Staten Island, the "forgotten" island of New York, would like to set sail

A difference cultivated by the inhabitants of this district of the city, many of whom, driven by a persistent feeling of abandonment and outright hostility towards the new democratic mayor Zohran Mamdani, are pushing to want to secede.

Connected to the rest of the metropolis by a single bridge and a (free) ferry, the island, part of New York since 1898, has no public hospital, few cultural institutions, and notoriously poor public transportation, local historian Pat Salmon told AFP. Until 2001, the territory received all of New York's waste in a vast landfill, which has since been covered over.

"We really feel like we've been left out," says Adriana Velazquez, a 44-year-old resident and healthcare professional, summarizing a widely shared feeling that is reflected in the island's nickname: "the forgotten district."

Much more conservative than the other four boroughs of New York (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx), Staten Island is the only one to have voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in each of his three presidential campaigns and, last November, massively against the very left-wing new mayor of New York.

"Staten Island does not recognize itself in the socialist model," summarized Vito Fossella, the Republican president of the borough - and one of the many descendants of Italians who populate the island - after the election.

Giant Amazon Center

Leaving the megalopolis to become a city in its own right? The idea, which has always had its supporters, is back in the public debate.

Sam Pirozzlo, a Republican state assembly member and spokesperson for the secessionists, is pleased that hostility towards the new mayor is serving as a "catalyst to get people involved in this conversation."

He recalls that in 1993, an advisory referendum among residents saw the "yes" vote triumph with 65% of the votes - before the matter became bogged down, due in particular to the hostility of the State of New York.

Would self-sufficiency be economically feasible?

"In 1993, studies proved that Staten Island was generating $158 million more in tax revenue than we were actually receiving in services at the time," Sam Pirozzolo points out. "Since then, we've probably gained 150.000 more residents and countless businesses" to boost local revenue, like the gigantic Amazon logistics center that occupies a large part of the western section.

It's not easy, however, to have a significant voice in the debate when you only represent 500.000 of the city's roughly 8,5 million inhabitants. This imbalance is also reflected in the New York City Council, where only three elected officials represent the island, out of a total of 51.

Frank Morano is one of the three.

While not opposed to the idea of ​​leaving the megalopolis, the elected official – also a Republican – nevertheless advocates for a broad feasibility study. And why not "a hybrid approach, perhaps with greater autonomy," he says.

"We are different"

In front of the large shopping center in the center of the island, 23-year-old Mark Ortego quickens his pace in the biting cold to reach his car, parked in a huge parking lot.

Becoming independent? "I like that idea. We're different from the rest of the city," replies this air conditioning installer.

Adriana Velazquez, accompanied by her daughter, is less enthusiastic. "We are a very small island, and being part of the five districts allows us to benefit from all the advantages" of the wealthy megalopolis.

During a recent trip to Staten Island, Zohran Mamdani reiterated that the island was "an essential component" of New York, a way of closing the discussion.

As old as the history of the merger, the debate over secession could well last another 100 years, says Richard Flanagan, a professor at the City University of New York.

Meanwhile, "residents would appreciate some form of recognition from the rest of the city," Frank Morano concluded. "We have played an undeniable role in what New York is today (...) This area deserves better than to be reduced to its landfills and mobsters."