
NYSTAR Funds Awarded
20 Industrial/Energy,
80 Media and Entertainment, and
increase over the three years prior to 2007 (from
Software.
70
.08% to .17% of15total U.S. investment). However, 60
venture capital investment fell 89% between 2006 50
10 40
30
5 20
10
0 0
’00-’01 ’01-’02 ’02-’03 ’03-’04 ’04-’05 ’05-’06 ’06-’07
Funds Awarded % of Total NYSTAR

Funds Awarded
Source: NYSTAR; Hofstra University.

Telecommunications
0 250 300
$0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300
Investment in Millions (2007 Dollars)
st yeary client excel chart #11
NYSTAR Funds Awarded to Long Island, 2000-2007
Funds Awarded, in Millions (2007 Dollars)

100 $25 100%
90 90
Long Island as a % of Total

NYSTAR Funds Awarded
80 20 80
70 70
60 15 60
50 50
40 10 40
30 30
20 5 20
10 10
0 0 0
A07 ’00-’01 ’01-’02 ’02-’03 ’03-’04 ’04-’05 ’05-’06 ’06-’07
Funds Awarded % of Total NYSTAR

Funds Awarded
Source: NYSTAR; Hofstra University.

New York State provides funds to firms through
Research and Development
the NYSTAR program of the New York State
Investment Foundation for Science, Technology and Inno
Long Island’s funding from NYS increased vative Leadership. In 2006–07, Long Island firms
last year but it was a smaller share of the received almost $10 million in NYSTAR funding.
overall available funds. That represents an 88% increase in funding dollars
from the prior year. However, that dollar amount
was actually a smaller percentage of total state
R&D (Research and Development) investment in
funding than in prior years. Between 2000 and
Long Island’s universities, labs and private sector
2006, Long Island averaged 12% of total state
helps to drive regional innovation. R&D dollars
funding under the NYSTAR program. In 2007,
support the development of technologies that cre
the percentage fell to about 6%.
ate economic benefits for the regions in which
they are developed and for the nation as a whole.
page 43
Page 44 | 2009 Long Island Index | Our Communities
Our Communities
Goal #4—Vibrant Communities

We create exciting communities and downtown centers that offer people a wide choice of places
to live, work and play.
INDICATOR:
Long Island’s Changing Population
According to a recent revision of U.S. Census estimates, in response to a successful challenge
by Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island’s population has grown by 111,000 since 2000.
A review of the new estimates and comparison with the original data is included below.
The level of population growth is a fundamental benchmark of how attractive Long Island is as a place
to live. New residents require more housing and services, but can also add to the vibrancy of growing com
munities, increase sales for local businesses and provide additional tax revenues. Increasing diversity can
provide a cultural richness that many people value, but can also add to social tensions. In addition, some
economists have found that workforce diversity leads to a stronger regional economy.
COMMUNITIES CH 1_3
el chart
Population Change in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, 2000-2007, Change in Population for the New York Metropolitan Area, 2000-2007
Change
Original and Revised Census Estimates
1,550,000 5%
1,500,000
% Population Change
4
1,450,000
Population
3
1,400,000
1,350,000 2
1,300,000
1
1,250,000
1,200,000 0
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 Southwest Northern Hudson New York Long Long
thwesternNorthern, Hudson New Long LIPA
CT NJ Valley City Island– Island–
CT NJ Valley York City Island Data
Nassau Suffolk Nassau Suffolk Original Revised
Revised Revised Census Census
Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2001-2007 American Community Survey; Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2001-2007 American Community Survey;
data compiled by RPA. data compiled by RPA.
How are we doing? The differences between the two methods are
With a recent challenge to U.S. Census counts by apparent when reviewing the changes in popu
Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the modest growth lation since 2000. Under the previous estimates,
estimated by the Census for Long Island from 2000 Nassau’s population declined by 28,000 between
to 2007 has been revised substantially upward. 2000 and 2007 while Suffolk’s grew by 34,000.
The Census uses a model to estimate the compo Under the revisions, Nassau has grown by 19,000
nents of population change which includes data people and Suffolk has grown by 92,000.
on natural increase (births over deaths) plus net
The discrepancies in population counts present
migration (internal and international) using local
two different pictures of Long Island in the region
health records, data on migration from the Internal
over the last seven years. Comparing areas whose
Revenue Service and other sources. In challeng
population was calculated using different methods
ing the Census counts, the Counties cited popula
can lead to misleading comparisons, but the dif
tion figures gathered independently by the Long
ferences between Long Island and other parts
Island Power Authority (LIPA). Since 1998, LIPA
of the region change substantially using the two
has been estimating its own population counts,
different sets of assumptions. Using the original
building from Census figures and updating the
Census estimates, Long Island appears to be
counts based on the utility records of active elec
approaching 0% population growth between 2000
tric meters. Each year, LIPA’s figures are reviewed
and 2007. Compared to the rest of the region,
and adjusted to reflect any demographic change
which is growing at rates ranging from around
they detect. LIPA’s estimates also factor in local
2% in southwest Connecticut to nearly 4.5% in
trends towards various types of housing—includ
the Hudson Valley, Long Island appears to be an
nd 2007 ing apartments, condos, senior housing and per
outlier amongst its urban and suburban neighbors.
sons in group quarters (health facilities, jails and
Using the revised Census figures, Long Island is
dormitories). LIPA data was used to calculate the
amongst the strongest in growth since 2000 with
new population estimates for 2007 accepted by
a 4% increase in population, placing it above
the U.S. Census Bureau, and were slightly higher
New York City’s 3.3% growth.
than the LIPA figures. Estimates for prior years
will also be calculated.
page 45
55+
Communities client
Share excelbychart
of Population #4and Long Island, 2000 and 2007
Age, U.S. Percent of Population Aged 25-34, U.S. and Long Island
35% 16 16%
Long Island Long Island
30 14
US US
25 14 12
06 10
20
00 12 8
15
6
10
10 4
5 2
0 8 0
0-19
’00 ’01 ’02 20-34
’03 ’04 ’05 ’0635-54
’07 55+ ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Long Island 2000 Long Island 2007 Long Island United States
U.S. 2000 U.S. 2007
Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population,

Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA. 2001-2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
Communities client excel chart #5

All of the following population measures, it should be noted, use pre-Challenge Census data for analysis,
Share of Population That Is Black, Latino, Asian or Other, 1990-2007
and should therefore be used with caution. However, it is likely that the shares of Long Island population
40 for the different age, race and ethnic groups shown below are likely to 40%
change far less than the overall size
Long Island
35 of the population. Future reports will incorporate recalculated Census 35data.
30 United Stated 30
25 Age distribution downward trend
25 is well outside of the national
20 Compared to national trends, Long Island’s popu average—which20 has also decreased due to lower
15 lation is experiencing growth at higher rates for birth rates in
15 the 1970’s. Nationally, 25–34 year
10 those 55 and over. While this share of the popu olds comprised
10 nearly 14% of the population in
5 lation is not the largest—those 35 to 54 are— 2007. For the5 same year on Long Island, that
0 the entry of Baby Boomers into this cohort have number was 0just under 10%. The most precipi
’90 ’00 ’07
’90 increased its
’00population by 3.3%
’07 since 2000 com tous drop in 25–34 year olds has taken place since
pared to the national average of 2.3%. The next 2003, when this age group
Long Islandrepresented 12% of United States
generation of 35–54 year olds is well-represented the population. Long Island’s increasing lack of
on Long Island, and has experienced changes affordable housing, limits on employment oppor
Source: 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2007 American Community Survey;
consistent with the national trend. Younger tunities and a shortage of vibrant
data compiled by RPA. downtowns that
adults—those aged 20–34—have decreased by attract this age group may help to explain Long
nearly 2%—more than the national average Island’s “brain drain.”
decline of 1%.
The trend is even more dramatic when narrowing
down
Communities client thischart
excel group #6
to those aged 25–34. Tracking
Migration Between Long Island and the Rest of the U.S.
the growth of this age group, it is evident that its
100000
100000 In-migration 100,000
80000
80000 80,000
60000
60000 Out-migration 60,000
40000
40000 40,000
20000
20000 Net Migration 20,000
0 0 0
-20000
-20000 -20,000
-40000
-40000 -40,000
-60000
-60000 -60,000
-80000
-80000 -80,000
-100000
-100000 -100,000
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
’04 20
’05 ’06 ’07 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 20’07
10
0 Long Island 0
United States
’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Taxes Economy Affordable

Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, Housing
2001-2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
Local residents have been deeply concerned about high local taxes in all recent
Long Island Index polls, but the level of concern about taxes and the economy

Share of Population That Is Black, Latino, Asian or Other, 1990-2007
How likely is it that you will move out of Nassau/Suffolk
40% County to an area with lower housing costs and
nal Graphs what people Long
are Island
saying client excel
35
chart #2 property taxes in the next five years?
United Stated 30
80 25 Somewhat likely
80%
70 20 Very likely
60 60
15
50
40
10 40
30 5
20 0 20
10 ’90 ’00 ’07
’07
0 0
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Long Island 18-34States
United 35-49 50-64 65+
Responses by Age Group
Very Likely Somewhat Likely
data compiled by RPA.
The desire to leave Long Island remains most common among younger people,
aged 18-34, 67% of whom say they are somewhat or very likely to leave in
the next five years.
R ace and ethnicity Migration Between Long Island and the Rest of the U.S.
Race and ethnicity generally change gradually, What People in the Region Are Saying
How long have you lived in Nassau/Suffolk County?
and Long Island’s profile
In-migration in 2007 was little differ
100,000
80,000
nal Graphs what peopleent
arethan in 2006.
saying A excel
client slight increase
60,000chart #3
in the Latino
Out-migration
population was balanced by a slight decrease in
40,000
theNet
White population.20,000
Migration
100 0 100%
All my life
80 Over the long term, Long
-20,000Island continues
Over 10 years to 80
60
become more racially -40,000
and culturally
-60,000
diverse.
Less than 10 years Since
60
1990, the White population
-80,000 has declined from
40 40
84% to 72%. Latinos-100,000
are both the largest and
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’0520 ’06 ’07
04 20
’05 ’06 ’07 most rapidly growing ethnic population, having
0 increased from 6% to nearly 13% in the last Out-migration
In-migration 0 Net Migration
Latino Black
decade and a White
half. Asians have also increased Latino Black White
rapidly, more than doubling in population from Less than Over 10 Years All My Life
10 Years
2.3% to 5%. The Black population has increased Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Source: Internal Revenue Service; data compiled by RPA.
only modestly since 1990, growing from 7% to 9%.
Almost 80% of Blacks and Latinos interviewed for our poll are long-term residents
These trends reflect both national and regional of Long Island.
trends, in terms of the general trend toward
greater diversity and in the rapid growth of
Latinos and Asians specifically.
page 47
0
’90 ’00 ’07
’07

#6 Migration Between Long Island and the Rest of the U.S.
In-migration 100,000
80,000
Out-migration 60,000
40,000
Net Migration 20,000
0
-20,000
-40,000
-60,000
ADDITIONAL 1-3
-80,000
-100,000
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
3 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
In-migration Out-migration Net Migration
Overall, what do you think is the MOST important
problem facing residents of Nassau/Suffolk
Source: Internal Revenue Service; data compiled by RPA.
al Graphs what people are saying client excel chart #1 County today?
80 80%
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
70
ECONOMY 60
60
50 TAXES
40 40
Migration Movement between Nassau and Suffolk Counties
30
20
Both the number of people leaving and moving was 20
also significant. Nearly 11,000 residents moved
10 to Long Island declined slightly in 2007 following from Nassau to Suffolk County in 2007, which
0 several years of increasing net out-migration. In 0
is about 5,000 more residents than moved from
’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
2007, there were 21,000 more Long Islanders who Suffolk to Nassau. This reflects the greater abun
left than those who arrived from other parts of dance of new development
Taxes and more affordable
Economy Affordable
Housing
the United States. This is a modest improvement housing further from the border of New York City.
from 2005 and 2006, when there was a net out Local residents have been deeply concerned about high local taxes in all recent
flow of 23,000 and 25,000 people. These statistics Long Island For information
Index polls, but the level ofon charitable
concern organ
about taxes and the economy
do not include foreign immigration, for which izations, see Communities Indicators, at
there is no reliable annual data. www.longislandindex.org.
New York City is still the location from which the
largest number of people moved to Long Island, What People in the Region Are Saying
though this number has declined almost another How likely is it that you will move out of Nassau/Suffolk
2% since last year. At the same time, the number County to an area with lower housing costs and
al Graphs what people are saying client excel chart #2 property taxes in the next five years?
of people moving from Long Island to Manhattan,
Queens and other parts of the city continued to
80 increase by another percentage point overlikely
last 80%
Somewhat
70
60 year. This movement has continued
Veryto be
likely fueled 60
50 by the substantial growth of new housing in the
40 five boroughs compared to Nassau and Suffolk. 40
30
20 For those Long Islanders not remaining in the 20
10
0
tri-state area, the most likely destinations con 0
18-34 35-49 tinue50-64
to be Florida,
65+ North Carolina, Pennsylvania, 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
Responses by Age Group
Georgia, and California. Much of the migration
Very Likely Somewhat Likely
to these often sunnier or lower tax states can
be attributed to either retirees or those taking
advantage of the higher housing prices that were The desire to leave Long Island remains most common among younger people,
aged 18-34, 67% of whom say they are somewhat or very likely to leave in
still abundant on Long Island in 2007. the next five years.
For the last two years, the Long Island Index has
Long Island’s Downtowns
conducted a survey of downtowns, selected to
Long Island’s downtowns have maintained represent a diverse range of places of various size
similar vacancy rates as last year but as the across the Island. Thirty downtowns were sur
changes on Wall Street begin to filter down, veyed in 2008, an increase of seven over the 23
this next year will be critical to watch. places surveyed in 2007. The current survey was
completed as Wall Street was beginning an his
toric decline and the question remains, how will
There are more than 100 downtowns in Nassau
this be felt on Main Street? As of September–
and Suffolk counties. These centers are not only
October 2008 when the survey was conducted,
important as places to work, live and shop, they
the national financial decline was not apparent
also help define the character of surrounding
here. Overall vacancy rates are on par with previ
communities and provide places to meet and
ous years and new construction was continuing.
interact. Downtowns can also promote walking
The question is how Main Street will fare as the
and transit use. With less open space left for new
national economic pictures evolves, what will
development, downtowns provide the potential
these rates look like a year from now?
for Long Island to consider adding new housing,
stores and offices.
Long Island’s Downtowns
Storefronts Retail vs. Service Vacancy Rate Number of Banks

