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Turns out all those businesses moving out of Queens aren't just chasing cheaper rent — they're finding actual space to breathe, which might be the real story of why Long Island's economy is shifting faster than our spring potholes appear.
A Shipping Giant Just Picked Long Island Over Queens
Dubai-based logistics company Aramex is moving its New York operations from Queens to a new facility in Bethpage, joining a growing list of companies choosing Long Island over the five boroughs for their regional headquarters.
The move reflects what commercial real estate experts have been tracking since the pandemic: businesses are increasingly drawn to Long Island's combination of lower costs, easier logistics, and access to both the city and suburban markets. Nassau County has been actively courting these relocations with tax incentives and streamlined permitting processes.
For Long Island, it's another sign that the region is becoming more than just a bedroom community for Manhattan commuters. Between Amazon's massive fulfillment centers and now international shipping operations like Aramex, the Island is quietly building its own logistics and distribution hub — which could mean more local jobs that don't require a daily trip to Penn Station.
Treasury Secretary Makes the Case for Long Island (And It's Actually Pretty Good)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stopped by Long Island yesterday to talk up small business wins under the Trump administration, making his pitch at what the New York Post called a "business roundtable." He highlighted tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks that he says are helping local entrepreneurs.
Here's what's interesting: Long Island actually is a decent poster child for small business growth. Nassau and Suffolk counties combined have over 200,000 small businesses employing roughly 60% of the region's private workforce — numbers that dwarf most other suburban areas. From Hicksville auto shops to Huntington restaurants, the Island runs on small business.
Whether you credit federal policy or just Long Island hustle, the timing isn't terrible. Local business registrations have been up since 2024, though that might have more to do with people finally reopening after years of economic weirdness than any particular policy. Still, if a Treasury Secretary wants to use us as an example, we'll take it.
That Restaurant Depot Deal? It's About to Change Everything for Local Eateries
Sysco just dropped $29.1 billion to buy Restaurant Depot, and if you've ever wondered where your favorite pizza place gets its mozzarella or how that family-owned diner keeps prices reasonable, this matters. Restaurant Depot serves about 725,000 independent restaurant operators nationwide — including plenty across Long Island — as the scrappy alternative to Sysco's corporate-focused distribution.
Here's the thing: Restaurant Depot built its business on being the anti-Sysco. Cash-and-carry warehouses where small restaurant owners could buy in bulk without signing exclusive contracts or dealing with minimum orders. Now they're all one company, according to Greater Long Island.
For context, Sysco already controls about 18% of the U.S. food service market. Adding Restaurant Depot's customer base creates a near-monopoly in some regions. Translation: the family joint down the street might soon have fewer options for where to buy ingredients — and that usually means higher costs that eventually hit your check.
Blakeman's Big Pitch: Make New York Cheaper (Good Luck With That)
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is making affordability the centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign, which makes sense when you consider Nassau has some of the highest property taxes in the nation. According to Newsday, Blakeman's statewide pitch focuses on the cost-of-living crisis that's hitting Long Island families particularly hard.
The timing isn't random — spring is budget season, and residents just got their latest property tax bills. Nassau's average effective property tax rate sits around 1.4%, nearly double the national average. Add in New York's income taxes, gas prices, and the general cost of existing here, and you've got a campaign message that writes itself.
Whether a Nassau County executive can actually move the affordability needle statewide is the real question. The last few governors have promised to tackle New York's cost-of-living problem, and yet here we are, still paying $30 for a mediocre lunch in Midtown and wondering why a studio apartment costs more than a mortgage in Ohio.
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⚡ Quick Hits
Miller Place Shows Up for One of Their Own
A weekend pizza fundraiser brought in $6,517 for Andrew Salgado, the 14-year-old Miller Place teen critically injured in last week's Route 25A crash, according to Greater Long Island. The GoFundMe for Andrew has now surged past $93,000.
Route 25A through Miller Place has been a concern for residents for years — it's a busy stretch where school kids cross daily, and locals have long pushed for better safety measures. When tragedy strikes close to home like this, though, the community response is swift and generous.
Pizza fundraisers might seem like small potatoes compared to a $93,000 GoFundMe, but they're about more than money. They're about neighbors showing up, local businesses stepping up, and giving people a way to help when they feel helpless. Every slice sold is someone saying "we're thinking of you."
That Nature Preserve Everyone Loves? It's Become a Health Hazard
Residents are begging Nassau County to help clean up a beloved nature preserve that's been overrun with used needles, condoms, and trash. The site, which families once used for hiking and bird-watching, has become so contaminated that parents won't bring their kids anymore.
Local volunteers have been doing what they can, but they're not equipped to handle biohazardous waste safely. Meanwhile, the county — which spent $2.3 billion last year — says cleaning isn't in their jurisdiction, creating a bureaucratic ping-pong game while the problem gets worse.
This is exactly the kind of disconnect that drives Long Islanders crazy: we pay some of the highest taxes in the country, but when we need basic public health services, everyone points to someone else's budget. The preserve didn't get this way overnight, and it won't fix itself while officials argue over whose job it is to pick up dirty needles.
Source: NBC New York
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🗣️ Rumor Mill
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- Anyone Awake around 5:30am hear how loud it is outside?. Someone in Hauppauge got woken up by mysterious loud noises around 5:30am that seemed too intense for normal traffic. Construction crews starting early, or something else entirely?
- Amateur Radio on long island. Amateur radio enthusiasts are buzzing about some kind of beef between Long Island and Suffolk County radio clubs. Drama in the ham radio community might be more entertaining than you'd expect.
- Throwing Bones over the fence? Or is it the wind?. A dog owner found random bones in their backyard and suspects either the wind or neighbor shenanigans. The mystery of the flying femurs continues to baffle pet parents.
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