Hauppauge - Suffolk Executive Steve Levy and his deputies held an hour-long session with Nassau Executive-elect Edward Mangano and his key aides Tuesday, taking first steps toward capitalizing on shared opportunities that will benefit Long Island residents.

Levy extended well wishes to Mangano, who succeeds Tom Suozzi, and said that he anticipates a "collegial, cordial relationship working together to develop a regional approach to problem solving." Nassau's incoming executive agreed with Levy that the top three issues in both counties are "taxes, taxes and taxes," and said the focus of his administration, at the outset, will be "to review governmental operations and to identify efficiencies" that can help control costs.

Levy was joined by Chief Deputies Chris Kent and Ed Dumas, along with Deputy County Executives Connie Corso and Ben Zwirn; the Mangano team included Chief Deputy Rob Walker, Deputy County Executive for Finance Tim Sullivan and Transition Press Secretary Laurie Bloom. The group identified common federal, state and local goals and exchanged thoughts on a wide range of topics including transportation, housing and economic growth.

On the federal level, in addition to reaching out to Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and the congressional delegation, the executives said they will consider retaining a joint lobbyist to help secure crucial funding for sewer districts and treatment facilities and to enable other programs and services.

State priorities, Levy and Mangano agreed, will include examining the possibility of creating a suburban planning organization to adopt a progressive regional transportation agenda. The goal of the program, which would tap into federal funding, would be to better accommodate downstate transportation issues that are mostly tied to roadway improvements rather than mass transit.

In addition, the county executives said they would urge state leaders in Albany to discontinue a frequent practice that unfairly requires counties to fill financial voids resulting from state budget cuts to local service providers.

On the local level, Levy and Mangano pledged to share intelligence and resources, where practical, in the fight to combat heroin in Long Island schools and communities. In addition, the executives agreed to explore a joint effort to renovate Nassau's secure detention children's shelter and to make some beds available to Suffolk.