New
Construction
Per 100 Change from Sites in the Number in People/
Downtown Number People % Retail % Service 2008 Rates 2007 Downtown Downtown Bank
Babylon 169 2.7 65% 35% 3% 1% 0 4 1,591
Bay Shore 195 3.0 53% 47% 21% 2% 3 2 3,211
Brentwood 46 0.9 27% 73% 2% N/A 1 1 5,267
Cedarhurst 188 4.9 72% 28% 7% (3)% 2 6 640
Copiague 47 1.3 51% 49% 4% N/A 0 0 —
Farmingdale 120 1.9 54% 46% 10% N/A 0 2 3,146
Freeport 221 2.1 61% 39% 7% 0% 1 2 5,356
Glen Cove 143 4.5 54% 46% 11% N/A 0 3 1,065
Great Neck 475 2.7 60% 40% 11% 3% 2 19 938
Greenport 125 6.1 83% 17% 8% 2% 0 2 1,024
Hempstead Village 371 2.4 56% 44% 7% (1)% 1 7 2,189
Hicksville 200 3.9 46% 54% 6% (1)% 0 3 1,697
Huntington 358 7.3 71% 29% 7% 1% 7 10 490
Huntington Station 145 1.5 46% 54% 8% (3)% 2 1 9,820
Islip 75 1.6 54% 46% 5% (1)% 0 2 2,322
Long Beach 214 1.0 54% 46% 4% (1)% 5 9 2,467
Lynbrook 119 5.4 59% 41% 6% N/A 3 4 549
Mineola 114 2.1 49% 51% 7% (1)% 2 3 1,798
Oyster Bay 119 5.9 55% 45% 10% N/A 0 2 1,003
Patchogue 151 2.0 61% 39% 15% (1)% 2 3 2,480
Port Jefferson 170 4.6 65% 35% 5% (2)% 2 3 1,225
Port Jefferson Station 70 1.8 49% 51% 19% 9% 0 2 1,903
Riverhead 146 2.6 49% 51% 26% 7% 1 3 1,871
Rockville Centre 304 5.8 55% 45% 5% 1% 1 11 476
Roosevelt 91 1.2 45% 55% 8% 0% 1 1 7,382
Sayville 121 4.1 60% 40% 4% (2)% 2 2 1,472
Smithtown 150 3.1 59% 41% 9% 6% 0 7 695
Southampton 243 10.4 75% 25% 9% 3% 0 5 466
Valley Stream 157 10.3 46% 54% 16% N/A 1 2 764
Westbury 185 3.8 41% 59% 5% (2)% 1 3 1,637
Average 56% 44% 9% 1%
Source: Research by Rauch Foundation, September-October 2008; data analyzed by RPA.
page 49
Number and occupancy of storefronts were around 2–3%. Brentwood, Babylon and
The number of storefronts per person indicates Long Beach have the lowest vacancy rates of
the amount of retail and service options available our surveyed downtowns, each under 5%.
to residents, workers and visitors. The overwhelm
Downtown construction
ing majority of downtowns have between 100–300
Construction projects—be they major renova
storefronts. When adjusted for population, the
tions or new construction—in a downtown area,
average downtown had 3 storefronts per 100 peo
indicate new investment in housing, jobs and/or
ple. These ranged from Southampton and Valley
services. Some construction is to be expected
Stream, with over 10 storefronts per 100 people
over time even in stable communities, simply to
who lived in the downtown, to places like Long
replace or upgrade obsolete buildings or accom
Beach and Brentwood which had less than one
modate normal rates of turnover. High rates
storefront per 100 people. This does not necessar
of construction indicate more rapid change or
ily mean that these places are underserved, since
growth. Cumulatively, tracking downtown con
the size and diversity of establishments are also
struction is one indication of how much Long
important, but they do show that some places
Islanders are changing their perception of down
have far more options relative to their population.
towns as a place to live, work and shop.
The number of vacancies is one indication of the
Of our 30 field-surveyed downtowns, 11 had no
health and vibrancy of these downtowns as com
construction and eight had only one construction
mercial centers. Storefront vacancy rates refer to
project underway at the time of survey. Huntington
the percentage of downtown storefronts that are
and Long Beach had at least five projects occurring
vacant at the time of surveying. Lower vacancy
in their downtown area. These projects ranged
rates indicate that a downtown has a healthier
from refurbishing storefronts to the development
economy while a high vacancy rate is a sign that
of new multi-unit housing. On the whole, this
businesses have left or are not attracted to a down
appears to indicate a relatively low level of con
town. The lower the vacancy rate, the more likely
struction and redevelopment.
that a resident or visitor will find the retail or
service opportunity they are looking for in their Banks per person
downtown, and the more it will convey a sense Services vary one downtown to another. Recently
of stability and community health. there had been a significant increase in the num
ber of banks coming to Long Island so the Index
The average storefront vacancy rate of our 30 field-
measured how many retail bank establishments
surveyed downtowns was 9%. For the 23 down
were available in each downtown. On average,
towns field-surveyed last year, the rate is also 9%,
there is one bank for every 4,500 people living
an increase of 1% over last year’s 8% vacancy
in a downtown. This covers a wide range, from
rate. Those downtowns with the largest increases
less than 1,000 people per bank in places like
include Smithtown, Port Jefferson Station and
Southampton and Rockville Center, to nearly
Riverhead where vacancy increased by about 6,
10,000 people per bank in Huntington Station.
7 and 9% respectively. Those downtowns with
improved vacancy rates include Sayville, Cedar
hurst and Huntington Station where improvements
20 20
15 Share of Households 15
10 that spend between 35% 10
5 and 49% of their income 5
0 on housing 0
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Share of Households Share of Households

That Spend Between That Spend > 50% of
35% and 50% of Income on Housing
Income on Housing
Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2001-2007 American Community Survey;
COMMUNITIES CH 7_9
Communities client Share
excelofchart #8 with a High Housing Cost Burden, Long Island,
Households Share of Households with a High Housing Cost Burden,
2000-2007 Metropolitan New York Area, 2006 and 2007
45 Share of Households 45%
seholds 40%
40 that spend more than 40
0%35 or 35 50% of income 35
income
30 30 on housing 30
25 25 25
20 Share of Households 20
20
15 that Spend between 15
10
seholds 15 35% and 49% of 10
5
tween 35% 10 Income on Housing 5
0 income
heir 5 0
Nassau, 2006
Nassau, 2007
Suffolk, 2006
Suffolk, 2007
Fairfield, 2006
Fairfield, 2007
Bergen, 2006
Bergen, 2007
Monmouth, 2006
Monmouth, 2007
Westchester, 2006
Westchester, 2007
Nassau, Nassau,
2006 Suffolk,
2007 Suffolk,
2006 Fairfield,
2007 Fairfield,
2006 Bergen,
2007 Bergen,
2006 Monmouth,
2007 Monmouth,
2006
Westchester,
2007
Westchester,
2006 2007
Nassau
2006
Nassau
2007
Suffolk
2006
Suffolk
2007
Fairfield
2006
Fairfield
2007
Bergen
2006
Bergen
2007
Monmouth
2006
Monmouth
2007
Westchester
2006
Westchester
2007
0
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07

That Spend Between That Spend > 50% of Share of Households Share of Households
35% and 50% of Income on Housing That Spend Between That Spend > 50% of
Income on Housing 35% and 50% of Income on Housing
Income on Housing
data compiled by RPA. Source: 2006-2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
Share of Households with a High Housing Cost Burden,

Metropolitan New York Area, 2006 and 2007
45% excel chart #9
Communities client
ouseholds
40
oal ffordable omes G #5—A H residentsPercent
to stay, and for the adult children of resi
Change in Median Housing Sales Price, Long Island,
more than dents to start their families
2000-2008 (1st Half) in the region.
ome 35
25 25%
We generate housing options that are afford
20 we doing?
How are
30
20
25
15 able to people of all ages and income levels. The15collapse of the U.S. housing market in 2008
ouseholds 20
between 10 15 percent
has 10
clearly begun to affect Long Island. Following
9% of 5 10 Indicator: more5 than a decade of rapid growth, sales prices
Housing 5
0
-5 0
ousing ffordability H A 0
on Long
-5
Island declined in the first six months of
2008. However, the long run-up in housing prices
Rising housing cost burdens leveled off in
Nassau
2006
Nassau
2007
Suffolk
2006
Suffolk
2007
Fairfield
2006
Fairfield
2007
Bergen
2006
Bergen
2007
Monmouth
2006
Monmouth
2007
Westchester
2006
Westchester
2007
-10 -10
’00 -’01 ’01 -’02 ’02 -’03 ’03 -’04 ’04 -’05 ’05 -’06 ’06 ’07
-’07-’08 1st half has created
2000-a 2001-
large2002-
disparity between
2003- 2004 - 2005-housing costs
2006- 2007-
2007 and home sale prices started to decline
and income.
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
1st Half
in 2008. New building permits declined to
its lowest
Share point in three decades. Share of Households High housing cost burden
of Households
That Spend Between That Spend > 50% of The share of households who spend more than
W35%
hy is andthis important?
50% of Income on Housing
Source: Long Island Real Estate Report; data compiled by RPA.
35% of their income on housing on Long Island
As housing
Income costs represent a large share of the
on Housing
increased from 27% in 2000 to 38% in 2007. The
household
Source: budgetCommunity
2006-2007 American on Long Island,
Survey; housing
data compiled afford
by RPA. share of U.S. households with such a high housing
ability is an issue for everyone. cost burden was only 29% in 2007. Suffolk County
From one perspective, rising housing costs are a in particular experienced a sharp jump, with the
sign that Long Island continues to be a place where number of households in this category increasing
people desire to live. However, higher housing 12 percentage points. In Nassau, where the housing
costs deplete the quality of life for the many fami cost burden has been slightly higher for most of
lies struggling with rent and house payments and the past six years, the share increased 10 percent
Percent Change in Median Housing Sales Price, Long Island,
make it difficult for employers to recruit and retain age points. Although there was a slight decrease
2000-2008 (1st Half)
workers. Overtime, the limited supply of lower this past year, housing cost burden is still much
25%
cost housing can change the cultural, demographic higher than it was earlier in the decade and it
20
and economic character of the region. Increasing continues to be higher than our neighboring sub
15
housing cost burdens make it harder for longtime urban regions.
10
5
0
-5
page 51
-10
That Spend Between That Spend > 50% of
35% and 50% of Income on Housing
Income on Housing
52 | 2006-2007
Page Source: Island Index | Our Communities
American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
2009 Long
s client excel chart #10

Percent Change in Median Housing Sales Price, Long Island, Share of Homes Sold, by Price Bracket, 2000-2008 (1st Half)
2000-2008 (1st Half)
25% $625,000 and more
2000
20 $500,000 to 624,999
2001
15 2002
$375,000 to $499,999
2003
10 2004
$250,000 to $374,999
5 2005
0
$125,000 to $249,999 2006
Less than $125,000 2007
-5 2008
(1st Half)
30 40 50 60-10 70 80 90 100 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004 - 2005- 2006- 2007-
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 Less than $125,000 to $250,000 to
1st Half $125,000 $249,999 $374,999
$375,000 to $500,000 to $625,999
$499,999 $624,999 and More
Source: Long Island Real Estate Report; data compiled by RPA. Source: Long Island Real Estate Report; data compiled by RPA.
ADDITIONAL 4-6
Home sales prices

ient excel chart #11 Following several consecutive years of double-digit What People
Share in theUnits
of All Housing Region Are
That Are Saying on
Renter-Occupied
rentals In anLong Island
average and Surrounding
month, Regions,
how difficult is it 2007
for you and
increases, home sale prices have leveled off since
your family living with you to pay the rent or mortgage?
40%
2005,
Graphs what people are and even
saying decreased
client in the #4
excel chart first half of 2008,
by 6.3%. The median sales price of a home in 30
the first half of 2008 was $417,000, down from
60 60%
Somewhat Difficult
$445,000 in 2007 but still almost as high as in 20
50 Very Difficult 50
2005 ($430,000).
40 10 40
30 Even with this moderation, however, the escalation 30
20 in home values and prices since 2000 remains 0 20
Nassau
Suffolk
Monmouth
Fairfield
Bergen
Westchester
NY Region
excl. NYC
nmouth
10 Fairfield striking.NY
Bergen Westchester In 2000, the share of homes that sold for 10
Region
0 less than $250,000 was 63%—by 2008, that share
excludes
0
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
was New
10%. Similarly,
York City the share of homes that sold
for more than $500,000 was 9% in 2000 but more Very Difficult Somewhat Difficult
than three times that in 2008 (33%). Source: 2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
Over half (54%) of all Long Islanders continue to report that it is somewhat or
very difficult to meet their monthly rent or mortgage payments.
s client excel chart #12 What People

Gross inRents
Monthly the Region Are 2000-2007
on Long Island, Saying
Please think about the quality of education provided
$1,500 or more
by your local schools. What would you say is the value
2000
local residents get back from property taxes in terms
Graphs what people are saying client excel chart #5
$1,000 to $1,499
of the quality of education?
2001
2002
$500 to $999
2003
0
Don't Know/Refused
Less than $500 2004
0 100
Poor 2005
0 Fair 200680
0 Good 200760
030 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Excellent 400% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
0 20
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
0
Less than $125,000 to $250,000 to
Nassau
Suffolk
Monmouth
Fairfield
Bergen
Westchester
NY Region
excl. NYC
olk Monmouth Fairfield Bergen Westchester
$125,000NY $249,999 $374,999
Region
$375,000 to
excludes $500,000 to $625,999
$499,999
New York City $624,999 and More
Source: Long Island Real Estate Report; data compiled by RPA.

