New York state of mind? Lawmakers at odds over proposal to name highway for Billy Joel

By Michael Balsamo, The Associated Press

HICKSVILLE, N.Y. – New York lawmakers are battling over whether to rename part of a Long Island road after Billy Joel.

The argument over naming a highway for The Piano Man has sparked a debate over whether roads should be named for the living or only the dead.

Sen. Jack Martins introduced legislation last year to rename part of Route 107 in Joel’s hometown of Hicksville for the six-time Grammy Award winner.

He says it’s because of the celebrity’s contributions to the community.

Assemblywoman Deborah Glick argues that kind of honour should only be done posthumously.

Both the Senate and the Assembly need to approve the bill before the 1/4-mile of roadway can be renamed “Billy Joel Boulevard.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it would be fitting for the road to be named for his longtime friend.

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