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In Brief:
- Business groups united to support responsible development in Huntington and Smithtown
- Projects include Melville’s Town Center Overlay District and Kings Park revitalization
- Coalition emphasized workforce housing, jobs and downtown renewal
- Voters backed incumbents who stood for progress over fear-based opposition
This past June, Republican primaries in the townships of Huntington and Smithtown offered more than a snapshot of political contests. They offered a lesson in what happens when Long Island’s business community speaks with one voice on issues that matter to working families.
In both towns, the incumbents supported responsible development projects—Huntington’s Melville Town Center Overlay District and Smithtown’s Kings Park revitalization—designed to provide workforce housing and reinvigorate local downtowns. Their challengers opposed these plans, framing them as threats to “quality of life.” We all know that phrase. Too often, it’s used not to protect communities, but to stir fears and sow misinformation.
For decades, the perception has been that business interests and community interests are at odds. That it’s “us versus them.” But these projects are not about profits over people. They are about repurposing already-developed land to serve middle-class families: Creating affordable housing options for young workers and empty nesters, bringing vibrancy back to local downtowns and generating jobs in the construction trades.
That’s why a coalition of Long Island’s leading business organizations—the Long Island Builders Institute, HIA-LI, the Long Island Association, the Association for a Better Long Island, the Long Island Contractors Association and the Commercial Industrial Brokers Society of Long Island—joined together to advocate for these projects. In doing so, they helped differentiate the candidates for voters, clarifying who stood for progress and who relied on fear-based opposition.
Our message was straightforward: Responsible development creates opportunity. It strengthens local economies, addresses Long Island’s pressing housing shortage and improves quality of life. In Kings Park, revitalization would breathe new life into a community that has struggled since the closure of the psychiatric center nearly three decades ago. In Melville, the overlay district would transform underused commercial space into a walkable hub of housing and business—exactly the kind of planning that younger residents and employers alike are asking for.
In the end, voters listened. Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth described the outcome as a “victory of truth over lies.” Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim emphasized his pride in continuing to make his town “a wonderful place to raise a family.” Their words captured what the results proved: When the conversation is grounded in real solutions rather than scare tactics, residents respond.
The lesson here is larger than any one race. For too long, Long Island’s business groups have worked in parallel, each advancing important causes but not always in alignment. This time, we joined forces. And in doing so, we amplified our impact. Power in numbers is not a new idea—but in practice, it is too rarely used. The June primaries showed what can happen when we harness it.
Looking ahead, Long Island still faces deep challenges: A shortage of workforce housing, an aging infrastructure and the need to retain young talent while supporting middle-class families. Meeting these challenges requires thoughtful planning and the political will to pursue it. It also requires continued collaboration among the business organizations that represent employers, developers, contractors and brokers.
We’ve seen that when we put aside silos and unite around shared priorities, our voices carry further. More importantly, our communities benefit. The Huntington and Smithtown primaries remind us that voters, when given the facts, support progress. As business leaders, it’s our responsibility to keep working together—to advocate for policies that create housing, jobs, and opportunity—and to ensure that Long Island remains a place where the next generation can build their future.
Terri Alessi-Miceli is president and CEO of HIA-LI.
Mike Florio serves as CEO of the Long Island Builders Institute.
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