Source: 2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
Share of All Housing Units That Are Renter-Occupied on Gross Monthly Rents on Long Island, 2000-2007
nities client excel chart #12
Long Island and Surrounding Regions, 2007
40% $1,500 or more
2000
2001
$1,000 to $1,499
30
2002
$500 to $999
2003
20 2004
Less than $500
2005
10 2006
2007
20 30 40 50 060 70 80 90 100 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Nassau
Suffolk
Monmouth
Fairfield
Bergen
Westchester
NY Region
excl. NYC
Less than $500 $500 to $999
$1,000 to $1,499 $1,500 or More

Source: 2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA. data compiled by RPA.
Rents After many years of steadily rising prices, rents on

Rental
Gross units,
Monthly whether
Rents single-family
on Long homes rented
Island, 2000-2007 Long Island leveled off in 2007—most likely the
by the owner or apartments in multi-family build sign of the overall cooling off of the real estate
2000 ings, constitute less than 1 in 5 homes on Long market, not a reduction in long-term demand for
2001 Island. The share of units that are rented in the rental housing. Rents are still expensive, however,
2002 New York region excluding New York City is with nearly 4 in 10 rentals costing more than
2003 almost twice Long Island’s share. $1,500 a month (only 12% of rentals were in that
2004 price range in 2000).
2005
2006
2007
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Less than $500 $500 to $999
$1,000 to $1,499 $1,500 or More

page 53
Nassau
Suffolk
Long
Island
Monmouth
Fairfield
Bergen
Westchester
United
States
andMonmouth Fairfield Bergen Westchester
United States
Change in Median Change in Median

Page 54 | 2009 Long Island Index | Our Communities Household Incomes Value of Owner-
Occupied Units
ommunities client excel chart #13 Change in Median Household Incomes and Median Value of
COMMUNITIES
Owner-Occupied CH 13_15
Units, Metropolitan New York Area, 2000-2007
150%
client excel chartChange
#14 in Median Household Incomes and Median
ChangeValue
in Median
of Value of
Owner-Occupied Units
Ratio of Median Value of Owner-Occupied Units to Median Household Incomes
Owner-Occupied Units, Metropolitan New York Area, 2000-2007 125
lue of 150% 8 100

'2006 Change in Median
s 125 Household Incomes 7 75
100 6
50
'2007 5
75
25
4
50
0
3
Nassau
Suffolk
Long
Island
Monmouth
Fairfield
Bergen
Westchester
United
States
Nassau
25
Suffolk Long IslandMonmouth Fairfield Bergen Westchester
United States 2
0
1
Nassau
Suffolk
Long
Island
Monmouth
Fairfield
Bergen
Westchester
United
States
0
Nassau Change
Suffolk Monmouth Fairfield
in Median
Bergen Westchester
Change in Median
Monmouth Fairfield Bergen Westchester
Household Incomes Value of Owner-
2006 2007
Occupied Units
Change in Median Change in Median
Household Incomes Value of Owner- Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2001-2007 American Community Survey;
Occupied Units
data compiled by RPA. Source: 2006-2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
ommunities client excel chart #14 Ratio of Median Value of Owner-Occupied Units to Median Household Incomes
'2006Household Incomes
Ratio of Median Value of Owner-Occupied Units to Median 8
client excel chart #15 7 Share of All Building Permits Issued for Multi-Family Housing,
8 6 Long Island and Surrounding Region, 2000-2007
7
Home values compared to household '2007 incomes has
5 seen strong increases in the number of multi-
6 From 2000 to 2007, household incomes on Long family
100% units built since 2000, but on Long Island
4
3
5 Island increased by 26% while home values shot the
90 share of multi-family units built decreased
4 280
3
up 124%. This trend isNY apparent throughout
region excl NYC
more
170 than four-fold, from 28% to only 6% in
2 the larger New York region though it is most 2007.
060 This 6% share contrasts with the 48% share
Percent
Northern New Jersey Nassau Suffolk Monmouth Fairfield Bergen Westchester

Nassau Suffolk 1Monmouth pronounced
Fairfield Bergen in Nassau and particularly Suffolk
Westchester in50the New York region, excluding New York City.
0 SW Connecticut 40
Counties. 30
2006 2007
Nassau Suffolk Monmouth Fairfield Bergen Westchester Hudson Valley Many of the problems associated with housing on
20
Stabilized home values,Long
2006 along
Islandwith rising
2007 house Long
10 Island—including its high cost and lack of
A03 A04 A05 A06
hold A06
have slightlyincomes, improved the ratio rental
0 units—can be traced to low rates of housing
New York City Source: 2006-2007 American Community Survey; data compiled by RPA.
’00
of home value to income from 2006 to 2007 on production, and’01particularly
’02 ’03
low rates ’04 ’05
of multi- ’06 ’07
Long
Source: 2006-2007 Island,
American as they
Community Survey;have in the
data compiled New York region
by RPA. family units Newproduction.
York City Long Island Hudson Valley
(excluding New York City). Yet this ratio is still SW Connecticut Northern NY region
ommunities client excelmore chartthan#15twice the conventional rule of thumb, Share of All Building Permits New
IssuedJersey
for Multi-Familyexcl. NYC
Housing,
which is that a household’s house value should be Long Island and Surrounding Region, 2000-2007
Share of All Building Permits Issued for Multi-Family Housing,
2.5 times its income.
Long Island and Surrounding Region, 2000-2007 100%Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2007 American Community Survey;
90 data compiled by RPA.
What’s getting built? 80
100%
90 The number of building permitsNYissued region excl NYC
on Long 70
60
Percent
80 Northern New Jersey

C 70
Island in 2007 was lower than at any other point 50
SW Connecticut 40
60 in the last three decades. Much of Long Island
Percent
y 30
50 Hudson Valley
40 was built up following World War II and both the 20
Long Island 10
A00 A01 A02 30
A03 A04shrinking
A05 availability
A06 A06 of land for new residential 0
20 New York City
’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
10 subdivisions and the weakening housing market
0
appear
’00 ’01to have
’02 contributed
’03 ’04 to’05the decline.
’06 ’07 New York City Long Island Hudson Valley
SW Connecticut Northern NY region
Long Island
New York City has also been
Long Islandproducing significantly
Hudson Valley New Jersey excl. NYC
lower shares of multi-family
SW Connecticut Northern units as NYitregion
continued
New Jersey excl. NYC
on its downward trajectory of building multi-family Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2007 American Community Survey;
housing. Every other part of the tri-state region
Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population, 2007 American Community Survey;
COMMUNIT
6
rt #3
Residential Buildings near Rail Stations
Multi-family 400,000
350,000
Single-family
Number of Buildings
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
one mile+ Within Half One Within Half One
Half to One Mile or Half to One Mile or
Mile Mile More Mile Mile More
Nassau Suffolk
Single-Family Multi-Family
Source: Nassau County, Suffolk County; data compiled by RPA.
Population Density Number of % of Population

County Area (Population/ Commuter within .5 Mile
Indicator: (Train Line) HowSquareareMile)
we doing
(Square Miles) Rail ?
Stations of Station
Connecticut (Metro-North) Only 11% of Long Island residential buildings are
Housing near RailFairfield,StationsConnecticut 626 located
1,410 within a half-mile
27 of a8%Long Island Rail
7 Few Long Islanders live within
New Haven, walking dis 606
Connecticut 1,361 8
Road (LIRR) station, a distance 2%
frequently used
tance of rail stations.Hudson Valley, NY (Metro-North) by planners as a distance that people are generally
Dutchess, New York 802 350 11 3%
Why is this important?Orange, New York 816 willing418 to walk to transit.
7 Two-thirds
1% of residential
Putnam, New York
Housing in close proximity to transit can offer a 231 buildings
414 are more 6than a mile 2%from a rail station,
Rockland, New York
number of environmental benefits, mainly tied
174 meaning
1,646 that for many,5 train6% stations are more
Westchester, New York 433 2,134 43 22%
to the reduced dependence of residents on auto than a short car ride away. Multi-family buildings
Long Island (LIRR)
mobiles, which impactsNassau,
air New
quality are more likely to be located near rail stations—
York and climate 287 4,655 65 19%
change. Communities near transit—particularly
Suffolk, New York 912
27%1,556
are within a 37 half-mile, but 6%
47% are located
rail stations—are often more compact and walk more than a mile from transit. Since multi-family
Source: 2000 U.S. Census of Population; data compiled by RPA.
able, offering greater options in housing, retail buildings have more housing units than single-
and employment. In addition, the train system family buildings, the number of units near transit
can offer access to regional employment centers, is higher than 11%. However, since 82% of Long
like Manhattan, and other destinations such as Islanders live in single family homes, the percent
regional retail and entertainment centers. age living near transit is still relatively small.
Home Mortgage Loans on Long Island, 2004-2007

8
Prime loans 2004
High cost loans 2005
2006
2007
0 50000 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000
Prime Loans High-Cost Loans

page 55
0
Within Half One Within Half One
Half to One Mile or Half to One Mile or
Mile Mile More Mile Mile More
Nassau Suffolk
Page 56 | 2009 Long Island Index | Single-Family

Our Communities Multi-Family
Source: Nassau County, Suffolk County; data compiled by RPA.
Population Density Number of % of Population

County Area (Population/ Commuter within .5 Mile
(Train Line) (Square Miles) Square Mile) Rail Stations of Station
Connecticut (Metro-North)
Fairfield, Connecticut 626 1,410 27 8%
New Haven, Connecticut 606 1,361 8 2%
Hudson Valley, NY (Metro-North)
Dutchess, New York 802 350 11 3%
Orange, New York 816 418 7 1%
Putnam, New York 231 414 6 2%
Rockland, New York 174 1,646 5 6%
Long Island (LIRR)
Nassau, New York 287 4,655 65 19%
Suffolk, New York 912 1,556 37 6%
In Nassau County, 48% of the buildings are within Westchester and Nassau Counties have by far the
a mile from a rail station; in Suffolk County, it is highest percentages of population living within
Home Mortgage
22%. The differing development Loansof
pattern onthese
Long Island, 2004-2007
a half-mile of a rail station. They also have the
two counties explains these disparities. More of highest number of rail stations and the greatest
Nassau County was developed earlier and around population densities. However, Westchester
Prime loans 2004
the rail stations of the LIRR. Much of Suffolk County—where 22% of its residents lived within
County developed later, when the automobile was a half-mile—has a higher share than Nassau’s
the major means of transportation. 19% even though it has fewer stations and a lower
population density. Much of Westchester’s popu
Using 2000 Census
2006 population data, we can also
lation is clustered in cities around the rail station
compare Nassau and Suffolk to counties served
while much of the northern county remains
by Metro-North.2007Although this data is not com
sparsely populated. Suffolk has almost as many
pletely comparable to the 2007 data for residential
0 10,000 findings.20,000
rail stations as Westchester, but is over twice the
buildings, it shows some interesting These 30,000 40,000 50,000
land area and has only 6% of its population near
shares are determined by a number of factors—the
Prime Loans transit. The Metro-North
High-Cost Loans counties most compa
amount of rail service, the county’s overall density
rable in terms of people living near transit are
and concentrations near the stations. In other
Rockland County (6%) and Connecticut’s Fair
words, counties with higher population densities
field County (8%), even though both of these
and larger numbers Source:
of railHome
stations (Nassau and
Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) datahave fewer train
2004-2007; stations
compiled by and lower densities than
Westchester) also haveCUNYtheMapping
highest percentage
Service of for Urban Research.
at the Center
Suffolk County.
population within a half-mile of stations, while
those counties with low population density and
scarce rail stations (Orange, Putnam, Dutchess
and New Haven) have very low percentages.
Rockland, New York 174 1,646 5 6%
Long Island (LIRR)
Nassau, New York 287 4,655 65 19%
Suffolk, New York 912 1,556 37 6%
Home Mortgage Loans on Long Island, 2004-2007

8
Prime loans 2004
2006
2007
00 50000 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000
Prime Loans High-Cost Loans
Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data 2004-2007; compiled by

CUNY Mapping Service at the Center for Urban Research.

