State Senator Proposes Staten Island Secession

"Staten Island is a New York creation. NYC should never, ever forget that. Staten Island is full of your people. You know, the "real New York" you bland types always hold in Jesus like regard"

Staten Island on the whole is dratically different than the rest of New York City. For example, it was the only borough smart enough to give the majority of their votes to George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004.

Saying that, I not saying that all of Staten Island is bad, there are plenty of good people and nice spots on the island.

only if they promise to never come back

I like Staten Island for many reasons, which I affectionately refer to as "Satan'sIsland." All the better if ignorant, uninformed people don't like it!

"Think about it: Staten Island would be New Jersey's largest city making it a source of immense pride for a state still haunted by the persistent presence of Newark. It would have easy access to the nightclubs along 14th St. and it would have room for new shopping malls with an Armani Exchange. And don't even get me started about the free parking!"

You think too highly of your own wit. You remain only marginally amusing.

Staten Island is a New York creation. NYC should never, ever forget that. Staten Island is full of your people. You know, the "real New York" you bland types always hold in Jesus like regard.

Residents of NYC love to take credit for all the "interesting" cultural activities of OTHER people. Yet they dismiss Staten Island as "other people".

Nah!!!!!! The orange complected citizens of Staten Island are a part of you & you are a part of them. Like it or not.

And a night in the Ironbound section of Newark sounds farrrrrr more desirable than a night in Williamsburg............... UHHHH

Ironbound = interesting people from Rio. Williamsburg = boring white people trying way too hard from Middle America.

New York City should seceded from NY state and become a City-State aka GOTHAM state.

Do you guys ever think about the logistics of this when you spout this nonsense off? Upstate NY could make an economy out of housing NYC's criminals.

I say we just give Staten Island to New Jersey as a "Christmas Present" (like those useless American football teams).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!

At least we're FROM New York. Hope the rest of you are enjoying your flights back to Kansastucky for your hokey family hoe downs.

Your post hits the spot. I'm also from New York, born & raised in Brooklyn, and while I never had an interest to live in SI, I would never disrespect the hard-working people living there. I have a feeling that many of the negative comments about SI come from transplants who live in Manhattan or the "cool" areas of Brooklyn.

Why did they relocate to New York? Something tells me that many of them are just transferring their own hate/disappointment (economically & culturally) from the place they grew up to SI. Maybe a few of them are even disappointed with their new life here and need a local "whipping dog" to feel better. The same people will often dis New Jersey or Upstate NY.

Think about it: Staten Island would be New Jersey's largest city making it a source of immense pride for a state still haunted by the persistent presence of Newark. It would have easy access to the nightclubs along 14th St. and it would have room for new shopping malls with an Armani Exchange. And don't even get me started about the free parking!

It's funny to me that probably half of the people who hate on Staten Island here

A. Haven't ever been on Staten Island

B. Are transplants from the west who only moved to New York after mass-gentrification made life here "less scary."

So please people who think that they are immediately cool because they live in Williamsburg area, get off your high horses and stop leaving snarky comments about Shaolin. There are decent people living here too.

When the US goes bankrupt, it's going to break down anyway.

When the US goes bankrupt, it's going to break down anyway.

all right, later.

Why not Long Island seceded from NYS, NYC can also, maybe also the Hudson Valley. We can have a state for each county in NY! There are much more important problems then seceded from a state. Many other cities throughout the county try to do the same and have failed. It's the same rehash being brought up over and over again.

Oh my God! Don't let Staten Island separate itself from the greater New York. Just look what they have brought to New York, and by New York I mean Manhattan. How about reversing the tolls on the Guinea gang plank for one.

By the way can they also take Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx with them?

If most of the problems that NYC and NYS is due to the Wall Street meltdown, can someone explain to me what the outer boros really contributed to the pot?

And how many of you have actually *been* to Staten Island, show of hands, thanks. I actually like it here. It's nice not paying rent and owning an actual house in NYC.

At least we're FROM New York. Hope the rest of you are enjoying your flights back to Kansastucky for your hokey family hoe downs.

nah nah nah nah

nah nah nah nah

'ay yous' guys, good-bye!

I love how the people of NYC try & foist SI off on NJ.

SI'ers are largely comprised of former Brooklyn residents. SI is a Brooklyn outpost & they are far more culturally connected to BK than NJ. If you don't like SI, look to your good friends in the county of Kings.

SI is NY's problem, not NJ's.

Cut em loose and let em float down to south Jersey, where they belong.

I know what I'm asking Santa for this year....

"Give Staten Island to Jersey and we will take Hoboken/Jersey City as well as Connecticut."

New Jersey says "No fucking thank you"

what's a staten island?

New York City should seceded from NY state and become a City-State aka GOTHAM state.

Give Staten Island to Jersey and we will take Hoboken/Jersey City as well as Connecticut.

In fact let's secede from the US in general.

Plus, i guarentee you if this happens the commuter tax is going to be back with a vengeance.

nice job:

I think its because most citizens don't understand the difficulty of doing this. How do you handle the (vast) portion of the land that is officially owned by The City of New York? How about the debt that City has (do they get a percentage of it, do they get a percentage of it for x years, do they get none?)

How do you manage SI Rail and the Ferry? Still the MTA (could be, Metro North and LIRR are MTA.) What about basic services (fire/police/etc?)

We already have to deal with Jersey City and the State of NJ in regards to our ports and waters, adding ANOTHER city (a big one too) will make things very complicated.

Don't get me wrong, my gut is to get rid of them too. Get them out. But I worry about the actual logistics of this. They've been a part of the same city since 1898.

I like how most citizens are for this but most NYC politicians are against it. Representative democracy at its finest.

"Lanza thinks it could raise enough money from property, business and payroll taxes"

From the 1999 article: "Staten Island gets nearly $200 million more in services from the city than it gives the city in revenues, according to a city study..."

see ya

Oh lord please make this be true

Smell ya later.

Bye.

Good, get the fuck out.

Stop the charade and just give SI to Jersey.

Can we secede from the rest of the US? Pleeeeeease?!?