John Marchi
Encyclopedia
John J. Marchi was a New York State Senator
who represented Staten Island for a record 50 years. Marchi , a Republican
, retired on December 31, 2006, from the seat that he had held since January 1, 1957.
He attended parochial schools on Staten Island, graduated with honors from Manhattan College in 1942 and earned a law degree from St. John’s University in 1950 and a doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 1953. In World War II, he served with the Coast Guard on antisubmarine duty in the Atlantic and with the Navy in the Okinawa campaign in the Pacific.
Marchi was first elected on November 6, 1956, after having served as a Senate aide. An attorney, Marchi has been active in conservative issues, particularly of a fiscal nature, during his long Senate tenure. He has also been a strong advocate for Staten Island issues. Marchi wrote the state laws to help New York City recover from its fiscal crisis and near bankruptcy in the 1970s. Marchi has been a long advocate for the secession
of Staten Island from the rest of New York City.
He wrote a law which backed a secession referendum in 1993. While the referendum passed, the legislature has not allowed Staten Island to become its own city. As a part of his Staten Island secession work, Marchi drafted a model city charter for a new City of Staten Island. Marchi also drafted the law to close the Fresh Kills Landfill
on Staten Island.
Marchi ran twice for Mayor of New York City. He won a surprise upset over Mayor John V. Lindsay in the 1969 Republican primary. He ran in the general election against Lindsay, who was still the Liberal Party
nominee, and Democratic
Comptroller
Mario Procaccino
. Marchi and Procaccino lost to Lindsay. Marchi was the Republican nominee again in 1973, but he lost to Comptroller Abraham D. Beame, the Democrat that Lindsay had defeated in 1965. In 1961 he lost a race for Borough President
of Staten Island.
Marchi was the only Republican member of the State Senate who opposed the death penalty.
Marchi was a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Governors of the Council of State Governments
. He was appointed by U.S. President Richard M. Nixon to the National Advisory Committee on Drug Abuse Prevention.
A new Staten Island Ferry
boat was named in Marchi's honor in 2006.
John Marchi Hall was named in his honor on campus of the College of Staten Island
in 2006. The building is located in the "north" side of campus; building 2N.
On October 19, 2006, the 85-year-old Marchi passed out and fell from his chair at the annual Alfred E. Smith Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria. http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=63630
Marchi died on April 25, 2009, while vacationing in Lucca, Italy with his wife and other family members.
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
who represented Staten Island for a record 50 years. Marchi , a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, retired on December 31, 2006, from the seat that he had held since January 1, 1957.
He attended parochial schools on Staten Island, graduated with honors from Manhattan College in 1942 and earned a law degree from St. John’s University in 1950 and a doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 1953. In World War II, he served with the Coast Guard on antisubmarine duty in the Atlantic and with the Navy in the Okinawa campaign in the Pacific.
Marchi was first elected on November 6, 1956, after having served as a Senate aide. An attorney, Marchi has been active in conservative issues, particularly of a fiscal nature, during his long Senate tenure. He has also been a strong advocate for Staten Island issues. Marchi wrote the state laws to help New York City recover from its fiscal crisis and near bankruptcy in the 1970s. Marchi has been a long advocate for the secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
of Staten Island from the rest of New York City.
He wrote a law which backed a secession referendum in 1993. While the referendum passed, the legislature has not allowed Staten Island to become its own city. As a part of his Staten Island secession work, Marchi drafted a model city charter for a new City of Staten Island. Marchi also drafted the law to close the Fresh Kills Landfill
Fresh Kills Landfill
The Fresh Kills Landfill was a landfill covering in the New York City borough of Staten Island in the United States. The name comes from the landfill's location along the banks of the Fresh Kills estuary in western Staten Island...
on Staten Island.
Marchi ran twice for Mayor of New York City. He won a surprise upset over Mayor John V. Lindsay in the 1969 Republican primary. He ran in the general election against Lindsay, who was still the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of New York
The Liberal Party of New York is a minor American political party that has been active only in the state of New York. Its platform supports a standard set of social liberal policies: it supports right to abortion, increased spending on education, and universal health care.As of 2007, the Liberal...
nominee, and Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
Mario Procaccino
Mario Procaccino
Mario Angelo Procaccino was a lawyer, comptroller, and candidate for mayor of New York City.Procaccino was born in Bisaccia, Italy. When he was nine years old, his family relocated to the United States, and despite poverty, he graduated from City College and Fordham Law School, becoming a lawyer...
. Marchi and Procaccino lost to Lindsay. Marchi was the Republican nominee again in 1973, but he lost to Comptroller Abraham D. Beame, the Democrat that Lindsay had defeated in 1965. In 1961 he lost a race for Borough President
Borough president
Borough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:...
of Staten Island.
Marchi was the only Republican member of the State Senate who opposed the death penalty.
Marchi was a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Governors of the Council of State Governments
Council of State Governments
The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan non-profit organization in the United States serving the state governments. It serves state legislatures, state courts, and executive branch officials and agencies, and is the only multi-branch organization of state governments in the United...
. He was appointed by U.S. President Richard M. Nixon to the National Advisory Committee on Drug Abuse Prevention.
A new Staten Island Ferry
Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is a passenger ferry service operated by the New York City Department of Transportation that runs between the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island.-Overview:...
boat was named in Marchi's honor in 2006.
John Marchi Hall was named in his honor on campus of the College of Staten Island
College of Staten Island
The College of Staten Island is a four-year, senior college of and is one of the 11 senior colleges in the City University of New York. Programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional studies lead to bachelor's and associate's degrees. The master's degree is awarded in 13 professional...
in 2006. The building is located in the "north" side of campus; building 2N.
On October 19, 2006, the 85-year-old Marchi passed out and fell from his chair at the annual Alfred E. Smith Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria. http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=63630
Marchi died on April 25, 2009, while vacationing in Lucca, Italy with his wife and other family members.
Senate leadership positions
- Chairman of the Joint Liquor Laws Committee
- Chairman of the Senate Commerce and Navigation Committee
- Chairman of the Joint New York City Docks Committee
- Chairman of the Joint Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Committee
- Chairman of the Senate Constitutional Affairs Subcommittee
- Chairman of the Senate City of New York Committee
- Chairman of the Joint Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee
- Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee
- Chairman of the Senate Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee
- Vice President Pro Tempore of the Senate
- Chairman of the Temporary State Commission on New York City School Governance
- Chairman of the New York State Charter Commission for Staten Island
- Chairman of the Staten Island Charter Commission
- Deputy Majority Leader for Intergovernmental Relations
- Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee
- Assistant Majority Whip
- Assistant Majority Leader for Conference Operations
- Chairman of the Senate Task Force on World Trade Center Recovery
External links
- A Guide to the The Senator John J. Marchi Papers, 1956–1998
- State's Senior Legislator Set To Retire
- Senator John J. Marchi's Official Retirement Statement
- Retired State Sen. John Marchi of Staten Island dies – Staten Island Advance – Sunday, April 26, 2009
- John J. Marchi, Who Fought for Staten Island in Senate, Dies at 87 – New York Times – Sunday, April 26, 2009