High-cost loans are defined as those which exceed
Home Mortgage Trends
the federal Treasury rate by three percentage points
High-cost loans account for 24% of all mort or more for a Treasury security of comparable
gages on Long Island between 2004 and 2007. maturity. Subprime loans are those loans where
Why is this important? the recipient is considered a higher risk of poten
Despite high home prices, high housing costs and tial default due to a lower credit score. While not
anemic new construction on Long Island, homes all high-cost loans are subprime, the relationship
continued to sell at record levels through 2006 is consistent enough that many housing research
and did not drop off until mid-2007. In part the ers now use high-cost as a proxy for subprime.
expansion of the real estate market was due to a Based on data collected under the federal Home
national trend to make credit more easily avail Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), high-cost
able. In some cases mortgages were made possible loans on Long Island rose from 12% of all mort
to prospective home buyers who did not meet the gages in 2004 (the first year for which data is
traditional credit thresholds by offering higher available) to 35% of all mortgages just two years
than usual interest rates, referred to as “subprime later. In fact, during the four year period from
loans.” Learning who received these loans and 2004 to 2007, high-cost loans accounted for 24%
how many were made are critical facts to under of all mortgages on Long Island.
standing which communities are most at risk of
losing their homes through foreclosure.
page 57
20
10
0
'05 '06 '07 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Asian Black Latino
Unknown/Other White
COMMUNITIES CH 19_21
Percent of Prime Loans by Race/Ethnicity

s client excel chart #20 Percent of High Cost Loans by Race/Ethnicity
100% 100%
90 White 90
r 80 Unknown/Other 80
70 70
o 60 Hispanic/Latino 60
Amer. 50 Black/African Amer. 50
40 40
30 Asian 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
'05 '06 ’04 '07 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Asian Black Latino Asian Black Latino
Unknown/Other White Unknown/Other White

Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding. Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data 2004-2007; compiled by Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data 2004-2007; compiled by
CUNY Mapping Service at the Center for Urban Research. CUNY Mapping Service at the Center for Urban Research.
Percent of High Cost Loans by Race/Ethnicity

The subprime market did help to diversify Long As the Percent
economy weakens
of All Individualsand thePoverty
Below terms Line,
of many
2003-2007*
s client excel chart
100% #21
Island’s housing market with an influx of non- of the high-cost loans are resetting, recent evi
0 90 20%
r 80 White home buyers. FromLong 2004 to 2006 there was
Island dence from the Federal Reserve Bank of New
70 a steady and substantial increase New York in the number
State York and the U.S. Department of Housing and
o5 60 15
50 of Black and Latino homebuyers coupled with a
United States Urban Development indicate that Long Island’s
Amer.
0 40 decrease in White homebuyers. However, the communities
10 of color are at greatest risk of fore
30
20
loans that the majority of Blacks and Latinos were closures. In an August 2008 study based on the
5 10 obtaining fell into the high-cost category. The Federal
5 data, by Empire Justice Center on the
0 percentages across race/ethnicity categories of impact of foreclosures on the Black community
’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
0 prime loans’07
were relatively consistent throughout 0
in particular, they’04found that in Nassau County,
’03 ’04 ’05 Asian ’06 Black Latino ’03 ’05 ’06 ’07
this period. But the proportion of high-cost loans Black homeowners are four times more likely to
Unknown/Other
purchased by Whites was relatively small to White begin live in theLong
most impacted United
ZIP codes than New York
White
Island States State
with
Note: (less
Results maythan
not add40% indue
to 100% 2004) and fell to less than
to rounding. homeowners. In Suffolk County, Black homeown
Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data 2004-2007; compiled by *Poverty rates differ from reports from prior years based on new data source.
30% in 2006. The percent of high-cost loans to
ers are three timesrepresent
Data reported moretwo-year
likelyaveraging
to liveofinACS the most
annual data.
Blacks, Latinos, and Asians grew from 50% to impacted ZIP2002-2007
Source: codes American
than WhiteCommunity homeowners.
Survey, Hofstra University.
almost 60% in the same time. Similar statistics for Latino homeowners were
not available.
For more information on home mort-

Percent of All Individuals Below Poverty Line, 2003-2007* gage trends, see Communities Indicators, at
www.longislandindex.org.
20%
15
10
0
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Long United New York

Island States State
0
'07 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Asian Black Latino
Unknown/Other White
Percent of All Individuals Below Poverty Line, 2003-2007*
20%
Long Island
New York State
15
United States
10
0
’07 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Long United New York

Island States State
*Poverty rates differ from reports from prior years based on new data source.
Data reported represent two-year averaging of ACS annual data.
Source: 2002-2007 American Community Survey, Hofstra University.
Goal #6—Safety Net How are we doing?

Long Island has lower rates of poverty than exist
We assure that people are provided with basic
in New York State and nationally. In 2007, the
poverty rate for individuals on Long Island was
necessities such as food and shelter.
5.3%. This compares with a NYS rate of 14% and
INDICATOR: a national rate of 13.2%. The poverty rate for chil
dren under 18 was somewhat higher. In 2007, 6.3%
Poverty of Long Island children were in poverty.
Poverty rates increase.
The trend between 2003 and 2007 is toward
Why is this important? increasing poverty. There was a 22% increase in
For both individuals and for families, the experi poverty through that period.
ence of economic hardship places greater strains
on the quality of life in many aspects. The ability
to obtain adequate shelter, nutrition, clothing and
education are directly tied to one’s economic
situation.
page 59
COMMUNITIES
Average Monthly Participation in Women, Infants and Children

(WIC) Program, Long Island, 2002-2008
40,000
Children
35,000
Infants 30,000
Women 25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
07 '08 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Women Infants Children
Source: NYS Department of Health, Hofstra University.
Percent Change in Ridership, 2006-2007
INDICATOR:
Percent 8% How are we doing?
7
On Long Island, there was a 33% increase in
Hunger 6
5 the number of households receiving food stamps
Reliance on Food Stamps 4 and other food between 2002 and 2007 but the figures were
supplement programs continue
3 to increase. generally stable between 2006 and 2007.
2
Why is this important? 1 The number of WIC recipients increased 37%
0 population of people
The existence of a growing between 2002 and 2007. There were 7% more
-1
without reliable access to adequate nutritious food WIC recipients in 2007 than in 2006. The per
Long Island
Railroad
Metro-North
Railroad
New Jersey Transit,

Commuter Railroad
Long Island Bus
Westchester
County Bee Line
New Jersey
Transit, Bus
Suffolk County
Transit*
folk
unty
New
Jersey
is a major national concern. The Food Stamp centage of children under 5 years of age receiving
nsit* Transit, Program is a nationally funded program that gives WIC increased 41% between 2002 and 2008.
Bus
low-income families secure access to nutritious Over 13% of Long Island’s children under the
foods. Most food stamp recipients are children age of 5 are enrolled in the WIC program.
and the elderly. The Special Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants and County (WIC)
Children
*Suffolk data includes Huntington Area Rapid Transit.
serves low-income (185% of the official

Source: poverty
MTA, NJ Transit, Suffolk County and Westchester County Bee Line;
level) pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding
women, and infants and children up to
Percent age 5 in
Change whoRidership, 2000-2007
are at nutrition risk.
Percent 40%
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Long Island
Railroad
Metro-North
Railroad
New Jersey Transit,

Commuter Railroad
Long Island Bus
Westchester
County Bee Line
New Jersey
Transit, Bus
Suffolk County
Transit*
New
nty
ine Transit*
Jersey Transit, Bus
4 4
3 20,000 3
2 15,000 2
1 10,000 1
0 5,000 0
-1 -1
0
Long Island
Railroad
Metro-North
Railroad
New Jersey Transit,

Commuter Railroad
Long Island Bus
Westchester
County Bee Line
New Jersey
Transit, Bus
Suffolk County
Transit*
Long Metro-North New ’02
Long Westchester’03
Suffolk ’04New ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Island Railroad Jersey Island County County Jersey
Rail Road Transit, Bus Bee Transit* Transit,
Women Infants Children
Commuter Line Bus
Railroad
Source: NYS Department of Health, Hofstra University.

*Suffolk County data includes Huntington Area Rapid Transit.
Source: MTA, NJ Transit, Suffolk County and Westchester County Bee Line;
Communities client excel chart #24

Percent Change in Ridership, 2006-2007 Percent Change in Ridership, 2000-2007
Percent40 8% Percent 40%

35 7 35
30 6 30
5
25 25
4
20 20
3
15 2 15
10 1 10
5 0 5
0 -1 0
Long Island
Railroad
Metro-North
Railroad
New Jersey Transit,

Commuter Railroad
Long Island Bus
Westchester
County Bee Line
New Jersey
Transit, Bus
Suffolk County
Transit*
Long Island
Railroad
Metro-North
Railroad
New Jersey Transit,

Commuter Railroad
Long Island Bus
Westchester
County Bee Line
New Jersey
Transit, Bus
Suffolk County
Transit*
Long IslandMetro-North
Rail
NewRoad
JerseyRailroad
Transit, Commuter
LongWestchester
Island
Railroad
Bus County
SuffolkBee
County
Line
NewTransit*
Jersey Transit, Bus
*Suffolk County data includes Huntington Area Rapid Transit. *Suffolk County data includes Huntington Area Rapid Transit.
Source: MTA, NJ Transit, Suffolk County and Westchester County Bee Line; Source: MTA, NJ Transit, Suffolk County and Westchester County Bee Line;
data compiled by RPA. data compiled by RPA.
Percent Change in Ridership, 2000-2007
Percent 40%
35
30
25
G20oal #7—Transportation improvements and growing highway congestion
15 that gives people a greater incentive to use transit.
10
We increase mobility by investing in an inte Bus ridership, by contrast, leveled off after several
5 years of strong growth in both Nassau and Suffolk.
0grated, regional transportation system and
Since 2000, the Long Island Rail Road has grown
Long Island
Railroad
Metro-North
Railroad
New Jersey Transit,

Commuter Railroad
Long Island Bus
Westchester
County Bee Line
New Jersey
Transit, Bus
Suffolk County
Transit*
by encouraging creative problem solving to

more slowly than other commuter rail systems in
find transportation alternatives.
the New York region. Its 2% growth from 2000–
Indicator: 2007 compares to 12% for Metro-North and 20%
for New Jersey Transit. Some of this is the result
Transit Ridership
*Suffolk County data includes Huntington Area Rapid Transit.
of faster population growth in their service areas.
Source: MTA, NJ Transit, Suffolk County and Westchester County Bee Line;
ThedataLong
compiled Island
by RPA. Rail Road saw an increase in However, both Metro-North and New Jersey
ridership in 2007 but growth still lags other Transit have added services including Metro-
rail systems in the larger New York region. North’s third track and New Jersey’s increased
commuter trains, while the LIRR has not.
Increased transit ridership helps reduce traffic The Long Island Bus, which has experienced an
congestion by taking motor vehicles off the road. 8% gain in ridership since 2000, has grown signifi
An efficient transit system can provide quicker cantly more than the LIRR. Suffolk County Transit
access to jobs, reduce air pollution and help to has grown by 35% over the same time period, a
improve the overall livability of our communities. much more robust growth than other commuter
bus systems in the region. This is due in part to
How are we doing?
population growth in Suffolk and in part to ser
In 2007, the Long Island Rail Road experienced
vices that were added earlier in the decade. Many
one of its largest gains in ridership in recent years,
of these bus services provide a connection from
growing 5% over 2006. There are likely multiple
local neighborhoods to LIRR stations and/or pro
reasons for increased ridership, including a growing
vide limited north/south intra-island mobility for
economy in 2007, increasing gas prices, service
Long Islanders.
page 61
New York City Nassau Suffolk Rest of
New York
State
Source: New York State Department of Transportation and New York State
Page 62 | 2009 Long Island Index | Our Communities Department of Motor Vehicles; data compiled by RPA.
client excel chart #26 COMMUNITIES CH 25_26

Daily Vehicle Miles Traveled by an Automobile Registered in Percent Change in Vehicle Registrations, 1997-2006
Nassau, Suffolk, NewChange
York City and the Rest of New York State
45% 12%
ehicle
40
10
35
VMT per Vehicle
30 8
25 6
20 4
15
2
10
5 0
0 -2
Suffolk New York City New York City
NYS Rest of Nassau
NYS Suffolk Rest of Nassau Suffolk New York New York Rest of
New York City State New York
State State
Source: New York State Department of Transportation and New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles; data compiled by RPA. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
Indicator: From 1997 to 2006 the number of vehicles grew

by 12% in Suffolk but only 2% in Nassau. From
V ehicle
Percent M
Change iniles T
Vehicle raveled
Registrations, 1997-2006
this data we can infer that the number of miles
Long Islanders are driving more, and currently traveled increased substantially in Suffolk but only
12%
drive 35–40 miles per day for each vehicle modestly in Nassau. This does not necessarily
10
they own. mean that congestion has grown more in Suffolk
8
than in Nassau. Nassau is already densely settled,
6 Why is this important?
and a small increase in auto use can result in a
4 The number of miles traveled by cars, trucks and
disproportionate increase in congestion. On the
2 other motor vehicles is a major factor in determin
whole, the data indicate that an increasing num
0 ing the amount of congestion on our roads and
ber of cars on the road have added to highway
-2 highways. The more we drive, the more crowded
congestion over the last decade. With limited road
our roadways
Nassau Suffolkbecome,
New leading
York to lost
New York workRest
timeof
City State New York capacity and high levels of existing congestion,
and productivity and higher air pollution. State
any future increases could have a disproportionate
How are we doing? affect on time spent in traffic. By comparison, the
The average person in Nassau travels 35 miles per number of vehicles declined in New York City
dayNew
Source: forYork
each
Statevehicle heof or
Department sheVehicles.
Motor owns, compared to and grew by 7% in the rest of New York State
40 miles per day in Suffolk. Nassau is on par with during the same period. A large increase in sub
New York City; Suffolk is only slightly higher way and bus ridership in New York City may help
than the average for the rest of New York State. explain the decline in auto ownership during
Presumably, the higher number for Suffolk County this period.
is because there are longer distances between
downtowns, job centers and other destinations
than in Nassau, and because transit is less
available.
Health
Goal #8—Healthy People

