Let the rebellion begin.<\/p>\n
Leaders of New York City\u2019s \u201cForgotten Borough\u201d \u2014 and most conservative enclave \u2014 are re-introducing stalled legislation for Staten Island to secede from what they fear will become the People\u2019s Republic of Mamdani.<\/p>\n
The Democratic Socialist \u201ccould not be further out of sync with the values of communities on Staten Island, and I\u2019d argue that this time around Democrats won\u2019t want to stop [the borough\u2019s secession] because it would make it even less likely [NYC] ever elects a Republican mayor again,\u201d said state Sen. Andrew Lanza, who told The Post he plans to \u201cput the foot to the pedal\u201d on the plan in January.<\/p>\n
Staten Island pols are using Socialist Zohran Mamdani\u2019s win the NYC mayoral race as a key reason to renew efforts to make the borough independent from NYC. Getty Images<\/p>\n
Lanza (R-Staten Island) has been been pushing his secession bill since 2008, and it\u2019s seen little traction. <\/p>\n
But the rest of the Big Apple has swung so far left that there could be common ground \u2014 even among Democrats \u2014 to separate the four other boroughs from Staten Island\u2019s predominantly moderate and GOP voting base, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the timing is right, and it would be great not only for Staten Island \u2026 but for the City of New York,\u201d said Lanza, referring to the plan for Richmond County\u2019s independence at the same time the United States celebrates its 250th birthday next year.<\/p>\n
State Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Staten Island) <\/a>got the ball rolling Friday by hosting a Richmond Road rally where he read a \u201cStaten Island Independence Declaration.\u201d<\/p>\n The event occurred at the former site of the Rose and Crown Tavern in New Dorp, where British soldiers on July 9, 1776 were first read the Declaration of Independence on Staten Island.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m was trying to capitalize on the election of Mamdani as mayor,\u201d Pirozzolo told The Post afterwards. \u201cWe are not declaring war on Manhattan or the rest of New York City, but elections should have some consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n State Sen. Andrew Lanza told The Post he plans to \u201cput the foot to the pedal\u201d when re-introducing long-stalled legislation in January allowing Staten Island to secede from NYC. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post<\/p>\n Staten Island has grappled with the idea of leaving NYC since at least the 1940s<\/a>. <\/p>\n The borough came very close in 1993, when residents overwhelmingly passed a\u00a0non-binding secession referendum<\/a>\u00a0with 65% support.<\/p>\n However, that movement was killed in Albany when\u00a0then-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver<\/a>\u00a0(D-Manhattan) refused to approve the necessary \u201chome rule message\u201d from the City Council.<\/p>\n With roughly 500,000 residents, Staten Island is the city\u2019s least populated borough. However, on its own, Staten Island would rank second among the state\u2019s municipalities in population size behind only the Big Apple. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post<\/p>\n State approval is required for secession to happen.<\/p>\n Lanza\u2019s bill wouldn\u2019t require city blessing or a referendum, but he welcomes having Staten Islanders vote again to decide the issue.<\/p>\n Councilman Frank Morano, a fellow Staten Island Republican, confirmed he\u2019s in the process of drafting legislation to require the city to study the economic pros and cons of the\u00a0so-called \u201cforgotten borough\u201d becoming an independent city.<\/p>\n Some concerns about secession include whether Staten Island picking up services now provided by NYC \u2014 including having its own police, fire and education departments \u2013 could spur a borough tax increase.<\/p>\n Councilman Frank Morano (R-Staten Island) is in the process of drafting legislation that would require the city to conduct an economic feasibility analysis to weigh the pros and cons of Staten Island becoming an independent city. Robert Miller<\/p>\n Staten Island resident, Florence Petruzzeli signs a \u201cStaten Island Independence Declaration\u201d on Friday. Michael McWeeney<\/p>\n Former Republican Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli introduced similar legislation in 2019 and 2022 that died in a committee,<\/a> but Morano insisted his bill won\u2019t advocate for secession and would be more neutral.<\/p>\n \u201cI represent a community that is very pro-secession in sentiment \u2014 I\u2019d say at least 60% \u2014 but personally, I\u2019m concerned that full independence could lead to\u00a0higher taxes and higher costs for Staten Islanders,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, I completely understand why so many people feel taken for granted by the rest of the city and want out. Rather than just trading slogans \u2014 \u2018we have to secede\u2019 versus \u2018we can\u2019t afford to\u2019 \u2014 this bill is meant to be a\u00a0balanced approach that both sides should be able to live with.\u201d<\/p>\n Morano said he\u2019d ultimately like to have the matter decided through a referendum.<\/p>\n State Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Staten Island) got the latest Staten Island secession movement rolling Friday by hosting a Richmond Road rally where he read a \u201cStaten Island Independence Declaration.\u201d Michael McWeeney<\/p>\n \u201cStaten Island should be able to decide its own fate,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s the most frustrating thing in the world for Staten Islanders to vote for elected officials, vote for certain policies, and no matter how we vote, we are dismissed by policymakers by the rest of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n With roughly 500,000 residents, Staten Island is the city\u2019s least populated borough.<\/p>\n But it would become the second largest city in New York state, and is bigger than Miami, Tampa, Oakland and Cleveland.<\/p>\n Lanza said he believes a win for upstate Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik <\/a>in the 2026 gubernatorial race over incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul could help spur the secession cause \u2014 or at least get it to a vote before Staten Islanders.<\/p>\n Mamdani declined to comment, and a rep for Stefanik did not immediately return messages.<\/p>\n A May 2024\u00a0city Independent Budget Office\u00a0study on the possibility of Staten Island\u2019s independence<\/a> found the move could be costly for the borough.<\/p>\n \u201cSecession is highly complex, would take many years to implement, and would either be more expensive for Staten Island residents, require an independent Staten Island to reduce benefits and services to residents, or both,\u201d read the report,\u00a0 requested by Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn), who endorsed Mamdani for mayor and reps Bay Ridge across the\u00a0Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t