John J. Marchi

John Marchi
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 24th district
In office
January 1, 1973  December 31, 2006
Preceded by Paul Bookson
Succeeded by Andrew Lanza
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 23rd district
In office
January 1, 1967  December 31, 1972
Preceded by Irwin Brownstein
Succeeded by Carol Bellamy
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 26th district
In office
January 1, 1966  December 31, 1966
Preceded by Harry Kraf
Succeeded by Whitney Seymour
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 19th district
In office
January 1, 1957  December 31, 1965
Preceded by Edward V. Curry
Succeeded by William C. Thompson
Personal details
Born (1921-05-20)May 20, 1921
Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Died April 25, 2009(2009-04-25) (aged 87)
Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Maria Luisa Marchi

John J. Marchi (May 20, 1921 – April 25, 2009)[1] was a New York State Senator who represented Staten Island for a record 50 years. Marchi (pronounced MAR-key), a Republican, retired on December 31, 2006, from the seat that he had held since January 1, 1957.

Life

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. He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1957 to 2006, sitting in the 171st, 172nd, 173rd, 174th, 175th, 176th, 177th, 178th, 179th, 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 194th, 195th and 196th New York State Legislatures. 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.

The Staten Island Ferry boat Sen. John J. Marchi, which shuttles passengers from the ferry terminal at the southern tip of Manhattan to the Staten Island ferry terminal in St. George.

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.[2][3]

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.

Marchi died on April 25, 2009, while vacationing in Lucca, Italy with his wife and other family members.

Senate leadership positions

References


New York State Senate
Preceded by
Edward V. Curry
New York State Senate
19th District

1957–1965
Succeeded by
William C. Thompson
Preceded by
Harry Kraf
New York State Senate
26th District

1966
Succeeded by
Whitney North Seymour, Jr.
Preceded by
Irwin R. Brownstein
New York State Senate
23rd District

1967–1972
Succeeded by
Carol Bellamy
Preceded by
Paul P. E. Bookson
New York State Senate
24th District

1973–2006
Succeeded by
Andrew Lanza
Preceded by
Warren M. Anderson
New York State Senate
Chairman of the Committee on Finance

1973–1988
Succeeded by
Tarky Lombardi, Jr.
Party political offices
Preceded by
P. Vincent Sullivan
Republican Nominee for Borough President of Staten Island
1961
Succeeded by
Robert T. Connor
Preceded by
John V. Lindsay
Republican Nominee for Mayor of New York City
1969, 1973
Succeeded by
Roy M. Goodman
Preceded by
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Conservative Party nominee for Mayor of New York City
1969
Succeeded by
Mario Biaggi
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