Residents of Staten Island have discussed renewed calls for secession from New York City after newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the borough.
Mamdani, 34, was sworn in as New York’s youngest mayor in more than a century on New Year’s Day – its first Muslim, South Asian, and African-born leader.
He ran on a Democratic socialist platform that included raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030, raising the city’s corporate tax to 11.5 percent, city-run grocery stores, fare-free buses, and freezing rent on rent-stabilized apartments.
Citizens and lawmakers of Staten Island, a staunch Republican enclave in the otherwise very liberal Big Apple, have fiercely opposed Mamdani’s campaign, even suggesting they would break away from New York City’s borough system.
The borough’s president, Vito Fossella, told the Daily Mail that dissatisfaction among residents intensified following Mamdani’s election, citing ideological differences and concerns over citywide policies.
‘Personally, and I think the vast majority of Staten Islanders, do not embrace socialism as an effective form of government,’ Fossella said. ‘Historically, it’s proven to be destructive, economically and spiritually, and has led to a loss of freedom and even life.’
This is not the first time Staten Island voiced the possibility of seceding from the borough system.
Staten Island previously pursued independence in the early 1990s, when voters approved a nonbinding referendum by roughly 65 percent.
Residents on Staten Island are once again discussing secession from New York City after newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the borough
Staten Island borough president Vito Fossella has previously voiced support for secession from the five borough system
However, state lawmakers later blocked the effort, preventing it from moving forward.
‘Back then, we had lost our power in the city,’ Fossella explained, recalling the abolition of the Board of Estimate and Staten Island’s diminished influence. ‘We were dumped on – literally and figuratively – with Fresh Kills Landfill taking 100 percent of the city’s garbage while we had only five percent of its population.’
Fossella said a formal petition or referendum has not been circulated at present, though borough officials funded a new feasibility study in 2023.
‘Right now, it’s a genuine discussion, not a negotiating tool,’ he said. ‘If secession is the best and ultimate solution for the people, who are my neighbors and friends, then that’s where we’ll go. But it’s not there yet.’
If the borough chooses to become its own city, Staten Island, with a current population of 493,000 residents, would outsize major U.S. cities such as Miami and Cleveland.
‘We’d still be a very large city relative to most in the United States,’ Fossella said. ‘And one of the largest counties in New York State.’
Mamdani made his first appearance in Staten Island on December 30 at Shaw-naé’s House in Stapleton.
There, he addressed his lack of electoral support in the borough but said his administration planned to focus on local concerns.
Mamdani, 34, was sworn in as New York’s youngest mayor in more than a century on New Year’s Day
‘This is the moment to show Staten Islanders that their concerns will be front of mind in our administration and that we’re actually going to deliver on those concerns,’ Mamdani said.
He pointed to his previously mentioned campaign promises, urging Staten Island natives that they would only benefit from his changes.
‘I think of Staten Island as a critical part of New York City,’ he said. ‘You cannot tell the story of five boroughs without Staten Island.’
He also visited Staten Island’s oldest mosque, Masjid Un Noor, where he told the crowd: ‘While we speak of Staten Island as an obligation in our politics, it is in fact an opportunity in our politics.’
Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo has been particularly outspoken about Mamdani’s election, going as far as reading his own Staten Island Independence Declaration to a crowd of 60 people.
Fossella, however, emphasized that secession faces significant hurdles.
‘It’s not totally under our control,’ he said. ‘The state legislature and other officials would have a say, and many forces oppose Staten Island secession.’
Fossella said no formal petition has circulated at present
He also pushed back on critics who argue independence would weaken services or raise taxes:
‘Nobody can say that with absolute certainty,’ Fossella said. ‘Look at the migrant crisis. New York City spent $12 billion housing migrants in hotels. A city of Staten Island would never make that decision.’
On policy differences, Fossella pointed to Mamdani’s stance on homelessness:
‘The idea of not cleaning up homeless encampments is a terrible decision,’ he said. ‘It leads to drugs, crime, and quality-of-life issues.’
While Fossella said he has not yet met Mamdani, he expressed willingness to cooperate:
‘My goal is to work with anybody who wants to do well by the people of Staten Island,’ he said. ‘But at the same time, we have a legitimate discussion going on about whether there’s a better path, and maybe secession is that path.’
Mamdani has attempted to reach out to the large number of New Yorkers who voted for Donald Trump as president and him as mayor.
He said he understood they voted for both Trump and him because of fears over the rising cost of living, with Mamdani’s laser-focus on that issue credited with his success.
