2 LI business groups consider 'alliance'

advocacy

Two of Long Island's largest business organizations, the Long Island Association and the developers' group Association for a Better Long Island, are in discussions about forming a "strategic alliance" to work on such projects as economic development, job creation and energy issues.

Kevin Law, who became LIA president Sept. 7, said he and Desmond Ryan, the ABLI's executive director, have already held talks and each will discuss the matter further with the boards of their organizations for input and guidance.

"It's not a merger," Law said in an interview Friday. "We're talking about a strategic alliance for now." But he held out the possibility of an even closer relationship. "Who knows what happens in the future," Law said. Other large business organizations are the Hauppauge Industrial Association and Long Island Metro Business Action.

The LIA has about 5,000 members, including some of the Island's largest businesses and some of its smallest. The ABLI has only 25 members, but they represent about $15 billion worth of real estate on Long Island. The ABLI is an organization composed mainly of land developers. The ABLI was formed in 1985, the LIA in 1930.

Law had been chief executive of the Long Island Power Authority for three years before taking over the LIA post from Matt Crosson, who left after a 16-year reign to become president of the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Law has said one of his key jobs is to re-energize the LIA.

Ryan said he may be willing to team up with the LIA to fight the "city-centric" nature of the state government. "It's almost as if Long Island is being treated as a stepchild in the budget process," he said. The alliance would be a "synergy about taxes, energy and economic development."