All people have access to quality affordable health care that focuses on disease and illness
prevention.
INDICATOR:
Paying for Hospital Care
Health care coverage is unavailable for almost 15% of Long Islanders.
Health care costs are a major factor in almost every household budget. Costs associated with a single hospital
stay may quickly wipe out savings and move people into debt. Thus, having some reliable and comfortable
way of covering major medical costs is an important element in preserving our quality of life.
0 20 40 60 80 100 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Commercial/ Medicaid Medicare

HMO
Other Self-Pay
*Excluding newborns
Page 64 | 2009 Long Island Index | Health
Source: North Shore-LIJ Health System Office of Strategic Planning and
Program Development; Hofstra University.
Health client excel chart #2

Method of Payment for Inpatient Hospital Care, HEALTH
Percent of Adults without Healthcare CH 1_2
Insurance:
Adults and Children, 2004-2006 2004-2006
18 18%
Pay
16 16
r
14 Children* 14
care 12 12
caid 10 10
8 8
mercial/HMO
6 Adults 6
4 4
2 2
0 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 0
NYS Long Island New York Long Island
State
Commercial/ Medicaid Medicare
HMO
Other Self-Pay
*Excluding newborns
Source: North Shore-LIJ Health System Office of Strategic Planning and Source: NYS Department of Health, 2004-2006;
Program Development; Hofstra University. American Community Survey; Hofstra University.
Percent of Adults without Healthcare Insurance:

How are we doing?
2004-2006
18% For the period between 2004 and 2006, about
16 14% of adults on Long Island did not have any
14 health care coverage at all compared to 16% for
12
10 New York State as a whole. During that same
8 period, about 4% of adult residents of Long Island
6 report that they did not receive health care treat
4
2 ment because they could not afford it (compared
0 to 7.5% for the state as a whole).
New York Long Island
WhenState looking at hospitalizations, the combina
tion of Medicare (46%) and commercial insurance/
HMO plans (37%) continues to provide health
care coverage
Source: forof most
NYS Department adults on Long Island.
Health, 2004-2006;
American Community Survey; Hofstra University.
With respect to pediatric hospitalizations, 64%
were covered by commercial insurance/HMO
plans, and 28% were covered by Medicaid.
Education
Goal #9—Educational Readiness

All students are prepared to learn at each stage of the educational pipeline.
Indicator:
Poverty Index
While overall poverty levels on Long Island are low, there are areas where at least 50% of the
children receive free lunch.
Scholarly research shows that poverty is the most significant factor in determining how a child will perform
in school. A child’s own family income is central, but it is not the whole story. The socioeconomic status of
the community in which a child lives and goes to school is also important. Concentrated poverty—where
many families in a certain area are poor—is far more disadvantageous than individual poverty alone.
A common measure of school poverty is the percentage of students in a school who are federally defined as
eligible for free lunch. Using percent free lunch, schools can be thought of as “high” and “low.” In “high-
poverty schools,” many students receive free lunch and thus poverty is highly concentrated. In “low-poverty
schools,” few students receive free lunch.
’02
P
10
cation client excel chart #1 ’01
0
YS Schools Students in LI Schools ’01 ’02 of’03Students
’04 ’05 Receiving
’06 ’07 Free
’01 Lunch
’02 ’03in’04 ’05 and
’06 ’07
Percent NYS*
Long Island Schools
Students in Students in
70% NYS Schools Long Island Schools
'07 | Education
60
'06
Percent Free Lunch

50 *Excluding NYC
’05 Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
40
EDUCATION CH 1_3 ’04 30
’03
20
’02
10
’01
ation
NYS client excel
Schools chart
Students Percent#2
of Students Receiving Free Lunch in NYS* and
in LI Schools
0 School Poverty
’01 ’02 on Long
’03 ’04 Island:
’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Long Island Schools Percent of Students Receiving Free Lunch
70% 70% Students in Students in
High-Poverty Schools (10%) NYS Schools Long Island Schools
60 60
Mid-Poverty Schools
Percent Free Lunch
Percent of Students
50 50
Low-Poverty Schools (10%) *Excluding NYC
40 40 Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
cation
03 client excel
’04 ’05 chart
’01 ’02#2
'06 ’03
'07 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01
School ’02 on Long
Poverty ’03 Island:’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Percent of Students Receiving Free Lunch
Students in Students in High-Poverty Mid-Poverty Low-Poverty
NYS Schools Long Island Schools 70% Schools (10%) Schools Schools (10%)
High-Poverty Schools (10%)
60
Mid-Poverty Schools
Percent of Students
*Excluding NYC 50
Low-Poverty
Source: New York State Education Department; Schools
Hofstra University. (10%) Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
40
30
20
10
School Poverty on Long Island: 0

’01 Racial’02
Composition
’03 by Level
’04of Poverty
’05 in ’06 ’07
ation
’03 client
’04 excel
’05 chart
'06 #3
Percent '07
of Students Receiving Free Lunch Long Island Schools
How are we doing? students are much more likely to attend a high-
High-Poverty
(10%)
70%
In 2007, 13% of students in Long Island schools poverty schoolSchools
(defined
(10%)
as 10% ofMid-Poverty
schools with
Schools
Low-Poverty
Schools (10%)
60 Asian
received free lunch. This rate has stayed constant Low-Poverty
the highest proportion of students receiving free
Percent of Students
verty Schools (10%)

50 Hispanic Schools
10%) since 2004. The trend for New York State is more lunch) than either White or Asian students. 89%
40 Black
dramatic with state schools averaging 24% free of studentsSource:
in high-poverty schoolsDepartment;
are either
Middle-Poverty New York State Education Hofstra University.
dle Poverty Schools
30 lunch in 2007.
White
Schoolsor Latino. In contrast, in low-poverty
Black
20 schools, only 14% of students are either Black
On Long Island, the concentration of poverty is
10
High-Poverty
verty Schools (10%)
or Latino.
Schools
0
extreme. In 2007, the 10% of schools classified as
0 20 40
“high-poverty”
’01
60 80
’02 100 schools
’03 had
’04 56%’05 of their’06students’07 0%Racial20%
Composition
40% by60%
Level of80%
Poverty100%
in
cation client excel chart #3
receiving free lunch, “middle-poverty” schools Long Island Schools
High-Poverty Mid-Poverty Low-Poverty White Black
(80% of(10%)
Schools all schools) averaged
Schools about 9% ofSchools students
(10%) Latino Asian
qualifying for free lunch, Asian
and the 10% of schools Low-Poverty
Poverty Schools (10%)
classified as “low-poverty”Hispanic
had almost no students Schools Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
qualify for free lunch (.13%). Since 2001, the pro

Source: New York State Education
Black Department; Hofstra University.
Middle-Poverty
iddle Poverty Schools found separation ofWhite school children by income Schools
levels has continued unabated in this period.
High-Poverty
R ace, ethnicity and education
Poverty Schools (10%)
Schools
0 20 40 Historically,
60 Racial racial and
80 Composition
100 ethnic
by Level groupsinin the United
of Poverty
Long particularly
Island SchoolsBlacks and Latinos, are over 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
States,
represented among the poor. The cumulative White Black
Low-Poverty impact of economic and racial segregation means Latino Asian
Schools
that these populations are also over-represented in Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
schools
Middle-Poverty impacted by poverty. This creates a cycle Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
Schools in which those who need quality education most
to raise their future socioeconomic statuses tend
High-Poverty
Schools
to go to schools that have highly concentrated
poverty. On Long Island, Black and Latino
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
White Black
Latino Asian
’02 5
’01
0
n NYS Schools Students in LI Schools ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
NYS Schools Long Island Schools
EDUCATION CH 4_6
ucation client excel chart #2of Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
Percent School Poverty on Long Island:
in NYS and Long Island Schools Percent of Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
30% 30%
25 25
Mid-Poverty Schools
20
Percent LEP
Low-Poverty Schools (10%) 20
Percent LEP
15 15
10 10
5 5
0 0
’03 ’04 ’05 '06’01 ’02 '07
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Students in Students in High-Poverty Mid-Poverty Low-Poverty

NYS Schools Long Island Schools Schools (10%) Schools Schools (10%)
Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University. Source: New York State Education Department; Hofstra University.
School Poverty on Long Island: Fourth Grade Language Arts (ELA):

Percent of Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Percent of Students Meeting NYS Standard
30% 100%
ools (10%) '07 Overall, Long Island as well as New York State
Percent of Students with Limited
ols 25 '06 schools
80 are experiencing steady growth in the
20
English Proficiency (LEP) number of LEP students. The year 2007 represents
ols (10%) ’05
Percent LEP
60
15
One out of four students
’04 in high-poverty the seven-year high of the students having limited
schools has limited English
’03 proficiency. English
40 proficiency. On Long Island, however, the
10
number20
of LEP students has remained constant
Why is this important? ’02
5
in the low-poverty and middle-poverty schools.
0 Not all children experience ’01 economic and social
0 high-poverty schools that are bearing
n NYS Schools Students in LI Schools’02 that ’03 It is the
conditions
’01 allow them ’04 to perform
’05 their
’06 best’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
the overwhelming responsibility. In 2001, one in
in our public school system. Like poverty, Limited
High-Poverty Mid-Poverty Low-Poverty seven students wasStudents
LEP ininthese schools; in Students
2007, in
English
SchoolsProficiency
(10%) (LEP) is an indicator Schools
Schools of stu (10%) NYS Schools Long Island Schools
the numbers increased to one in four. As a result
dents at risk of performing poorly in school. It
of the concentration of students requiring addi
also reflects Long Island’s changing population
Source: tional resources in York
Source: New a small numberDepartment;
State Education of school disUniversity.
Hofstra
and New
theYork State Education
resulting Department;
increase Hofstra University.
in disparity across
tricts, the challenge for these districts is high,
schools and districts.
both financially and educationally.
Fourth Grade Language Arts (ELA):

Percent of Students Meeting NYS Standard
100%
80
60
40
20
0
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Students in Students in page 67

5
0
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07

Page 68 | 2009 Long Island Index | Education
EDUCATION CH 7_9
tion client excel chart

Fourth#7
Grade Language Arts (ELA): School Poverty on Long Island:
Percent of Students Meeting NYS Standard Percent of Students Meeting Fourth Grade ELA
100%
100%

80 Mid-Poverty Schools 80
60 Low-Poverty Schools (10%)

60
40 40
20 20
0 0
’04 ’05 '06’01 ’02 '07
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Students in Students in Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty

tion client excel chart #8 Eighth Grade Mathematics:

Percent of Students Meeting NYS Standard
Indicator:
100%
'07
Performance Tests
'06 80
Overall Long Island’05
schools’ outperform New
60
York State. But the ’04
gap between low-poverty
and high-poverty schools
’03 remains consistent. 40
Why is this important’02 ? 20

According to the NYS Education Department,
’01
0
S Schools Students in LI Schools
the Grade 4 English Language Arts (ELA) exam ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
and the Grade 8 Mathematics exam reflect bench
marks that identify those students who are on NYS Schools Long Island Schools
target to pass, and those who may have difficulty
passing, the English and Mathematics Regents
Exams when they reach high school. These are
part of the requirements for graduating with NYS’
Regents Diploma.
tion client excel chart #9 School Poverty on Long Island:

100%

Mid-Poverty Schools 80
Low-Poverty Schools (10%)
60
40
20
0
’04 ’05 '06 '07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty

’02 20
Percent
20
Percent
’01
0 0
in NYS Schools Students in LI Schools ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty Students in Students in


ducation client excel Eighth

chartGrade
#9 Mathematics: School Poverty on Long Island:
Percent of Students Meeting NYS Standard Percent of Students Meeting NYS Eighth Grade Mathematics
100% 100%

80 Mid-Poverty Schools 80
60
Low-Poverty Schools (10%)
60
40 40
20 20
0 0
’03 ’04 ’05 ’01
'06 ’02 ’03'07
’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07


H ow are we doing? Math 8 standard, while state-wide 52% of students
100% met standard. Both the high-poverty and low-
ols (10%)
4th Grade English Language Arts
ls 80 poverty schools improved by 10 percentage points.
ls (10%) In 2007, 81% of Long Island students met the The gap between the high- and low-poverty schools
60
ELA Grade 4 standard. State-wide 68% of stu becomes significantly wider by the middle school
40 dents met the standard. Both represent a small years and there has been no change in the size of
improvement from the previous year. The gap the gap over the past seven years. While in 4th
20
between low-poverty schools and high-poverty Grade, 63% of the students in poor schools were
0 schools remains wide: 88% meeting the standard meeting the English Language Arts standard,
’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
compared to 63% for each, respectively. by middle school only 44% meet the standard for
Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty the 8th Grade Mathematics requirement. There
th Grade
8Schools (10%)Mathematics
Schools Schools (10%)
is no comparable drop-off in the low-poverty
Both NYS and Long Island schools improved in schools where 88% meet the English standard in
Grade 8 Math performance, correcting a slight
elementary school and 81% meet the 8th Grade
decrease over the previous three years. In 2007, Math standard.
75% of students in Long Island schools met the
page 69
10
P
0
udents in NYS Schools Students in LI Schools ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
EDUCATION CH 10_11
ation client excel chartCollege

#11 Readiness and Curriculum Mastery in School Poverty on Long Island:
NYS and Long Island Schools College Readiness and Curriculum Mastery
50% 50%
40 Mid-Poverty Schools
Percent of Students
40
Percent of Students
30 Low-Poverty Schools (10%)
30
20 20
10 10
0 0
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
’05 '06 '07


