LIA asks 'What's New in Washington'

Daily Point

Everything old is new

Long Island's four congressional representatives gathered onstage Monday to discuss the economy, energy, immigration, the war in Iran and other pressing issues, as part of the Long Island Association's annual "What's New in Washington" event.

But the real drama was occurring offstage, as hundreds of the region's advocates, elected officials and business leaders buzzed about what was next for the Island's largest business organization.

The event came just a week after the sudden departure of former LIA chief executive Matt Cohen, who was replaced on an acting basis by Stacey Sikes, previously the vice president of government affairs. Sikes moderated Monday's panel in what more than one attendee said could be considered her "audition" for the role of permanent chief executive, for which she has said she'd apply.

But Sikes isn't the only choice to serve as the next leader of the LIA. An extensive list of names has begun to form. But the ultimate choice, several sources said, also depends on what the LIA's focus will be going forward. LIA chairman Larry Waldman only shed a bit of light on that question during his introduction at Monday's event.

"The LIA will continue advocating for our region's economy for the next century just as it's done since it started in 1926," Waldman said.

Cohen got a brief mention, too.

"You may have heard that Matt Cohen, the LIA's president and CEO for the past five years, has decided to step down to seek other opportunities," Waldman said just before he introduced Sikes. "He's been with the LIA for 15 years and he's done a terrific job and we wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors."

Multiple sources have raised a slew of possible names to take the association's helm, even pointing to some who attended Monday's event, including Association for a Better Long Island executive director Kyle Strober, Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Long Island Power Authority Chairwoman Tracey Edwards and political consultant Resi Cooper.

Cooper, for one, told The Point Monday that she's not interested in the position.

"I am honored to be thought of and look forward to continue working with whomever the LIA chooses to lead Long Island forward," Cooper said.

Other key regional advocates on the list include Long Island Builders Institute chief executive Mike Florio, Long Island Contractors' Association executive director Marc Herbst, Community Development Corp. of Long Island chief executive Gwen O'Shea and HIA-LI chief executive Terri Alessi-Miceli.

Sources told The Point that plenty of current and former elected officials might be among those considered, too. Besides Carpenter, multiple observers raised names like former State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, former State Sen. Phil Boyle, former State Sen. Chuck Fuschillo, former Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, former Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and former North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman. Rob Calarco, who now works for Gov. Kathy Hochul and previously served in the Suffolk Legislature, and former CD3 candidate and Democratic national committeeman Robert Zimmerman also emerged as possibilities.

But some suggested that the LIA may seek to stay away from giving the CEO post to anyone who's too close to the political fray.

Others focused on another factor: The notion that the LIA might choose a woman for the first time in its 100-year history — a topic discussed five years ago, when Cohen was ultimately picked. Former Long Island Rail Road president and chief deputy county executive Helena Williams, Empire State Development Regional Director Cara Longworth and business leaders like Haugland Group's Rosalie Drago and FourLeaf Federal Credit Union chief executive Linda Armyn are now among those who’ve been named.

With such a lengthy list — and others likely in the mix — one source suggested that the LIA should hire a search firm this time around to assist with the process.

Plenty of 'contrast' among 4 reps

Even as the LIA event's attendees spent much of the pre-show chatting about the LIA's future, once they took their seats, all eyes were on House members Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino, Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen. And while the four started in a kumbaya moment, talking about the need for common ground, it only took about five minutes before fissures emerged. After Suozzi discussed how they worked together to bring back a limited state and local tax, or SALT, deduction, LaLota jumped in.

"I'd just like to contrast a little bit; it's a little early in the program but I might as well," LaLota said to laughter. "It was five Republican members that got the quadrupling of SALT done ... My party put this in place in, I think it was 2017 ... but it took the five of us to put our necks on the line and say that we were going to hold firm for Long Island."

Responded Suozzi: "I want to agree with Nick. It is true that in 2017, the Republicans took away SALT."

Laughter and applause greeted Suozzi's retort.

Garbarino said the return of part of the SALT deduction was helping Long Islanders on this year's tax returns, noting that it helped him get an extra $4,000 back on his taxes.

Suozzi and LaLota also sparred on the economy, as Suozzi focused on rising labor, health care and energy costs, while LaLota emphasized declines in inflation and increases in the stock market.

"Albany is the cause of most of our pain," LaLota said.

Garbarino and LaLota emphasized their support of Sunrise Wind, one of Long Island's offshore wind projects which the Trump administration has tried to stop. But when Sikes asked if the Trump administration has been responsive to their efforts, they paused.

"Yes, they've been responsive but not to our liking," LaLota said.

"We keep pushing," added Garbarino.

The four lawmakers also discussed the war in Iran, with Suozzi emphasizing the need for a "long-term plan" and Gillen noting that while she's "hawkish" on Iran, she wants to see more congressional involvement.

"When you're going to undertake a mission, which I think is now called an excursion, but is a war, you need to come to Congress, because coming to Congress means you have to articulate a plan ... and I haven't heard a plan," Gillen said.

Garbarino stressed that any "boots on the ground" would require congressional support and funding.

And LaLota took on the question that came from Suozzi and Gillen.

"The plan is to annihilate every Iranian terrorist who has the capability and desire to kill Americans," he said.

The delegation remained polite, but even Suozzi recognized that the bickering was representative of what they experience in Washington.

"We're fighting all the time," Suozzi said. "Every issue we face in America is complicated. Nothing is simple. Anyone who says ‘Why would you just' doesn't know what they're talking about."

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

Pencil Point

Almost empty

For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons

Quick Points

Winter hits keep coming for Long Island

• Warning of "catastrophic" damage to boats as spring creeps in, Suffolk County officials are putting out the word that the severe winter storms and an extended deep freeze caused increased floating debris in local waterways, mostly because docks were pulled loose by ice. Monstrous potholes, frozen pipes and 1,000-pound floating pilings — the hits from winter 2026 keep coming for Long Islanders.
• George Santos, the erstwhile former Long Island congressman, has donned another hat — investigative journalist. Already writing a column for a Long Island weekly newspaper, Santos recently exposed "financial irregularities" at a Buffalo-area community association, which the newspaper claims led to the executive director resigning. The paper dubbed Santos "... one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, polarizing, and controversial figures in American politics." Did Santos write that?
• An Ohio Democratic congresswoman's computer must have TDS. Rep. Joyce Beatty, a non-voting member on the Kennedy Center board, filed a lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump of not sending her a notice about a board meeting to temporarily close the venue. She had to eat crow after lawyers said the invite was in her email spam folder. At least Beatty didn't have to eat SPAM, otherwise known as Something Posing As Meat.
• "One Battle After Another" won six Oscars Sunday night. The title is fiction, right?
• North Korea last week canceled an upcoming Pyongyang marathon "due to some reasons," according to the country's athletics association. Aspiring electeds take note: That's the most strategically ambiguous excuse ever released.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here.