Staten Island will receive $12 million to combat the opioid epidemic after numerous lawsuits were filed against various manufacturers and distributors of opioids. Staten Island Republican Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo explained the situation and his efforts to secure funding for the borough in an exclusive interview with the Staten Island Voice.
The funds will be allocated specifically to organizations based in Staten Island that offer various intervention services such as treatment, outreach, and harm reduction.
Despite being a focal point in New York City’s opioid crisis, Staten Island was initially excluded from the Opioid Settlement Fund. The exclusion was due to the borough not having a city-run hospital, which was the main method for distributing the funds.
According to city Health Department records, Staten Island averaged 37.1 accidental overdose deaths from opioid drugs per 100,000 residents in 2021, second only to The Bronx’s 58.7 among the five boroughs.
Assemblyman Pirozzolo stated, “It’s not really so much that the city was excluding us, but they didn’t recognize we didn’t have a method to distribute the money to Staten Island.”
To address the funding issue, Pirozzolo engaged extensively with Mayor Eric Adams and city officials to secure Staten Island’s fair share of the opioid funds.
He collaborated with local opioid treatment providers, gathering detailed feedback through a questionnaire on how they would utilize the funds.
This effort culminated in the city agreeing to allocate $12 million over four years to Staten Island.
“Based on the paperwork I put together from the opioid providers…the city agreed to give us $12 million over four years. And that’s pretty much what our fair share is,” Pirozzolo stated.
The city has made eight grants available exclusively to Staten Island opioid treatment providers for $375,000 a year for four years, with the funds expected to be disbursed in September.
Republican Assemblyman Pirozzolo also touched on the topic of congestion pricing in Manhattan in the exclusive interview with Staten Island Voice. He praised Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to pause the congestion pricing plan indefinitely.
The governor’s decision came after Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella filed a federal lawsuit in January to halt the implementation of congestion pricing, demanding a comprehensive environmental impact statement first.
Pirozzolo criticized the original decision to implement congestion pricing, citing its financial burden on commuters.
He said, “You’re talking about $15 a day. That is $30, $60, $75, $300 a month we’re talking about. And that’s only if one family member happens to work in Manhattan or has to use these bridges. Because you can live in Manhattan or go outside the city too, so that is $3,600 a year, that comes out of nowhere.”
“People can’t pay for food. People can’t pay for medications. People can’t pay their rent. And you’re throwing this on top of them. So it’s a terrible idea,” the assemblyman continued.
Pirozzolo hinted that political motives might influence the pause in congestion pricing, particularly as the November elections approach, and suggested that instead of finding controversial ways to generate revenue, the MTA should conduct an independent audit to manage its finances better.
He said, “People don’t pay their tolls going across the crossings. People certainly don’t pay their tolls on mass transit. And just that alone is estimated to be $750 million, three-quarters of a billion dollars they need. So why are they allowed to impose any new fees?”
Assemblyman Pirozzolo also criticized President Joe Biden for bypassing Congress and issuing an executive order to protect undocumented spouses of American citizens from deportation.
On Tuesday, President Biden enacted an executive order to safeguard undocumented spouses of American citizens, a measure aimed at protecting approximately 500,000 immigrants from deportation.
Pirozzolo questioned the effectiveness of this approach, saying, “If he wants to use an executive order, why doesn’t he reinstate Title 42, which works? Why doesn’t he reinstate Remain in Mexico, which worked? Why did he issue these executive orders to stop things that were working.”
The Republican lawmaker expressed concerns about the potential for non-qualifying immigrants to remain in the country, highlighting the need for stringent vetting processes.
“What is [Biden] going to do with the people who apply and don’t qualify? Because if they don’t qualify, they’re probably a bad person. So, you’re going to knowingly let them live in the United States when now you have them in your hands,” he added.
Pirozzolo’s criticisms extended to the city’s expenditure on illegal migrants, arguing that the $4.2 billion allocated could be better spent on legal immigration processes.
“Why don’t you use that money instead of housing them for nothing to get them an attorney to make them citizens or to file their paperwork so they can come into the country legally so they can work and be productive citizens? Why are you giving it to them for free?” he concluded.