College Readiness and Curriculum Mastery
50% Overall, Long Island high schools outperform
hools (10%) College Readiness
hools 40 New York State high schools. On average Long
Percent of Students
College readiness has been essentially flat Island high schools report that 37% of their stu
hools (10%)
30 since 2004, but declined slightly between dents who took Regents Examinations in 2007
20 2006 and 2007. There is a sizable gap in the scored at least 85% on more than one exam. This
performance between high- and low-poverty is down two points from 2006. State-wide, there
10
schools. was a similar decline to 26% in 2007.
0
Why is’03
this important ’04 ? ’05 ’06 ’07 As with other educational indicators, the school-
As we Low-Poverty
continue into the 21st century, higher High-Poverty
edu level measure of college preparedness is strongly
Mid-Poverty
cation Schools
plays an increasingSchools
(10%) role in determining Schools (10%) correlated with poverty. Low-poverty schools
people’s life chances. Success at the college level report very strong scores on our measure of col
is a key individual stepping stone to full partic lege readiness (47% in 2007), but high-poverty
ipation in society and economic security. At the schools report much lower scores (15% in 2007).
same time, having a well-educated workforce is an High schools with a large percentage of economi
important component in maintaining the region’s cally poor students face a much greater challenge
position in an increasingly complex and compet in academically preparing their students for
itive world system. The extent to which our pri college.
mary and secondary schools are preparing their
students for college-level work is a key element.
Indicator: Of the children in child care programs, 59% spend
their day in child care programs, including Head
Availability of Child Care
Start. Care in the home of a regulated provider
Only 46% of Long Island’s children under with either 6 children or 12 (family child care or
the age of 6 are in a formal, regulated child group family child care) accounts for 21% of the
care program. children. The part-day programs offered by pre
schools, nursery schools and pre-kindergarten
programs can serve 18% of the children needing
Child care enables parents to be employed and
care, with the obvious need for other care for the
productive, thus reducing welfare and improving
rest of the day. A little more than one percent of
the economy. It prepares children for school, and
children are with family members or neighbors
when provided in a high quality program it can
who register with the county and can receive gov
reduce grade repetition, drop-out rates and juve
ernment reimbursement for taking care of eligible
nile delinquency. Early education for children in
children. While many more grandparents and
poverty and those with developmental delays and
neighbors provide such care, many parents are
non-English speaking parents can lower future
ineligible for government subsidies or the provider
costs that the public schools would otherwise
does not want to report the income and isn’t iden
assume.
tified to the county agencies. This group of family
Over the past decade new brain research has members and neighbors constitutes much of the
demonstrated return on investment from high informal market of care. ADDITIONAL 7
quality preschools. Studies have demonstrated
For parents who work full-time, it is difficult to
that children in higher quality programs perform
use the 21% of regulated care that is available for
better cognitively and socially while in child care,
less than three hours per day (e.g., nursery schools
during transition to school and through second
and pre-K programs) and if they do use it, they
grade, and that at-risk children are affected more
must rely on other child care options for the bal
by the quality of the child care experience than
onal Graphs what people are saying client excel chart #7 (GOAL #9) ance of the day. The Child Care Councils also
children from middle and upper-income families.
report that parents will have a hard time finding
Hence, the availability of sufficient, high quality
infant care on Long Island as well as care during
programs is critical as a component of Long
evenings, weekends or on a rotating basis.
Island’s economy, educational system and as a
way to meet the needs of working parents.
For more information on availability of
How are we doing? child care including definitions of each type of
Demand for Child Care: There are 133,185 children child care program, see Education Indicators, at
under the age of 6 on Long Island where there is www.longislandindex.org.
no one in the household over the age of 16 as an
available
Environment client excelcaregiver.
chart #7 These
(GOALchildren
#9) require child Availability of Child Care
care in order for their parents to work.
Supply of Child Care: There are an estimated
61,841 children who could be served in the formal,
regulated marketUnregulated child
of child care care programs
programs on Long Unregulated Child
Care Programs
Island. This means that only 46% of children
Regulated child care programs 54%
under the age of 6 can be served by programs that
offer some oversight of health and safety standards
and the provision of several quality standards.
Thus, the majority of Long Island’s preschoolers,
54%, are in the unregulated market of child care
(e.g., friends, family and neighbors), and there is
Regulated Child
no data about whether these environments are Care Programs
safe, nurturing or educational. 46%
page 71
Indicator: Given the high cost of licensed programs, per

sonal preference or convenience, many parents
Child Care Affordability
choose to use family, friends, or neighbors to care
76% of families on Long Island pay more for their children, all of whom are not licensed,
than 10% of their household income for but some are registered so they can receive subsi
licensed child care programs. dies for the children in their care. On Long Island
the average cost for these “legally exempt provid EDUCATIO
ers” is $8,476 for full-year, full-time care (data for
The affordability of child care will affect a family’s
non-registered programs is not available). Given
ability to work outside the home and help to
these rates, 52% of Long Island families choosing
determine whether their children are in healthy,
“legally exempt providers” are paying more than
high quality environments while parents work.
10% of their household income on childcare.
With increasing emphasis on the importance
of the early years particularly in relationship to
For more information on child care
brain development, and the potential impact on
affordability, see Education Indicators, at
a child’s later success in school and life, ensuring
cation client word doc
highchart
quality#child care has become increasingly
www.longislandindex.org.
more important.
How are we doing? Annual Full-Time Rates for a Licensed Child Care Center
on Long Island by Child’s Age, 2007
The affordability of child care depends on several Under 18 months 18-24 months 3-5 years
factors including: the number and age of the chil $14,282 $13,606 $13,000
dren requiring care, the hours and type of care
used, the fees charged, family income, geographic
location and whether the family is eligible for any
government subsidies. Given the gaps in available
programs, many parents piece together several
programs to meet all of their needs.
An analysis of actual child care rates on Long
Island for full-year, full-time care using data from
licensed child care programs indicates that the
average cost is $13,629—more for younger chil
dren, less for older ones.
For most Long Island families with young chil
dren, these costs exceed economist’s recommen
dation to spend no more than 10% of household
income on child care. For a family needing to pro
vide care for two children under school age, the
costs could be as high as $27,282 ($14,282 for a
baby plus $13,000 for an older child). In fact a
review of census data reveals that 76% of Long
Island families choosing licensed child care
programs are paying more than 10% of their
household income on child care.
Our Environment
Goal #10—Natural Resource Conservation

We promote the conservation and efficient use of the region’s natural resources.
Indicator:
Land Preservation
Number of acres preserved improved slightly but the region is still falling behind its goals despite
record spending.
Land preservation is important on Long Island for reasons both environmental and economic. Preserved
lands protect the Island’s drinking water, provide critical habitat for wildlife, ensure the viability of the
Island’s farming industry and maintain the strength of its tourism sector.
Page 74 | 2009 Long Island Index | Our Environment
ENVIRONMENT C
Long Island Land Preservation
Dollars Spent Per Year, in Millions

00000 9,000 $300
8,000
Acres Preserved Per Year
00000 250
7,000
00000 6,000 200
5,000
00000 150
4,000
00000 3,000 100
2,000
0000 50
1,000
0 0
’77 ’78 ’79 ’80 ’81 ’82 ’83 ’84 ’85 ’86 ’87 ’88 ’89 ’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
ENVIRONMENT CH 1_2
Acres Preserved/Year Dollars Spent/Year
Long Island Land Preservation
Dollars Spent Per Year, in Millions

9,000 $300
8,000
Acres Preserved Per Year
Sources: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Nassau County, Nature Conservancy, Suffolk County Planning Department, Town of Brookhaven,
250
Town of East Hampton, Town of Huntington, Town of Riverhead, Town of Shelter Island, Town of Southampton, Town of Southold.
7,000
6,000 200
5,000
150
4,000
3,000 100
2,000
50
1,000 John,
s. Goal 0 How are weDoes doing? One reason for the difficulty 0 in Land
achieving the Actual vs. Goal
Preservation
’77 ’78 ’79 ’80 ’81 ’82 ’83 ’84 ’85 ’86this make
’87 ’88 ’89 ’90sense
’91 ’92 to you?
’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99
Year’00
10 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Since 1977, New York State, both counties and Island’s preservation goals has been the tremendous
Acres Preserved/Year
numerous
towns across the Island cumulatively
37000 Yearescalation
9 Dollars
in theSpent/Year
cost of land.37,000In 2007, preservation
Year 10
expended over $1.3 billion for the preservation of
33300 entities paid, on average, approximately $143,000
Year 8
33,300 Year 9
Year 9 Yearthe
8
57,535 of Long 29600 Island’s approximately one million per acre. That represents a29,600 22% increase over
25900 Year 7 25,900 Year 7
Year 7 acres.
Sources: NYS Department With experts
of Environmental forecasting
Conservation, theNature
Nassau County, Island’s finalSuffolk County Planning
Conservancy, approximately $112,000
Department, Town per acre spent in 2006 and
of Brookhaven,
Town of East Hampton, Town of Huntington, Town of Riverhead, Town of Shelter Island, Town of Southampton, Town of Southold.
22200 22,200 Year 6
Acres
build-out to take place within the next decade, Yeara6 staggering 71% increase over the $41,579 spent
18500 18,500 Year 5
Year 5 the Department of Environmental Conservation’s per acre in 2000. The recent slow down in the real
14800 Year 5 14,800 Year 4
(DEC) 2006 plan calls for the additional preserva estate market may represent a reprieve from these
Year 3 11100 11,100 Year 3
tion of 25,000 acres 7400
of environmentally open space Yearescalations 4 over the next few years.
7,400 Years 1 and 2 Shortfall
John, and 12,000 acres of
3700
working farmland before that Year 3 3,700 Years 1 and 2 Actual
Years 1 and 2 Actual
Does thistime. makeThese sense goals 0would leave the Island with
to you? Year 10 Shortfall Year 1&2
Land Preservation Actual 0 vs. Goal
92,147 acres of preserved land, nearly 1/10th of its
Ten Year Goal
37000 total land mass, at the time of final build-out.
Year 9 Year 2 37,000 Year 10
al 33300 33,300 Year 9 Ten-Year Goal
Though Long Island cumulatively Year spent
8 a record Year 1 Actual
29600 29,600 Year 8
25900
$285 million on preservation efforts in
Year 7
2007, the 25,900 Year 7
22200
1,999 acres preserved was still significantly less 22,200 Year 6
Acres
18500 than would be needed to reach theYear 6

Island’s preser 18,500 Year 5
14800 vation goals. The 3,457 acres preserved
Year 5 in 2006 14,800 Year 4
11100 and 2007, combined, represents approximately 10% 11,100 Year 3
Year 4
7400 of the Island’s total preservation goal. At current 7,400 Years 1 and 2 Shortfall
3700 rates, it would take over 20 years to preserve
Year 3 the 3,700 Years 1 and 2 Actual
0 37,000 targeted acres. If final build-out does occur
Shortfall Year 1&2
0
within the next decade, Long Island is on course
Ten Year Goal
to fall far short of its goals. Year 2
Ten-Year Goal
Year 1 Actual
Indicator: The first program, the Brownfield Cleanup Pro
gram, focuses on helping private property owners.
Brownfields Redevelopment
In these situations the state provides guidance
Known sites of environmental contamination throughout the cleanup process, offers generous
are located in more than 100 Long Island tax credits to help cover the cleanup and redevel
communities. opment costs, and issues Certificates of Completion
at the end of the cleanup. Of the 15 Long Island
sites that have enrolled in the program, none have
New York State defines a brownfield as properties
finished the program.
where the presence or potential presence of a haz
ardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant may The second, the Brownfield Opportunity Area
complicate plans for expansion, redevelopment Program, offers state funding for local governments
or reuse. These sites include buildings that were and community organizations to work together
former factories, dry cleaners, warehouses, vacant and plan for the redevelopment of these sites. In
commercial lots, shuttered gas stations and auto 2004, the first year of the Brownfield Opportunity
shops. In addition to frequently being an eyesore Area Program and the only year that data is avail
in a community, they may pose environmental able, 6 grants (12%) out of 46 statewide were
threats to surrounding areas and may affect ground given to Long Island which represents 8% of the
water and the air supply. Further, they can be total $7 million allocated.
obstacles in the way of downtown and community
The third, the Environmental Restoration Pro
redevelopment. Revitalizing brownfields is critical
gram, funds the remediation of brownfield sites
both for environmental needs as well as to capture
owned by municipalities. As a region, Long Island
potential tax revenue and to fully utilize a com
municipalities have received just over $1.1 million
munity’s assets.
dollars out of the $200 million dollars allocated
How are we doing? for the program.
Long Island is home to an estimated 6,800 poten
In addition to the above programs, there are both
tial brownfield sites. This number is based on
federal and state Superfund programs where the
known sites of contamination due to historic land
goal is to ensure that the worst polluter pays for
uses, and chemical or oil spills. New York State
the cleanup. Nationwide about 70% of the clean
Department of Environmental Conservation has
ups regulated by the federal government are paid
identified 1,837 known (as opposed to potential)
by polluters, while on Long Island, the polluters
brownfield and state superfund sites, of which
paid for only 50% of the cleanups. Under the state
Long Island has 231 sites, representing 11% of
program 66% of the Superfund sites on Long Island
the total number of brownfields statewide.
are being cleaned by the polluter, which is consis
The road to cleaning up these sites varies by the tent with the statewide average.
type, extent and location of contamination. There
are three programs that New York State has cre To see a map of brownfield sites on Long
ated to facilitate brownfields redevelopment. In Island, go to www.longislandindex.org and launch
all three cases, Long Island is lagging behind in the Interactive Maps.
applying for and receiving state funding for rede
veloping brownfields.
page 75
Page 76 | 2009 Long Island Index | Our Environment
Brownfield Sites by Community

