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Bio
Liz Hanley, a nationally recognized accountant, founded a successful specialty accounting firm in 2008, serving over 1,000 clients and supporting small business recovery through COVID-19. A strong advocate for affordable housing, she chairs the Community Housing Board, spearheading innovative projects and securing $3.5 million in ADU grants. She also co-founded the successful bipartisan campaign for Prop 3, establishing the Community Housing Fund. Liz is deeply committed to community service through initiatives like the Monthly Shelter Island Clothing Swap and Our Lady of the Isle parish. A mother of three, Liz returned full-time to Shelter Island in 2020, where she resides in her grandparents’ home among third-generation neighbors.
Experience
Chair of Shelter Island Community Housing Board (2022-present)-First housing developments in 29 years-Advancing 10 rental units with no town funds-Secured $3.5M in ADU grants/Founded and Managed Prop 3 Bi-Partisan Super PAC (2022)-Championed the successful passage of Prop 3 in all four eastern Suffolk County towns-Organized a grassroots coalition, raising $250,000+/Founder of Shelter Island Clothing Swap (2022 - present)-Built an all-volunteer monthly community event/Owner of Liz is All Biz, Inc. Accounting (2008-present)-Dozens of employees worldwide-Support small/medium predominantly underserved businesses in the arts.
Education
BA Trinity Washington University, Enrolled Agent IRS
This isn’t rocket science. The Comprehensive Plan will never get approved and finished if we don't work on it. The supervisor sets the schedule, so I would insist that it be worked on weekly.
Previously, the board was working on it a chapter a week- that seems like an achievable time frame. I’d suggest that we start there.
Instead of working on the comprehensive plan , the time has been used to revise piecemeal parts of the code, which will all need to be reconsidered once the plan is finally approved - it seems a wildly inefficient use of time, resources, and taxpayer money.
We can’t hope to find solutions if we aren’t seriously working on this- we need the help of professionals to address this and our other pressing environmental issues. Rising sea levels not only will affect our shoreline and property, but will also further complicate our drinking water situation - exacerbating saltwater intrusion. I would champion the creation of a long-term plan to address this and other environmental concerns.
There is money available at the state level as I have shown in housing. Shelter Island can only address serious issues like this if we can take a longer view of our challenges and our expenses. The longer we put off working on this the more expensive our solutions become.
I support this, but I don’t think it fully addresses our water challenges. I’m in favor of a holistic plan to secure the safety of our drinking water both today and for the future. I’m unconvinced that a current investment in only IA systems addresses our long-term challenges with commercial and residential properties. I understand and value the overdevelopment concerns in the community in considering other solutions. Before we invest money into systems that may not address the challenges we know are coming: contaminants other than nitrogen, saltwater intrusions from rising sea levels, and low aquifer levels in the near-shore overlay, especially during the summer, we should work on a long-term plan so that we don't waste taxpayer money.
The creation and success of locally owned and run businesses is essential to the economic health of the island. These businesses ensure that dollars spent on the island remain and circulate on the island. I would review our code to ensure that we are encouraging and not unknowingly hindering these businesses. I’m an advocate of recruiting outside resources, both public and private. I see opportunities to encourage the development of small businesses in vacant commercial properties. The island’s year- round economic health needs to be a central focus of how we spend our time as a town board. It’s part of the larger issue that I’m looking to address in our shortsighted, one budget cycle reaction mindset, rather than actual budget planning.
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