Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo interview with Status Island

So we have here the assemblyman S Perzolo. Let's start about the snow. What do you think about the city's cleanup of the snow? So what I would really like to say about the snow is as much as people may disagree with me, I think the city did a pretty good job or at least the workers here on Staten Island. I'm going to explain why and why you may feel a little bit differently. The last big storm we kind of had like this was over 10 years ago. And if you take the average lifespan of a Department of Sanitation worker, a lot of the men and women who were used to snow like that every year, because we all know we had snow like that every year, they don't work for DSNY. They've retired. If you go back 10 years, we probably have about 170,000 more cars on Staten Island than we ever had before. And if you take a look just up and down the street, I'll bet you that 10 20 years ago, there were not cars parked on either side of the street. where I used to live, University Place, when I was a kid growing up, there were never cars parked on the street because families only had one car, maybe two, and they're in the driveway. You go to University Place now, it's got cars parked up and down the street. So, it's not that our streets got more narrow, but they've certainly got more full. And it's difficult with the plows. So, I want to applaud the sanitation for the job that they did, the job that they're still doing. I know it was really difficult. It was a problem on my block everywhere. and some blocks didn't get taken care of for days. And I know it was working with members of your community to get things taken care of. But, you know, um, hats off to sanitation. Definitely a tough job. I know people like to complain all the time, but if you think about what they had to do in the short period they had to do it. I think they did okay. >> Okay. So, you're saying it took a little bit longer than people like, but it was not so bad. Okay. Let's ask about the real estate property taxes. Is it true that the mayor wants to raise the property taxes on everybody's houses? >> So, what the mayor is doing, and he even says it, is in the middle of a scare tactic. He wants to say that he wants to raise if, let's put it like this, if the governor and the legislature does not increase property taxes or not property taxes, just taxes on the rich, we have to define rich, they want to increase property taxes on corporations that make a lot of money. If the governor doesn't come through with that, he's going to hurt the governor by hurting us. But he's threatened about reading uh he's threatening about raising our property taxes 9.5%. So, let me start off with that's a very good reason for Staten Island to secede all of this stuff that's happening. You know, the property taxes, the crime, we didn't get our 2K programs. You know, the mayor makes our case every day. But let me tell you this. I'm sure that the governor and the legislature will be trying to find new places for money. That money may come. A lot of it comes through cost savings or through tax revenue uh that we already collect. So, I don't think we have to worry about a property tax increase at the moment. But, uh Mayor Mami is definitely using that as a threatening tactic to scare everybody and to scare the governor. But, it's an election year. What we do have to watch out for from the governor is just like congestion pricing, she may put an indefinite pause on raising any taxes until after she gets reelected, which we don't want, but until after she gets reelected, then she's going to come back just like she did with um congestion pricing and raise those taxes. So, don't believe him. >> Okay. What do you think about the safety in New York City um after all the the wars going on in the Middle East with Israel and the United States attacking Iran? What do you think is the NYPD doing any more security for Jewish um synagogues and centers here in New York City? >> So without providing too much detail, absolutely the NYPD is continuing and enhancing the security that they provide to not only the Jewish community but to every community. uh you would have to think that at times like this um it's not only the Jewish community, it's the Muslim community that also faces threats, you know, from radicals. Um but I can tell you that everyone is being protected as best as possible by the NYPD. If there are any particular cases within your community, certainly let me know. But I have had conversations with the leaders of the police department uh particularly the precincts here on Staten Island uh within the Jewish community area to make sure that everyone's being taken care of. >> Okay. Thank you so much. And now let's hear about the petitions. Um what can we do to help make sure that we get you reelected again? >> Okay. So getting me reelected is definitely a favorite topic of mine. All right. So it is an election year. Uh you may not know how the process works but it begins right here. So in order for me to run for an assembly seat and there are people who are running for Congress. Um there are other seats senators. We have to have so many signatures from members of my our party. So I'm a Republican. So, what I would ask you to do is if you're also a Republican, and I know that there are many of you that are Republican, we're going to be ringing on your doorbell and the Republicans will have pink pages and they're going to ask, "Would you please sign so Sam Prizo can run for assembly? Would you please sign so Nicole Malotakus can run for Congress?" All right. Then there are a couple of other seats we fill, you know, within the party. We're just asking you to to please have that. I have to have a minimum of 500 signatures within the next month that I have to be able to gather. So, your help and participation would be awesome. I would really welcome you into the political scene uh to join and give us your signature. If you're not registered to vote, you can reach out to us. We'll get the board of elections and we'll get you an application. If you say to if you say to yourself, "Gee, I'm a Democrat, but look at what the Democrats have done to us. Look at the city. Look at the mayor. Look at how bad it is. How bad Staten Island is abused or forgotten is really what the term is. Uh, and I don't want to be a Democrat anymore. I will be at your doorstep with a voter certificate so you can change parties to become a Republican and you can sign for me. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Just one more question. When is Staten Island going to secede from New York City? Is it a reality yet or not yet? >> So, we're not even close. Um, I think that this mayor and this governor show us pretty much every day, if not every day, every week, uh, reasons why Staten Island should secede. But there's a huge financial burden. Uh, everyone's always worried about the services we'll have to provide, but we're already paying for those services. You're already paying for police. You're already paying for sanitation. You're already paying for all of that. So, it's really just a matter of breaking it down. Um, it's a very long battle. Don't hold your breath, but I'm working on it. Okay, thank you so much. And it was nice that you came on uh when was it? On Saturday. >> Saturday, the day the war broke out. >> Um the assemblyman came to keep everybody updated on the news. It was very nice. Thank you so much. Until next time.