Known State and Known State and
Number Federal Funding for Number Federal Funding for
of Selected Sites and of Selected Sites and
Community Sites* Communities** Community Sites* Communities**
Babylon 4 $137,929.27 Massapequa 3
Baldwin 3 $94,000.00 Medford 1
Bay Shore 5 $4,919,961.21 Melville 2
Bayville 1 Merrick 3
Bethpage 3 Mineola 4 $8,000,000.00
Blue Point 1 New Cassel 8 $380,000.00
Bohemia 1 $2,000,000.00 New Hyde Park 3 $99,468.90
Brentwood 1 $1,095,835.74 North Bellmore 1
Carle Place 1 North Hempstead 2
Central islip 2 North Hempstead/Westbury 1
Copiague 1 $1,000,000.00 North Merrick 1
Copiague 2 North Park 1 $65,000.00
Coram 1 North Sea 1
Deer Park 6 $15,803.16 Noyack/Sag Harbor 1
East Farmingdale 11 $17,650,333.84 Oceanside 5
East Massapequa 1 Old Bethpage 6 $38,000,000.00
East Northport 2 $600,000.00 Oyster Bay 1
East Patchogue 2 $3,274.26 Oyster Bay/Glen Head 1
East Rockaway 1 Patchogue 2
Eastport 2 Plainview 2
Elmont 3 Port Jefferson Station 1 $7,000,000.00
Farmingdale 8 $3,008,474.72 Port Jefferson Station 1
Floral Park 1 Port Washington 6 $4,000,000.00
Franklin Square 3 $11,000,000.00 Riverhead 2
Freeport 3 Rockville Centre 2
Garden City 8 $3,000,000.00 Rocky Point 1
Garden City Park 2 $574,497.62 Ronkonkoma 1
Glen Cove 16 $70,850,000.00 Roosevelt 3 $1,225,874.42
Glen Head 2 Roslyn 1
Glenwood Landing 5 Sag Harbor 4
Great Neck 7 $6,388,796.75 Seaford 1
Greenlawn 1 Shirley 1
Greenport 1 $60,000.00 Shoreham 1
Hauppauge 5 $5,954,567.53 Smithtown 2 $3,000,000.00
Hempstead 7 $249,544.23 Southampton 1
Hewlett 4 $1,000,000.00 Southampton/Westhampton 1
Hicksville 14 $20,800.00 Southold 1
Holbrook 2 Speonk 1 $1,236,421.55
Huntington 3 $617.21 Syosset 2
Huntington Station 2 $225,000.00 Upton 2
Inwood 4 Valley Stream 3
Island Park 2 Wantagh 1
Islip 1 West Babylon 4 $1,250,818.54
Lake Success 2 West Brentwood 1
Levittown 2 $967,351.38 West Islip 1 $6,403,924.36
Lindenhurst 4 West Sayville 1
Long Beach 1 Westbury 8 $271,591.51
Manhasset 1 Westhampton Beach 3
Manorhaven 1 Wyandanch 4 $808,170.00
Manorville 1 Yaphank 1
Grand Total 278 $202,558,056.20
*Sites counted include: New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program, NYS Environmental Restoration Program, NYS Voluntary Cleanup Program, Federal and State Superfund
sites, and communities that have received Federal and State funding for Brownfields redevelopment sites may be duplicated if both on the National and State Superfund List.
**Funding includes EPA Assessment and Clean Up Grants, Federal Superfund for remediation activities, NYS Superfund for remediation Activities, Environmental Restoration
Program Grants Including Pre-2003 Funding.
excel chart #4
Electricity Consumption on Long Island, 1997-2007
20
Commercial/ Industrial
Megawatt Hours (in Millions)

Residential 15
10
05 a06 a07 0
’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Residential Commercial/Industrial
Source: Long Island Power Authority.
Indicator: To help mitigate the potential impacts of climate

change, New York State mandates are to:
Energy Consumption
Long Island’s electricity and natural gas • Reduce energy consumption 15% by 2015
consumption keeps growing as well as our • Reduce CO2 emissions 25% by 2025
carbon emissions.
• Generate 25% of the state’s energy from renew
Why is this important? able sources by 2013
excel chart #5 Data from the U.S. Energy Information Admin
Fuel Sources for Long Island Power Generation,
How are we 2005doing?
istration shows that buildings, commercial and
The world’s leading climate scientists have issued
residential, are responsible for almost half (48%) Wind 0.002%
warnings that we need to drastically reduce green
of all energy consumption and greenhouse gasFossil 3%
Other
house gas emissions
Solar 0.4%in order to avoid catastrophic
(GHG) emissions in the United States.
Wind Green
Waste-to-Energy
3% and irreversible effects of climate change. Many
house gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide
Solar now believe that reductions of 80% below 1990
(CO2), are widely accepted as the main con
levels are needed by 2050 or even earlier.
tributing
Other Fossil factors in global climate change. With
1,180 miles of shoreline, LongNatural
Waste-to-Energy IslandGasis uniquely New York State has several stated policy goals to
35%
disposed to sea level rise and other impacts of reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions,
Nat. Gas
climate change. Recent modeling released by among them the Renewable Portfolio Standard
Architecture 2030, a leading organization study
Oil requiring 25% of the state’s electricity to come
ing the potential impacts of climate change, from renewable fuels like solar and wind by 2013
shows that a sea level rise of even one meter and the 15 x 15 initiative with the goal to reduce
Oil 59%
would have serious consequences for the U.S., electricity consumption 15% by 2015.
leaving it vulnerable to catastrophic property
Unfortunately, we are neither on track to achiev
and infrastructure loss with large population
ing such goals nor have we formulated clear and
disruptions and economic hardships.
Source: U.S. EPA eGRid (solar and wind estimated).
binding plans to do so.
page 77
Environment client excel chart #4
Electricity Consumption on Long Island, 1997-2007
00 Page 78 | 2009 Long Island Index | Our Environment 20

Commercial/ Industrial
Megawatt Hours (in Millions)

00 Residential 15
Electricity Consumption Natural Gas
00 10
Data from the Long Island Power Authority shows Long Island’s residential, commercial and indus
00 that residential, commercial and industrial elec trial users5 bought almost 14% more natural gas
tricity consumption in 2007 increased 2.5% over (90,898,704 dekatherms) from National Grid
thea05previous
0 a97 a98 a99 a00 a01 a02 a03 a04 a06 a07 year, continuing its steady upward in 2007 than
0 in the prior year which resulted
’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
trend of 21% over the preceding ten years. Resi in 5,317,574 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
dential electricity use has grown 27% while popu However, a considerable
Residential portion of that increase
Commercial/Industrial
lation grew less than 9% during the same time. resulted from converting space heating equipment
from oil to natural gas which reduces carbon diox
In order to achieve the state’s 15 x 15 goals, Long
ide emissionsSource:
by almost a third based on the same
Island would need to curtail its annual electric Long Island Power Authority.
energy input.
consumption growth to less than 4/10 of one per
cent instead of the present 2.5%. Renewable Energy
Greenhouse Gas Emissions On the renewable energy front, there are about
1,400 solar roofs on Long Island with a total of
To satisfy this growing hunger for electricity, the
about 10 MW of capacity. LIPA recently issued a
Island’s fossil fueled power plants pumped millions
request for proposals for 50 MW of solar electric
of tons of climate changing greenhouse gas emis
panels. However, despite this step, total solar
sions into the global atmosphere. According to
generation output over the next few years would
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
amount to less than ½ of one percent of fossil-
data, despite reducing the rate of carbon dioxide
generated electricity, nowhere near state goals.
emissions per kilowatt-hour slightly (4%), total
CO2 emissions from Long Island’s power plants in
Environment client excel
2005 (the chart #5 data available) increased
most recent
Fuel Sources for Long Island Power Generation, 2005
by almost 90,000 tons to more than ten million
(10,201,971) tons. Wind 0.002%
Other Fossil 3%
Instead of reducing CO2 emissions by about 2% Solar 0.4%
Wind Waste-to-Energy
a year to reach an 80% reduction by mid-century, 3%
Long Island’s power plants increased
Solar emissions
of this greenhouse gas by about 1% from 2004
Other Fossil
to 2005 and there is no plan in place that would
Natural Gas
allow us to reach the needed reductions.
Waste-to-Energy
35%
Nat. Gas
Power Sources
Oil
While most of Long Island’s electricity is still
produced on Long Island, a growing share of it is
purchased and transported through long-distance Oil 59%
transmission lines and undersea cables from off-
Island power sources. In 2005, LIPA imported 37%
of our electricity from off-Island sources; in 2007
Source: U.S. EPA eGRid (solar and wind estimated).
imports made up 41% of our electric diet.
Long Island’s power plants are antiquated and
inefficient in converting fuel into electricity but
many have the capability to switch from oil to
natural gas depending on fuel prices and other
factors. In 2005 Long Island’s generators produced
59% of the electricity by burning oil, 35% came
from natural gas, and 6% from waste-to-energy
incinerators and other fossil sources.
Governance
Goal #11—Managing for Results

Long Island’s counties, towns, villages and other jurisdictions manage their costs and provide
quality local and regional services.
Indicator:
Expenditures and Revenues
Long Island relies more heavily on property taxes as a percentage of total revenues than the rest of
the state and property taxes have increased 20% in the past ten years compared to 6% statewide.
Long Island has a large number of local government entities with associated expenditures that are large and
growing. In 2007, local taxpayers contributed 79% of the total cost of local government, compared to 66%
in other areas of New York State.1 A ten-year history of local government expenditures and revenues, and
comparable figures for local governments and school districts, allows Long Islanders to evaluate whether or
not efforts to mitigate growth in the cost of local government have been effective.
All benchmark comparisons herein are for all other areas outside of Long Island excluding NYC.
1
Page 80 | 2009 Long Island Index | Governance
ADDITIONAL 4-6
#1 GOVERNANCE 1-2
Distribution of Local Government Expenditures, 2007
In an average month, how difficult is it for you and
your2%family
Fire Districts living with you to pay the rent or mortgage?
Graphs what people are saying client excel chart #4
Counties 30%
60 60%
Somewhat Difficult
50 School
Very Difficult 50
Districts 51%
40 40
Cities 1%
30 30
20 20 Towns 13%
10 10
0 Villages
0 4%
’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08
Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding. Very Difficult Somewhat Difficult
Over half (54%) of all Long Islanders continue to report that it is somewhat or
very difficult to meet their monthly rent or mortgage payments.
#2 Change in Local Government Expenditures on Long Island, 1998-2007
$12
Fire Districts, H are we doing?
ow Increase
28.4% What People in the Region Are Saying
In Billions (2007 Dollars)
LongIncrease
School Districts, 38.6% Island relies more heavily
10 on property taxes Please think about the quality of education provided
as a percentage of total revenues than the rest of
Villages, 24.5% Increase 8 by your local schools. What would you say is the value
local residents get back from property taxes in terms
thesaying
Towns, 15.8% Increase
Graphs what people are state (49% of excel
client all revenues
6 for Long Island in
chart #5 of the quality of education?
2007, compared to 33% for the
Cities, 57.7% Increase 4 rest of the state).
From 1998 to 2007, property2taxes increased 20%
Counties, 2.3% Decrease
above the rate of inflation on 0 Long Island, com
Don't Know/Refused
100
pared to 6% for the rest of thePoor ’98 2 The
state. ’99 largest’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Fair 80
increases during this time period were attributable
School Districts, 38.6% Towns, 15.8% Fire Districts, 28.4%
Good Increase 60Increase Increase
to cities, school districts and fire districts.
ExcellentCounties, 2.3% 40Villages, 24.5% Cities, 57.7%
State revenues are a smaller portion Decrease
of Long Increase Increase
20
Island’s total revenues (17%) than for other New 0
’06 ’07 Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC);’06 ’08
York State local governments (27%). Also, Long CGR.
Excellent Good Fair
Island’s local governments rely more heavily on
Poor Don’t Know
local property taxes, and depend slightly more on Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
sales tax revenues, than do other New York State
Fewer Long Islanders feel they are getting back an excellent or good value from
governments. their property taxes in terms of the quality of education in 2008 than they did
two years ago, 41% today compared to 48% in 2006.
Fewer Long Islanders feel they are getting back an
excellent or good value from their property taxes
in terms of the quality of education in 2008 than
they did two years ago, 41% today compared to
48% in 2006.
2
here were also large differences in sales tax growth over the period. Long Island’s grew by 21%, compared to 80% in the rest of the state. The primary reason for
T
the discrepancy involves new accounting treatment rules instituted by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board in 2006. According to the new rules,
counties with local sales tax sharing agreements were required to begin recording gross sales tax receipts (i.e., including all revenues, even those to be distributed
with local governments). As a result, starting in 2007 many counties across the state showed sharp increases in sales tax revenues. Nassau County, by contrast, has
always accounted for its shared sales tax in this way, so the new standards did not result in a similar increase. As Suffolk does not have a sharing agreement, the new
standard did not affect it.
THE TABLE THAT USED TO BE HERE IS NOW IN

Cities 1%
Towns 13%
Villages 4%

Change in Local Government Expenditures on Long Island, 1998-2007
$12
Fire Districts, 28.4% Increase
In Billions (2007 Dollars) 10
School Districts, 38.6% Increase
Villages, 24.5% Increase 8
Towns, 15.8% Increase 6

