A MUST READ BOOK ON SUBURBAN AMERICA

LONG ISLAND, THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND RACE:
THE AGING OF AMERICA’S FIRST SUBURB
by Martin R. Cantor, CPA, M.A.

Cost $ 16.00 U.S. + $3.00 Shipping   to purchase click here
Published by LI Development Corp/ Greater NY Development Company

     This book explores how Long Island, America’s first suburb matured during this time of societal, industrial and economic restructuring, including who benefited and who did not. The division between those who fared well during the thirty years between 1970 and 2000 and those who did not fell along racial and educational achievement lines due primarily to the local impact of the global economy, which placed greater value on the intellectual capacity of the local workforce rather than the blue collar workforce of the 1950’s and 1960’s. The brunt of the adverse impact was borne mostly by the minority community, with household income and access to the jobs created by the regional economy tied directly to educational achievement.  This was critical to how wealth creation and entrepreneurial growth that was fueled by the record economic expansion of the 1990’s was not broadly shared by the minority community.

     Congressman Steve Israel said “We have no better starting point in addressing income inequality, globalization, and affordable housing than Marty Cantor’s “Long Island, The Global Economy, and Race: The Aging of America’s First Suburb”. 100 Black Men Development Group General Counsel Lance Clarke, Esq. says “Marty Cantor’s ability to engage in “straight talk” and his “tell it like it is” style make this book a must read for concerned Long Islanders.” Former county Executive and Dowling College President Robert Gaffney notes, “Marty Cantor’s unique perspective has evolved over the years since serving as Suffolk County's Commissioner of Economic Development, and his focus on immigration, racism, affordable housing and education is a breath of fresh air.” Patrick Halpin, former Suffolk County Executive notes "There are important lessons to be learned from Marty Cantor about the evolution of America's first suburb, Long Island”, and Urban League of Long Island president and CEO Theresa Sanders says that “Marty Cantor has put his finger on the pulse of Long Island’s ability to sustain its economy”.  

     Four Long Island communities illustrate these socio-economic changes. They are: North Amityville and Roosevelt, both largely African-American communities and economic backwaters; and two communities that developed as a result of the Long Island Railroad expansion eastward from New York City, Huntington Station, a racially diverse community, and primarily Port Washington, a white community with household income above the regional mean.  All these communities are compared to the surrounding Long Island region, which is primarily white, and economically more prosperous. Reflections of the evolution of Long Island from the early years, and the effects of globalization and technological change on Long Island are drawn from long time residents of each of the presented communities and supported by analysis derived in part from census data.

     These personal reflections, and the socio-economic analysis of Long Island and the four communities noted above cover the period between 1970 and 2000, which brought the deindustrialization of Long Island’s manufacturing base, caused in part by the contraction of Long Island’s defense industry.  This industrial contraction, felt by Long Island’s many machine shops and the secondary economic activity that they generated, led to workforce reductions impacting much of the region’s less skilled and less educated workers.  At the same time the demand for more skilled and more educated workers was growing in Long Island’s emerging high technology industries as well as in the growing financial and banking sector.  This trend, which also began during the 1980’s and continued until 2000 and beyond, resulted largely from the globalization of economic activity. 

      The prospects for what Long Island, America’s first suburb, will look like in this century is discussed in the Epilogue and is strongly dependent on how the socio-economic challenges presented by the changing demographics and global economy are addressed.  Particular focus will be on how entrepreneurial development and targeted economic development policies can reverse the trend of stifled economic and societal growth made more difficult my the global economy.  Serious attention has to be paid to housing, downtown revitalization, institutional racism, open space preservation, Brownfields cleanup, transportation, energy, creating a progressive taxing system to finance government and schools, and how to replace the lost productivity and economic activity from a workforce of retiring baby boomers with a smaller workforce component. Failure will cause the Long Island economy to contract and with it America’s first suburb.

     To be sure, Long Island has some daunting challenges that lie before it.  What Long Island becomes during the next 25 years will strongly depend on how the leaders and residents change attitudes toward race and how all Long Islanders confront the changes demanded of the global economy.

”Since the Greatest Generation moved to the suburbs after World War II, Long Island has been the model of suburban life for the rest of the country. Now as we face new challenges in globalization, income inequality and affordable housing America will again be watching Long Island for guidance. We have no better starting point in addressing these issues than Marty Cantor’s “Long Island, The Global Economy, and Race: The Aging of America’s First Suburb”. Congressman Steve Israel

”Marty Cantor has tackled a topic that is long overdue for examination.  The relationships that he has developed during his career have provided him with valuable insight into Long Island and its African American community.  His ability to engage in “straight talk” and his “tell it like it is” style make this book a must read for concerned Long Islanders.   We all need to know where we have come from in order to best determine where we need to go” Lance D. Clarke, Esq., General Counsel 100 Black Men Development Group, Inc.

“No one understands better than Marty Cantor the multifaceted interrelationships between the Long Island economy and the social issues that impact it.  His unique perspective has evolved over the years since serving as Suffolk County's Commissioner of Economic Development, and his focus on immigration, racism, affordable housing and education is a breath of fresh air. Any one who truly wants to understand Long Island needs to read this book”. Robert Gaffney, President, Dowling College, and Former Suffolk County Executive

“Marty Cantor has put his finger on the pulse of Long Island’s ability to sustain its economy, and the need to address the multicultural issues that are critical to strengthening the region’s ability to compete in the global economy.” Theresa Sanders, President/CEO of the Urban League of Long Island

"There are important lessons to be learned from Marty Cantor about the evolution of America's first suburb, Long Island, that have relevance to suburbs all across America.  How those lessons are applied to tackling the challenges that suburbs are confronting in the global economy will determine the future prosperity of those seeking the good life in suburbia." Patrick Halpin, Former Suffolk County Executive

“Since World War II Long Island’s economy has shown resilience and adaptability.  However, as a community we have shown rigidity and an inability to adapt as we become increasingly separated by income, race and age.  This book tells this story and highlights the importance of inclusiveness for Long Island’s future”. Nancy Douzinas, Phd.President, Rauch Foundation and Long Island Index

 “Marty Cantor’s focus on the complexity of Long Island’s socio-economic and entrepreneurial linkages to wealth accumulation in the global economy is important reading for those wanting to understand the aging of America’s suburbs” Roslyn Goldmacher, President/CEO Long Island Development Corp./Greater New York Development Corp./LI Small Business Assistance Corp.

“Marty Cantor’s book is a great tool for economic development; the past is the best foundation on which to build the future” Phyllis Hill Slater, European American Women’s Council.