Hochul on Long Island To Spread The Wealth In Advance Of Her Reelection

Gov. Kathy Hochul swept through Long Island giving out taxpayer dollars to bolster her standing in a region where she’s in a nearly dead heat against her reelection opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. The incumbent, flush with spending money thanks to the record $272 billion state budget she shepherded through the state Legislature, highlighted projects she said will improve transportation, public safety and infrastructure across the region.

A long-awaited announcement came when she signed legislation authorizing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to acquire property for a new Long Island Rail Road maintenance yard along the Port Jefferson Branch.

State officials say the rail yard is considered a critical component for the electrification of the Port Jefferson line. The facility would provide storage and servicing for electric trains, something transportation planners have long said is necessary before electrification can move forward.

The announcement still leaves electrification hanging since the MTA abandoned a previous opportunity to acquire approximately 40 acres of the former Lawrence Aviation property in Port Jefferson Station for a new rail yard. Local officials say losing that site dealt a major setback to electrification efforts and left diesel locomotives operating on the North Shore line indefinitely.

Hochul also joined Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, Legislator Leslie Kennedy and Sen. Monica Martinez to announce $8 million in state funding to help repair damage caused by the devastating August 2024 storm that washed out the Stump Pond Dam in Smithtown.

The dam failure dramatically altered Blydenburgh County Park, eliminating the historic pond, increasing downstream flood concerns and affecting recreational activities. County officials have advanced plans to rebuild the dam, restore Stump Pond and install a fish ladder designed to improve aquatic habitat while preserving flood control.

The governor’s visit comes as campaigning intensifies ahead of the November election. Recent polling has shown a closely contested race on Long Island, with Blakeman leading in Nassau County while Hochul holds an advantage in Suffolk.