Sam Pirozzolo Wins Assembly District 63 Seat

The Assembly District 63 winner of the November 2022 race is none other than Sam Pirozzolo, a generational Islander well-known (and well-respected) around Staten Island for his concern for community issues.

Sam is an optician by profession and owns a small business in NYC related to this field of study.

He’s also the former president of Community Education Council 31, where he was crazily active, initiating a program to get cops to work as school resource officers, strongly pushed for a remediation of PCBs in classrooms, as well as initiating a Gifted and Talented program for Middle School students.

Sam has been working hard for years! As V.P. of the NYC Parent’s Union, Mr. Pirozzolo fought for charter school funding equity, as well as participated in litigation to help bring equity to all NYC students.

Soon-To-Be-Assemblyman Pirozzolo, a Republican (also repping the Conservative Party of Staten Island), garnered points over fifty percent of the over 36,000 votes cast by Staten Islanders in this November election cycle. He clenched the nomination in the Republican primary back in June. Sam had also run for city council in 2020.  Mr. Pirozzolo is the first Republican to win this seat since 1982, proving his widespread appeal to voters across demographic and party lines.

Sam’s lawn signs were direct and to-the-point: “Fed Up Like You.”

Apparently this message resonated with many Islanders, especially those moderate swing voters who enjoy the fruits of living in a more progressive and prosperous city, yet can’t stand the rising crime rate plaguing the city in recent times, nor the cost of living that is impossible to keep up with each month.  Gas prices, groceries, rent, and other monthly costs, have skyrocketed, and it’s affecting many families.

Sam is well known in all sections of the island, and has been a contributor at StatenIslander.org for years.

Many people in public spaces on the island, like the parks and supermarkets, talk about the subway shovings and slashings, and likely citizens throughout the city are saying the same thing. Why? Because it’s relevant if you’re a Staten Islander, or NYC  residents commuting into the Manhattan  daily, relying on a treacherous subway system and having to trek chaotic streets.  Subway crime in October, 2002, was up over thirty percent since last year.

Sam Pirozzolo’s message was well-received and people responded with their votes.

District 63 is comprised of the Northwestern portion of the island, all the way from Arlington and part of Mariner’s Harbor down to Rossville on its west side, and also covers the Greenbelt,  Willowbrook, and other Mid Island neighborhoods; Emerson Hill and parts of Todt Hill; a portion juts out into Grasmere and Tompkinsville on its East side border. https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Michael-Cusick/map/

Sam Pirozzolo’s opponent in the race, longtime Islander Vincent Argenziano, was former chief of staff for Assembly member for Michael Cusick.  Currently, his title is Deputy Public Administrator of Richmond County. His father, as well as his brother, are NYPD service members. His mother is a teacher in NYC public schools.

Mr. Pirozzolo is surely an individual thinker, and not cut from a zombie mold. His website, SamforStatenIsland.com, touts “Restoring Public Safety,” “An Animal Rights Agenda,” and “Putting Our Students First” as his main agendas. That’s a wide berth of diverse issues, and Sam is definitely not going to stop there.

Of course, judging from his past actions as a private citizen, Sam Pirozzolo is sure to exert as much help as he can for all members of the community in District 63 and beyond as an elected official.

Assemblyman Michael Cusick is leaving the position as current District 63 Assemblyman. Assemblyman Cusick helped protect wetlands and supported sensible development. Among his other accomplishments was enacting a law prohibiting protestors within 100 feet of military funerals.

Back in September, 2021, Sam Pirozzolo and other islanders protested in front of Assemblyman Cusick’s offices to protest the proposed (and rejected) redistricting plan stopped by the Courts, labeling the Democrats’ actions clear gerrymandering.

Sam became famous worldwide when a giant T for Trump art installation by Staten Island’s most prominent artist, patriotic visionary Scott LoBaido was set aflame in the night, situated right next to Mr. Pirozzolo’s Westerleigh home.

Then-President Trump even phone Mr. Pirozzolo afterwards. A larger replacement installation was quickly removed after Sam was fined for its presence on his property.

Last year, Sam again hosted Scott’s artwork on his lawn. This time, it was a giant “Let’s Go Brandon” sign.  When Staten Islander correspondents visited Sam for an interview, there was no way to miss the many cars rolling by honking.

Sam Pirozzolo has been involved in community affairs for years and years. Working in “People’s House,” it is fair to assume that with more clout as an elected official, Sam will be able to accomplish even more for his community.