A Borough Overlooked by City Hall
Staten Island is often called “The Forgotten Borough,” and for good reason. Despite being home to nearly 500,000 residents, Staten Island receives far less attention and funding compared to Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. City leadership routinely neglects the borough’s infrastructure, public services, and transportation needs—leaving Staten Islanders to fend for themselves.
While Staten Island has one of the highest homeownership rates in New York City, it also faces rising costs of living, failing public transit, increasing property taxes, and underfunded schools. Borough residents contribute billions in tax revenue, yet the return on investment is frustratingly low. Where is Staten Island’s fair share of city resources?
Fiscal accountability and oversight are needed to ensure Staten Island gets the attention and funding it deserves.
Transportation: The Longest Commutes in NYC
Staten Islanders endure some of the longest commutes in the city, with many spending over 90 minutes traveling to Manhattan for work each day. The borough’s public transit system remains woefully inadequate, forcing many residents to rely on cars—yet roads, bridges, and ferry services remain underfunded and mismanaged.
- The Staten Island Ferry—a lifeline for commuters—has been plagued with service disruptions, delays, and inconsistent funding. Despite millions in subsidies, reliability remains a major concern.
- The borough has no subway system, leaving residents dependent on slow and unreliable express buses or traffic-choked highways.
- The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge toll remains one of the highest in the country, disproportionately burdening Staten Island drivers.
What Needs to Be Done:
- Audit MTA spending on Staten Island transit to determine where funding is being allocated and why services remain unreliable.
- Advocate for better transit options, including the long-discussed Staten Island light rail or expanded ferry service.
- Push for toll relief on the Verrazzano Bridge to ease the financial burden on daily commuters.
Staten Islanders should not have to fight for basic transportation services that every other borough takes for granted.
Overdevelopment & Environmental Concerns
Staten Island has long been known as the “greenest borough,” with expansive parks, nature reserves, and a suburban feel unlike the rest of New York City. However, reckless overdevelopment and a failure to address climate-related infrastructure issues threaten the borough’s environment and quality of life.
- Uncontrolled development has led to increased flooding, overcrowded schools, and traffic congestion.
- The borough still struggles with residential flooding, particularly in coastal areas like Midland Beach, where drainage systems remain outdated.
- Staten Island was once home to the Fresh Kills Landfill, the largest landfill in the world, which polluted local communities for decades. The transformation into Freshkills Park is ongoing, but funding has been inconsistent.
What Needs to Be Done:
- Review city zoning and development policies to ensure Staten Island’s growth is sustainable and does not harm existing communities.
- Demand full transparency on climate resilience funding, ensuring Staten Island receives necessary infrastructure upgrades.
- Conduct a forensic audit of Freshkills Park’s development budget to prevent waste and ensure timely project completion.
The borough’s environmental future depends on responsible development and real investment in flood prevention and green spaces.
Public Safety & Emergency Services
Staten Island has long been considered one of the safest boroughs in NYC, yet recent increases in property crime, car thefts, and quality-of-life offenses have residents on edge. At the same time, the borough’s emergency services remain stretched thin, with long ambulance response times and firehouses facing potential budget cuts.
- NYPD staffing levels in Staten Island have not kept pace with population growth, leaving many neighborhoods with inadequate police presence.
- Ambulance response times remain among the slowest in the city, putting residents at risk during medical emergencies.
- Firehouses face budget cuts despite Staten Island’s large number of single-family homes, which require rapid fire response times.
What Needs to Be Done:
- Audit city spending on emergency services in Staten Island to ensure funds are being distributed fairly.
- Advocate for increased police presence in high-crime areas and additional emergency medical resources.
- Ensure firehouse funding remains intact, protecting the borough’s safety infrastructure.
Public safety should never be compromised due to city mismanagement. Staten Islanders deserve the same level of protection as every other borough.
Education & School Funding Disparities
Staten Island’s public schools face persistent underfunding compared to other boroughs, despite the borough’s strong tax base. Many schools are overcrowded, lack modern facilities, and struggle to secure resources.
- Schools in Staten Island receive less per-student funding than schools in Manhattan or Brooklyn, despite similar educational needs.
- Teacher shortages have led to larger class sizes and reduced educational quality.
- Special education programs remain underfunded, leaving students with disabilities without proper support.
What Needs to Be Done:
- Audit Department of Education (DOE) spending in Staten Island to identify discrepancies in per-student funding.
- Advocate for fair funding distribution to ensure Staten Island students receive the resources they need.
- Push for smaller class sizes and increased teacher recruitment efforts in underserved schools.
Every child in Staten Island deserves access to quality education—without bureaucratic barriers.
City Neglect & the Need for Fiscal Accountability
Despite contributing billions in tax revenue to New York City, Staten Island often feels like an afterthought when it comes to public services, infrastructure investment, and political influence. Mismanagement, wasteful spending, and poor oversight have left the borough struggling to get its fair share.
- Staten Island residents pay some of the highest property taxes in NYC, yet see little return in services.
- Funding meant for Staten Island often disappears into bureaucratic inefficiency, benefiting other boroughs instead.
- Borough-wide projects face endless delays and cost overruns, with no accountability for wasted taxpayer dollars.
What Needs to Be Done:
- Full financial transparency on Staten Island’s tax contributions vs. allocated city spending.
- Independent audits of city-funded projects in the borough to prevent waste and mismanagement.
- Increased political advocacy to ensure Staten Island is represented fairly in citywide budget decisions.
Staten Island deserves better—better infrastructure, better services, and better fiscal responsibility from city leadership. It’s time for a new era of transparency, accountability, and real investment in the borough’s future.
