Hofstra Suburban Studies Dean Speaks at Mineola Kiwanis

In many parts of the country, the gestation period between an idea being hatched and breaking ground on a capital project is anywhere from nine months to one year, according to Lawrence Levy, the guest speaker at last week’s breakfast meeting.

In Nassau County, however, Levy said it usually take 3 years, on average, to get the necessary approvals on even a small project.

“We need to find a way to get it done faster than that,” he said. “We need to think bigger picture.”

Well known in Long Island circles as a newspaper columnist and political pundit, Levy is now the executive dean of Hofstra University’s Suburban Institute, a non-partisan research institution that conducts academic studies of suburbia's problems — as well as its promise.

In Long Island’s case, particularly Nassau County, it has both problems and promise.

Addressing the Issues

Levy told audience members that one of Long Island’s biggest problems is the widening gap between the “haves and have-nots”; the educated and the undereducated. “It’s about closing the achievement gap,” he said. “It’s not sustainable.”

He proposed slightly shifting the tax burden on those in wealthier neighborhoods from those in poorer neighborhoods, encouraging local businesses to engage high school students in work, and providing more vocational training for students.

Business Opportunities

Long Island is “known as a place that doesn’t do business — unless you’re selling jeans,” he said, noting the area needs to take on five or six “major, transformational, catalyst” projects – like the or a smaller version to generate jobs and vibrancy.

“How do you attract venture capital or real estate capital that in turn can attract thousands of jobs when you have a reputation of being unfriendly to business? We need to get (some of these projects done) for our own self-confidence.”

Praise for Mineola

Because of its size and lower number of undeveloped areas, Nassau County has fewer options than Suffolk, according to Levy, who praised former Mineola Mayor turned for the village’s Master Plan Development — or “densifying” downtown Mineola — by without hurting the quality of suburban life.

“If you’re going to grow, if you’re going to invigorate, if you’re going to have to have people stay, you’re going to have to look at your downtowns,” he said.

In other club news:

• Kiwanis Club president Ed Schutt said their local chapter in August. The camp, for children of special needs, is one of organization’s signature sponsorship events.
• Kiwanis recently disbursed checks as part of its fund-raising golf outing to the following charities: Winthrop University Pediatric Center, Harbor Child Care and North Shore Autism.