Staten Island GOP Pushes Secession Following Mamdani's NYC Mayoral Win
Staten Island Republican lawmakers are reigniting efforts to secede from New York City following the election of Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, as mayor, a move that could reshape the city’s political and economic landscape.
“It’s only going to get louder,” said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella in an interview with USA TODAY. Fossella noted that Mamdani received just 23% of the vote on Staten Island, New York City’s most conservative borough - compared to 55% for former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and 21% for Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo sparked fresh headlines when he held a rally last month and read aloud a "Staten Island Independence Declaration." Dozens of attendees lined up to sign a petition supporting the initiative at the event, held on the same ground where British troops first heard the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Pirozzolo said this push is not about armed conflict but about political urgency. “I’m not declaring a physical war on New York City,” he told USA TODAY, but added that Mamdani’s win demonstrates a misalignment with the borough’s values. “We are at war because the city seems to have values that we disagree with. Some of the policies that fit in Manhattan don’t fit in Staten Island, and what they do in Queens and Brooklyn are what we don’t want to have here.”
Fossella echoed the concern, describing the situation as a failing relationship. “You can say it’s almost like a relationship that’s going bad. They’re just not into us anymore,” he said. “I feel we really don’t have an equal voice in New York City. It’s been diluted and it could get even worse if the city is going to be run under a socialist model.”
Although Staten Island is physically within New York City, its character and politics often diverge from the rest of the city. With its suburban layout, strong homeownership rates, and proximity to New Jersey, Staten Island has long harbored secessionist sentiments. In 1993, 65% of voters there supported a non-binding referendum to leave the city, though the initiative never came to a vote in Albany.
That earlier effort fizzled after then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani made major concessions, including eliminating the toll for the Staten Island Ferry and closing the infamous Fresh Kills Landfill. But over the decades, discontent has reemerged. Calls to explore secession were revived by City Council Members Joe Borelli and Steven Matteo in 2019, then again by Borelli in 2022, and most recently in 2023 by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis after a closed school was converted into a migrant shelter.
Now advocates are pushing forward again in light of Mamdani's impending administration. New York State Senator Andrew Lanza told the New York Post that he intends to reintroduce a 2008 bill calling for a referendum on secession. He compared Staten Island’s potential path to autonomy to America’s separation from British rule.
But not all local leaders are convinced that secession is realistic. Council Member Frank Morano, a Staten Island Republican, is drafting legislation that would require New York City to perform an economic study analyzing the fiscal impacts of a potential separation.
“I’d like to have a referendum, but I’d like to have the facts first,” Morano told USA TODAY. “We have the democratic right to choose. But I feel this has to be based on real numbers, not slogans or promises. I’m all for democracy, but what I’d like is democracy with data.”
Past studies from the early 1990s estimated that an independent Staten Island would face a budget deficit between $171 and $199 million due to its reliance on citywide tax revenues and services. Morano emphasized that residents deserve a clear financial picture. “We never get a clean breakdown on what we give fiscally and what we get back in return. That’s why I’m somewhat skeptical this could raise our taxes, and that’s why we need a study, a comprehensive dollars and cents approach,” he said.
New York University public policy professor Mitchell Moss said previous research has shown that Staten Island lacks the economic base necessary to sustain itself independently. "Studies have shown Staten Island doesn't have a strong enough economic base, and it simply doesn't generate enough taxes for secession," said Moss, who served as an adviser to former Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Still, dissatisfaction persists beyond party lines. Council Member Kamillah Hanks, a Democrat who represents the island’s North Shore, said that even though her racially diverse district supported Mamdani, she understands the emotional appeal of secession. “I don’t dismiss the [secession] sentiment, because it’s rooted in a legitimate desire to be heard, respected and valued,” Hanks told USA TODAY.
“Even when Staten Island’s elected officials come together, we are often outvoted or outnumbered at the city, state, and federal levels,” Hanks added. “That’s the reality of our representation. But that doesn’t mean we stop fighting. We fight smarter. We build coalitions, present data, and push for policy grounded in equity and results.”
Hanks, a lifelong resident, said that while the symbolic aspects of self-governance resonate widely in Staten Island, the financial realities remain sobering. “But practically speaking, secession is impractical,” she said. “It would create tax burdens far greater than what we currently face under the city structure.”
As Council Member Morano prepares to introduce legislation calling for a feasibility study, possibly before the end of the month, he said his goal is to responsibly inform a debate that is already heating up.
“The question about secession is being asked louder than ever,” said Morano. “So, let’s do our absolute best to answer it responsibly.”
Mayor-elect Mamdani’s transition team did not respond to request for comment.