Staten Island’s congestion-pricing fight spurs new push to leave NYC: ‘It’s time’

New York Post ^ | July 29, 2023 | Rich Calder

[nickcarraway]

Staten Island’s bitter opposition to the MTA’s congestion pricing plan has revived the borough’s long-dormant secession movement.

“I think it’s time to secede,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island) told The Post. “There’s no real value in being part of this city or the state. We didn’t vote for this mayor; we didn’t vote for this governor; and we didn’t vote for this president, but we’re always the ones getting screwed.”

Malliotakis and City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli are planning to join Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella’s expected lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which seeks to block plans to charge drivers up to $23 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street.

[napscoordinator]

Manhattan provides the vast revenue of New York City. Staten Island is a taker borough quite frankly. The city would save money giving it up.

[suthener]

“Alabama is as hot as Arizona and the people are unfriendly and rude”

We are not unfriendly or rude and if you say that again I’m gonna ask Tell It Right to go kick your butt. Rude. Yeah, right.

[Tell It Right]

Don’t listen to him, New Yorkers! Alabama is a horrible place to move to! Besides, we don’t sell whoopie pies.

[XRdsRev]

Staten Island is closer to New Jersey than it is to the rest of NYC. NJ could use another Republican county to make things more competitive.

[silverleaf]

I watched the ballot counts in her first election and it was too close to the democrat challenger.

Her GOP seat was not an easy win

[qaz123]

SI is pretty RED. If a Dem was close it wasn’t because actual humans were voting for the Dem.

But, I understand your point.

But, but, I still think she’s kind of a sellout for voting for Biden’s spending sprees.

[FreeReign]

The borough’s last secession movement ended in the early 1990s when a detailed financial analysis showed how much the borough’s property taxes would skyrocket if it had to cover the cost of its schools, police/fire/EMT, and other municipal services out of its own tax revenues.

I seem to recall that 1990's analysis included all of the NYC assets, (schools, polcie, fire, EMT...etc) owned by "NYC" in Staten Island, being returned to NYC.

Legally, that's probably what would happen, but it doesn't mean in a real sense, that SI benefits financially from being in the city.

[FreeReign]

Manhattan provides the vast revenue of New York City. Staten Island is a taker borough quite frankly. The city would save money giving it up.

And yet NYC doesn't give up SI.

Manhattan may provide vast revenue for NYC, but they also spend a vast amount of the revenue.

I have doubts about some of those studies from the 90's. Who paid for and did those studies. NYC? Democrat Albany?

[Alberta's Child]

Staten Island is an odd place with a somewhat dysfunctional economy. It has almost no major employers except the city government and various health care facilities. The private sector is dominated by small businesses that pay low, entry-level wages like retail stores, restaurants and hotels.

If it weren’t for people commuting to other parts of New York City for work, the place would be an economic basket case.

These political charlatans know damn well that the borough’s residents will be paying a fortune to commute elsewhere in NYC even if they secede.

[FreeReign]

I watched the ballot counts in her first election and it was too close to the democrat challenger. Her GOP seat was not an easy win

She won in '22, 62% to 38%.

[napscoordinator]

I have no idea. But it doesn’t take a genius to know Manhattan is richer than Staten island. And revenue from Staten Island is from police, firefighters and working class. Of course what the studies show is true.

[cowboyusa]

Most of NYC’s Police and Firefighters live in Staten Island, and love MAGA.

[FreeReign]

I have no idea. But it doesn’t take a genius to know Manhattan is richer than Staten island. And revenue from Staten Island is from police, firefighters and working class. Of course what the studies show is true.

The revenue for the firefighters, police and working class is private income and that income would still remain.

It's not revenue for the borough of SI.

Apples and oranges. Two different things.

[suthener]

“we don’t sell whoopie pies.”

Sell em? Hell, I don’t even know what they are. WE GOT MOON PIES!

[FreeReign]

If it weren’t for people commuting to other parts of New York City for work, the place would be an economic basket case.

Most people in my suburban don't don't work in my town. They work elsewhere.

So what?

[grumpygresh]

They could be like Singapore. A small island nation next to a busy sea lane. Put in some favorable tax policies and you would soon have a gold mine.

[Alberta's Child]

The point is this:

If the residents of Staten Island still have to commute to other parts of New York City anyway, then they'll still have to pay all the stupid costs these politicians are complaining about. In fact, they'll end up paying MORE ... because they'll lose the New York City tax revenue that effectively subsidizes the government services they have in Staten Island today.

[Alberta's Child]

New York City has different levels of residency requirements for all their municipal employees. If Staten Island were to secede from New York City, the first thing that would happen is that the NYC government would disqualify them from working in NYC government agencies. You'd immediately have a whole bunch of unemployed NYC teachers, firefighters and police officers living on Staten Island.

NYC does allow city employees to live in neighboring New York counties after their first two years on the job, but if Staten Island ends up seceding from New York City and New York State then they won't even qualify under those more flexible residency requirements either.

[kublia khan]

West Virginia is even worse, do not come here, we speak a different language and are very intolerant.