Cities, 57.7% Increase 4
Counties, 2.3% Decrease 2
0
’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
School Districts, 38.6% Towns, 15.8% Fire Districts, 28.4%

Increase Increase Increase
Counties, 2.3% Villages, 24.5% Cities, 57.7%

Decrease Increase Increase
Expenditures school districts had the second-greatest increase

Total expenditures by Long Island’s local govern in spending, rising 39% higher than the rate of
ments3 amounted to $19.6 billion in 2007. School inflation over the ten-year period. City expendi
districts were the largest component of local gov tures rose 58% higher than inflation, but city
ernment expenditures, with county government expenditures only represent less than 1% of total
expenditures the second highest. The functional local government expenditures on Long Island.4
distribution of expenditures among Long Island’s The third fastest increase in expenditures was in
local governments is reasonably similar to other fire districts, up 28% higher than inflation. Fire
local governments in the state. districts represented 1.5% of total local govern
ment expenditures.
Spending by all local governments on Long Island
grew 20% faster than inflation between 1998 and Expenditures by school districts on Long Island
2007. The growth rate reflects the fact that expen grew faster than those in the rest of the state
ditures and revenues for Nassau County prior to due to higher increases in payroll, equipment and
2000 included the county hospital, which was capital costs. At the same time, Long Island’s
spun off from county operations to a public benefit school districts held down expenses for employee
corporation in 1999 and thus removed from the benefits, goods/services and debt better than the
county numbers. In addition to being the largest rest of the state.
component of local government spending (51%),
3
ocal governments included in this report were all counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts and fire districts that filed annual reports with the New York
L
State Office of the State Comptroller. Independent special districts on Long Island are not included, as the Comptroller database does not include information from
all these districts. However, based on the information available on reporting districts, CGR believes the total expenditures for special districts not included in these
totals is less than $200 million, or less than 1.5% of the total counted in these tables.
4
There are only two cities on Long Island, both in Nassau.
page 81
Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding. Local 66%
ave choices of Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
GOVERNANCE 3-6Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.
Page 82 | 2009 Long Island Index | Governance
All Revenue Sources—Long Island, 2007
Local Revenue Sources–Long Island, 2007 GOVERNANCE 3-6Local Revenue Sources—Long Island, 2007
cel chart #5
Federal 4%
Local Revenue
All Revenue Sources—Long
State 17% Sources–Long
Island, 2007 Island, 2007 Local Revenue Sources—Long Island, 2007
xcel chart #5 Sales Tax 12%
All Other
Interest and Earnings
Federal 4%
Sales Tax 12%
All Other
Real Property Tax
State 17% All Other 38%
Interest
Sales Taxand Earnings
All Other 38%
Real Property Tax
Real Property
Sales Tax Tax 49%
Local 79% Real Property

Interest and Tax 49%
Earnings 2%

Interest and
Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC);Local
CGR.79% Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Earnings 2%
Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding. Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR. Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.
cel chart #6 All Revenue Sources,

YC, LI) Local2007—NYS (Minus NYC,
Revenue Sources–NYS (MinusLI)
NYC, LI), 2007 Local Revenue Sources—NYS (Minus NYC, LI), 2007
xcel chart #6 Local RevenueFederal

Sources–NYS
7% (Minus NYC, LI), 2007 Local Revenue Sources—NYS (Minus NYC, LI), 2007
Sales Tax 9%
YC, LI) AllSources,
All Revenue Other 2007—NYS (Minus NYC, LI)
State 27%
Interest and Earnings

Sales Tax 9%
All Other
Real Property TaxFederal 7% All Other 56%
State
Interest 27%
Sales Taxand Earnings
All Other 56%
Real Property Tax
Real Property
Sales Tax Tax 33%
Real Property
Local 66% Interest and Tax 33%
Earnings 2%
Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding. Interest and
Earnings 2%
Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC);Local
CGR.66% Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.
Note: Results may not add to 100% due to rounding. Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.

Revenues As noted, on Long Island local revenues were 79%
Local RevenueLocal governments
Sources—Long in New
Island, 2007York rely primarily on of all revenues, compared to 66% for the rest of
three sources of revenue—local revenues, state the state. The difference may help to explain in
funding and federal funding.5 In 2007, 79% of Long part why Long Islanders perceive such a heavy
Island’s total local government revenues were gen
Sales Tax 12%
local tax burden. The data show that the relative
Local Revenue Sources—Long
erated from local Island,
sources,2007
either property tax, sales local tax burden differential between Long Island
tax, interest and earnings or other fees and taxes, and the rest of the state has not changed signifi
up slightly from 78% in 1998. 17% came from state
All Other 38% cantly over the last ten years.
sources and 4% from federal Salessources
Tax 12% in 2007.
All OtherA38%
fourth source of funding is debt financing; however, the debt burdenReal
is paid from local, state or federal revenue sources and is included in the figures used in this analysis.
5
Property
Tax 49%
Interest and
Earnings 2% Real Property
Tax 49%
Long Island Schools and Government Percent Change in Full Taxable Value and Real Property Tax Levy
Compared to Inflation 1998-2006
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Consumer Price Index 100% 102% 105% 108% 111% 114% 118% 123% 127%
Average Change in Full Taxable Value 100% 103% 113% 126% 141% 166% 189% 211% 234%
Change in Real Property Tax Levy:
School Districts 100% 104% 109% 116% 126% 137% 148% 161% 172%
Property taxes governments have less direct control over the

High property taxes have been identified as a sig value of taxable real properties, as these are subject
nificant concern for Long Islanders starting with to supply and demand forces from regional and
the very first Index report. As noted above, real national trends as well as local conditions.
property taxes account for 49% of the revenue for
During the period from 1998 to 2006 (the most
local governments on Long Island, which is by far
recent data available from the Office of State
the largest revenue source. Thus, there are two
Comptroller), real property tax levies for all forms
sides to the story about property taxes. On the one
of local government on Long Island grew faster
hand, they are a significant burden on local tax
than the rate of inflation, but slower than the rate
payers. On the other hand, they are a critically
of growth of real property values. For example, real
important source of revenues, without which local
property tax levies for all school districts on Long
governments could not provide the level of services
Island grew 172%, compared to inflation, which
currently offered, unless corresponding other reve
grew 127%. However, the real property full taxable
nue sources can be found to offset any losses in
value grew by an average of 234%. As another
property taxes collected.
example, for all village governments on Long
Property tax rates are calculated by dividing the Island, real property tax levies grew 150% com
real property tax levy6 by the taxable assessed pared to the 127% inflation growth. A key indi
value of the property within the jurisdiction of cator for the future will be, if real property values
each government.7 The property tax levy can be fall on Long Island, will local governments reduce
affected most directly, on a year-by-year basis by costs at a corresponding rate so that local tax bur
local governments exercising control over costs dens do not increase even more.
that have to be paid from local taxes. Local
6
The amount needed to support total governmental appropriations minus revenues from all other sources.
7
For this report, real property full taxable value as calculated by the state is used to adjust for different assessment rates in local governments on Long Island.
page 83
Page 84 | 2009 Long Island Index | Reference M aps
Nassau County Cities, Towns, Villages and Hamlets
City of
Glen Cove
Town of
Oyster Bay
Town of
North Hempstead
Town of
Hempstead
City of
Long Beach
D
N
U
O
S
D Town of
N Shelter Island
A
L Town of
S Southold
I
G
N
O Town of
L East Hampton
Town of
Riverhead
Town of
Brookhaven Town of
Town of Southampton
page 85
Smithtown
Town of
Huntington
Town of
Islip
Town of
Babylon
A T L A N T I C O C E A N
Suffolk County Towns, Villages and Hamlets
New Interactive Mapping Feature available at www.longislandindex.org
We have launched a new feature on our website that makes data about Long Island come alive using innovative
mapping tools displaying local and regional trends in revealing ways. Users can choose which data elements
they want to see in relation to each other and mix and match data to suit their individual needs and reveal
complex relationships in easily understood ways. The visualization tools allow users to quickly find information
without having to search multiple sites and resources.
Some of the things you can find here include:
• Detailed property-level patterns of residential, commercial, industrial, and other land use types within
each village and across Long Island.
• Key population and housing characteristics shown on the maps, plus statistics listed dynamically as users
zoom in to each community.
• Transportation and reference features such as satellite photos, bus and LIRR routes, incorporated and
unincorporated villages, special districts and legislative districts.
• Bar charts comparing Census statistics.
• Regional views showing villages that meet certain characteristics, such as all the villages across Long
Island with more than 10% population growth.
• New mapping tools such as a “dynamic transparency slider” to reveal land use patterns or aerial photos
underneath Census maps and Microsoft’s “bird’s eye view” photos integrated directly into the maps
(accessible with the click of a mouse).
We will continue to add more data in the coming months and will update current data when new information
is available. And as always you can find indicator data, reports and surveys, graphs and the monthly article
What Every Long Islander Should Know on our site.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the following organizations that contributed

data and expertise:
Center for Governmental Research New York State Education Department
Center for Urban Research, CUNY Graduate Center New York State Department of Environmental Conservation,
Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning & Policy Commission Region 1
Child Care Council of Nassau New York State Department of Transportation
Child Care Council of Suffolk North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Collaborative Economics PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association
MoneyTree™ Thomson Financial
Early Childhood Finance Project
Regional Plan Association
Early Years Institute
Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI)
Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Schuyler Center for Advocacy and Action (SCAA)
Empire Justice Center
Stony Brook University, Center for Survey Research
Fiscal Policy Institute
Suffolk County Department of Social Services
Health and Welfare Council of Long Island
Suffolk County Planning Department
Hofstra University
Suffolk County Transit
Long Island Bus
Sustainable Long Island
Long Island Pine Barrens Society
Teachers College, Columbia University
Long Island Power Authority
The Nature Conservancy, Long Island Chapter
Long Island Real Estate Report
Town of Brookhaven
Long Island Regional Planning Board
Town of East Hampton
Metropolitan Transportation Authority—Long Island Rail Road
Town of Huntington
Middle Country Public Library
Town of Huntington HART Bus Systems
Miller Business Resource Center
Town of North Hempstead
Nassau BOCES
Town of Oyster Bay
Nassau County Department of Social Services
Town of Riverhead
Nassau County Planning Department
Town of Shelter Island
National Center for Children in Poverty
Town of Southampton
National Institute for Early Education Research
Town of Southold
National Women’s Law Center
Western Suffolk BOCES
New York State Child Care Coordinating Council
New York State Council on Children and Families
Report Preparation
INTRODUCTION
Thomas Amper, Michael Holzman
PUBLICATION COORDINATION & DESIGN
Curran & Connors, Inc.
THE LONG ISLAND INDEX 2009 HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE
RAUCH FOUNDATION.
Long Island Index 2009
“Working Together in New Ways for Long Island’s Future”
Long Island Index

229 Seventh Street, Suite 306
Garden City, NY 11530-5766
Tel: 516.873.9808
Fax: 516.873.0708
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2009 Long Island Index

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Long Island Index

Working Together in New Ways for Long Island’s Future

Director, Lawrence Levy CUNY Mapping Service at the

SPECIAL ANALYSIS: Long Island’s Educational Structure: Resources, Outcomes, Options 4

HOW TO USE www.longislandindex.org 86

What Are Indicators?

How to Use the Index

Long Island’s Educational Structure:

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.

From 1995 to 2005, the gap in per-pupil revenues between the

Gap in Achievement: Highest Obstacles vs. Lowest Obstacles

0 $0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $350

Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute.

Tax Increase on a $450,000 Home If District Raises Expenditures by $250/Student

Number of NYS Defined Percent Higher in

Roosevelt 2,945 3 $303.92

Hempstead 6,913 3 $312.35

William Floyd 10,191 3 $270.27

Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute.

High Obstacle Schools in High Obstacle Schools in

Aid Per Pup

Per Pupil, 2007 Dollars

Aid Per Pupil, 2007

Least Most Least Most

Total Aid Including STAR Total Aid Including

* What Some Places Are Doing.

Commercial and Industrial Tax Revenue Per Student by School District

10 Highest Districts 10 Lowest Districts

Source: New York State Education Department; Fiscal Policy Institute.

Favor consolidation of school districts 64% 61% 82% 77%

Favor allowing children in failing school districts

* What Some Places Are Doing.

Now in its fourth decade, the pro­ * SURVEY *

in Long Island schools, Hofstra • Schools in the wealthiest dis­

Average School Expenditures Per Pupil by Community Affluence

Schools spend 45% more—almost $8,000 more—per child

Revenue Source Per Pupil by Affluence

Source: New York State Office of State Comptroller (OSC); CGR.

SPECIAL ANALYSIS CH 8_10

Percent Passing Math Exams: Addressing Educational

group showed by far the poorest

60 Gap in Achievement: Highest Obstacles vs. Lowest Obstacles

30 difference in math proficiency

High-Poverty Mid-Poverty Low-Poverty

Math 4 Math 8 Math Regents

alysis client excel chart #9

Schools facing higher obstacles

Obstacles ------------ Obstacles

dents in Long Island’s wealthiest 15

White Black Latino Asian

School Poverty on Long Island: Meeting the LEP

15 special instruction, which can

* What Some Places Are Doing.

School Poverty on Long Island:

Low-Poverty Mid-Poverty High-Poverty

Students in the wealthiest third of school districts do no better than

Average School Expenditures Per Pupil by Community Affluence

Do you agree or disagree: Children

racial and economic backgrounds

Source: New YorkInState

in least affluent communities

Now in its fourth decade, the pro * SURVEY *

in Long Island schools, Hofstra • Schools in the wealthiest dis

“I believe deeply that we cannot solve the

the income of a representative four-person house