Staten Island Council Member Joe Borelli Resigns to Join Chartwell Strategy Group
Table of Contents
- 1. Staten Island Council Member Joe Borelli Resigns to Join Chartwell Strategy Group
- 2. What are your hopes for Staten Island and the city as a whole?
- 3. Councilman Borelli on Leaving Politics for Chartwell Strategy Group
- 4. A Conversation with Joe Borelli
- 5. What prompted your decision to resign from the City Council?
- 6. Chartwell Strategy Group is a prestigious firm.What will be your role there, and how will you be contributing to thier ambition of expansion?
“I will be opening the firm’s New York office and supporting its growing Washington, D.C., office,” he explains. “it’s a fantastic opportunity to leverage my experience and advocacy skills in a new and challenging environment.”
Some might expect you to consider another elected office. What led you to choose the private sector instead?
- 7. you’ve been a vocal figure in politics, even before your time on the City Council. how will you maintain your political engagement outside of elected office?
- 8. Looking back on your time on the Council, what are you most proud of accomplishing?
- 9. Several people have expressed interest in running for your seat. You’ve even publicly endorsed Frank Morano. What makes him the right candidate to continue your legacy in the 51st Council District?
- 10. What advice would you give to aspiring political leaders, especially those looking to represent Staten Island?
Joe Borelli, the longest-serving member of the New York City Council representing Staten Island’s South Shore, announced his surprise resignation earlier this month. His departure, effective at the end of January, comes months before term limits would have forced him out of office.
Borelli, who currently serves as the City Council’s minority leader, will be joining Chartwell Strategy Group as a managing director. ”The downside of term limits is that people do seek you out and talk about your future. Eventually, when I got offered a position that I thoght would be captivating and exciting to do, I decided to take it,” Borelli explained to the Advance/SILive.com.
He will be opening the firm’s New York office and supporting its growing Washington, D.C., office.
The decision to pursue a career in the private sector instead of seeking another elected office was a deliberate choice. “All the elected officials on Staten Island are my friends and I think, for the most part, they do a good job. So running against any of them was never an option and waiting for them to leave is not particularly fruitful. I’d rather just take on a new challenge and do something totally different,” Borelli shared.
While stepping away from public office, Borelli emphasized that he remains deeply committed to political engagement.“I will still be involved in politics with my big mouth as frequently enough as I can. People should still expect to see me in the media, on TV, talking about politics, as I’m not giving up the fight.I just will not be serving in public office,” he affirmed.
Looking back on his time in office, Borelli fondly recalled campaigning for President Donald Trump in 2016 and former Rep. Lee Zeldin during his 2022 gubernatorial run. “I love politics so it was the ride of a lifetime to be a part of Trump’s 2016 campaign, especially in the primaries, and the Zeldin 2022 race,” he said.
Among his proudest accomplishments are securing a new school building for special needs children at PS 37 in Great Kills and allocating over $100 million during his tenure to enhance parks across the borough. “I feel like I’ll be invited to ribbon cuttings for the next decade as all these projects get built and come online,” he remarked.
Borelli’s resignation will trigger a special election to fill the vacant South Shore seat, likely to be held on the first Tuesday at least 80 days after his departure.He has publicly endorsed Frank Morano, a borough resident and political activist, who recently announced his candidacy for the position.Morano,known as staten Island’s ”favourite son,” aims to emulate Borelli’s legacy,stating,“I think there might be a couple of individual priorities that differ a little bit,but I think on the fundamental issues facing the city and the South Shore,I think our voting record would be largely identical.”
The 51st Council District has a long history of electing Republicans,solidifying its status as the city’s most conservative district as its establishment in the early 1990s. Morano’s candidacy reflects the desire to maintain this tradition.
What are your hopes for Staten Island and the city as a whole?
Councilman Borelli on Leaving Politics for Chartwell Strategy Group
A Conversation with Joe Borelli
joe Borelli, Staten Island’s longest-serving City Council member, recently announced his surprise resignation, effective at the end of January. Leaving office months before term limits woudl have forced him out,Borelli will be joining Chartwell Strategy Group as a managing director. We sat down with Borelli to discuss his decision, his future plans, and reflections on his time in office.
What prompted your decision to resign from the City Council?
“The downside of term limits is that people do seek you out and talk about your future,” Borelli shares. “Eventually, when I got offered a position that I thought would be captivating and exciting to do, I decided to take it.”
