As voters in the 63rd Assembly District, which spans the Mid-Island and parts of the North and West Shores, prepare to head to the polls, Staten Island Voice News endorses Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo for re-election.
Pirozzolo became the first Republican to hold this seat in its history in 2023. Before his 2022 election, he served as president of the Community Education Council for seven years and has been a small business owner for over 30 years. This background continues to inform his work today as he addresses issues that impact daily life in the district.
In Albany, Pirozzolo has taken on some of Staten Island’s most pressing concerns, from opposing the congestion pricing measures that would have disproportionately burdened working families to fighting the placement of hazardous Battery Energy Storage Systems in residential communities. He has consistently shown a keen awareness of how state-level decisions affect Staten Islanders, and he has worked to ensure their voices are heard.
Pirozzolo’s determination to ensure Staten Island is no longer “the forgotten borough” has been evident in his work to secure much-needed funding for the fight against the opioid epidemic. After hearing that Staten Island was excluded from the NYS opioid settlement fund simply because it lacks a public hospital, Pirozzolo immediately began negotiating with the Adams Administration. His successful efforts led to $12 million in exclusive funding for Staten Island treatment providers—an accomplishment achieved within his first year in office.
Pirozzolo has also delivered critical support to local schools and nonprofits, securing a total of $100,000 for public schools—$20,000 each for PS 60, PS 30, PS 13, PS 45, and Susan E. Wagner High School—to enhance resources and opportunities for students in the community. Additionally, Pirozzolo obtained a combined $300,000 for the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, On Your Mark, Broadway YMCA, CP Unlimited, Richmond University Medical Center, and Young Israel of Staten Island, ensuring vital services for residents and expanding support for nonprofit organizations that serve the borough.
His record also reflects a thoughtful approach to public safety, balancing a strong stance on crime with attention to the core reasons individuals re-offend, advocating for a mix of preventive strategies and necessary reforms.
As he seeks re-election, Pirozzolo’s first term has shown that he is the right candidate to continue serving Staten Islanders with dedication, experience, and results-oriented leadership. His focus remains squarely on local priorities, and he has demonstrated his willingness to fight for “The Rock’s” interests in Albany.
For these reasons, voters in the 63rd Assembly District would be well-served by returning Sam Pirozzolo to the Assembly for another term.
