Antonio's map (1984 data):
To that I would add Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties from NJ. But then I would split it into two states - one consisting of the 4 LI counties and one for everything else. In 2010 they each would have had a population of between 7.5 M and 7.6 M. That's only 22-23% above 1/50th of the US population. That seems reasonable for redrawn states.
Please tell me why the balance of NYS after being shorn of its current money centers, would be economically viable. Or is the idea to create another West Virginia in the NE quadrant of the country?