Legislators push 'buy local' bill

 Long Island’s top business and political leaders will develop a marketing campaign to encourage residents to buy locally, under legislation recently approved by the Nassau and Suffolk legislatures.    

The initiative, called Long Island First, aims to “promote” regional products “first and foremost and create a logo which is symbolic of Long Island’s abundant resources,” said Suffolk Legis. Wayne Horsley (D-Babylon), who sponsored the bill in his legislature. It was sponsored in Nassau by Legis. Denise Ford (R-Long Beach).

Horsley and Ford will join a 29-member group that includes officials from the Long Island Regional Planning Commission, Empire State Development Corp., town and village leaders, Long Island Farm Bureau, Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and state Parks Commission.

The group is expected to meet within the month and will issue a report by Dec. 31.

Horsley and Ford were to announce the initiative at a news conference today in Melville with LIA President Kevin Law, planning council director Michael White and Laborers Union chief Peter Zarcone.

“We have businesses and possibly entire industries that are not well known to Long Islanders,” Horsley said. “The outcome of this lack of knowledge means labor, services and goods of and by Long Islanders are not being fully utilized…Putting Long Island first is a no-brainer.”  

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