John J. Marchi

John Joseph Marchi (May 20, 1921 – April 25, 2009) 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.



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. 

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