John J. Marchi Papers PM-1 Volume: 65 linear feet • Biographical Note • Chronology • Scope and Content • Series Descriptions • Box & Folder List Biographical Note John J. Marchi, the son of Louis and Alina Marchi, was born on May 20, 1921, in Staten Island, New York. He graduated from Manhattan College with first honors in 1942, later receiving a Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law and Doctor of Judicial Science from Brooklyn Law School in 1953. He engaged in the general practice of law with offices on Staten Island and has lectured extensively to Italian jurists at the request of the State Department. Marchi served in the Coast Guard and Navy during World War II and was on combat duty in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres of war. Marchi also served as a Commander in the Active Reserve after the war, retiring from the service in 1982. John J. Marchi was first elected to the New York State Senate in the 1956 General Election. As a Senator, he quickly rose to influential Senate positions through the chairmanship of many standing and joint committees, including Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on the City of New York. In 1966, he was elected as a Delegate to the Constitutional Convention and chaired the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitutional Issues. That same year, Senator Marchi was named Chairman of the New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Interstate Cooperation, the oldest joint legislative committee in the Legislature. Other senior state government leadership positions followed, and this focus on state government relations and the City of New York permeated Senator Marchi’s career for the next few decades. In 1969, Marchi decided to challenge John V. Lindsay’s reelection campaign, announcing that he would run a primary campaign to obtain the Republican Party’s endorsement that would allow him to run for Mayor in the General Election of that year. Senator Marchi ran on a platform of fighting crime, reducing welfare rolls, court reform, and a general clean-up of New York City – positions that were in keeping with those of the Conservative Party, on whose party line he also ran, as well as conservative members of the 2 Republican Party. However, liberals also credited him with running an intelligent, non-rancorous campaign. He won the Republican primary and went on to challenge Lindsay once more in the General Election. This time, Marchi was defeated, but he returned in 1973 to once more conduct a mayoral campaign. Losing again in the General Election, Marchi resumed his work in the New York State Senate, where he served as the Chairman of the Finance Committee and a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Throughout the 1970s, Senator Marchi was at the forefront of issues such as reform of the New York City School system, educational change, transportation improvement, and crime prevention. His position as Chairman of the Finance Committee made him instrumental in dealing with New York City’s mid- seventies fiscal crisis, and he provided leadership in the establishment of the Emergency Financial Control Board and the Municipal Assistance Corporation. The chairman’s position also provided him with the ability to channel funds to many arts and cultural institutions on Staten Island, in particular the Snug Harbor Cultural Center. He also played a critical role in securing funds for mental health programs on the Island, and joined his fellow Island legislators in the nascent movement to deal with local environmental problems. The Senate Finance Committee also brought about important change under Senator Marchi’s leadership. Marchi sponsored the bill that modernized New York State’s reporting and bookkeeping practices. The Finance Committee also gained greater power to review and assess the Executive budget and ancillary programs and introduced better methods of economic forecasting. Overall, these changes allowed for more clear and accurate views of the state’s financial picture, and gave the Legislature more power in the budget process. In the 1980s, one issue dominated the agenda of Marchi and his constituents: the secession movement. In 1983, a lawsuit challenged the legality of New York City’s Board of Estimate as violating the “one-man one vote” democratic principle. The successful challenge left Staten Island and its 350,000 population with much reduced representation in city government. Marchi decided immediately to promote changing Staten Island from a borough of New York City to a separate county or city. For the next decade and a half, Senator Marchi led legal challenges, built a popular movement, succeeded in persuading the State of New York to approve and fund a Charter Commission for Staten Island, and forced New York City to hold a special referendum for Island residents on secession. The secession movement and the Charter Commission for Staten Island gained considerable momentum, and though it was ultimately defeated, Marchi’s reputation as a thoughtful, deliberate, erudite leader only grew. Marchi also continued his work to improve public education in the 1980’s. Marchi was appointed as Chairman of the Temporary State Commission on New York City School Governance in 1989. This 3 commission conducted a two-year study on the control and governance in New York City schools and provided recommendations to the New York State Legislature on improving administration and public participation in the school system. Senator Marchi also provided assistance to the College of Staten Island so that the school could obtain the land of the former Willowbrook State School for a campus. In the 1990s, Senator Marchi succeeded in raising the profile of the Island’s environmental issues and securing funds to resolve them. Of particular note was Marchi’s legislation (1996) to close the Fresh Kills landfill by January 1, 2002. More recently, Senator Marchi was also appointed to head the Senate Task Force on World Trade Center Recovery after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Marchi was named Assistant Majority Whip in 2003 and continues to serve on several standing committees including Corporations, Authorities and Commissions (which he previously chaired); Cities; Environmental Conservation; Finance; Investigations and Government Operations; Judiciary and Rules. Senator Marchi was also recognized by the National Conference of State Legislatures as being the longest serving legislator in America at any level of government. Senator Marchi still resides in Staten Island. He and his wife, the former Maria Luisa Davini of Lucca, Italy, have two daughters, Aline and Joan, two granddaughters, Stefania and Francesca and a great- grandson, Giuseppe. Senator Marchi is also a member of numerous religious, veterans, professional and civic associations, including the Richmond County and American Bar Associations and the American Judicature Society. Chronology 1921 Born on Staten Island, son of Louis and Alina Marchi, on May 20. 1942 Graduated from Manhattan College with first honors and received the Cardinal Hayes Award for scholastic achievement and campus leadership. World War II Served in United States Coast Guard and saw action in the North Atlantic and Okinawa. 1948 Married Maria Luisa Davini in her home town of Lucca, Italy, November 14. 1949 Graduated from St. John’s Law School, Juris Doctor. 1952 Narrowly lost bid for Republican nomination for the State Assembly to Edward Amann in county committee. 1953 Graduated from Brooklyn Law School, Doctor of Juridical Science. Served in Albany as counsel to John Macdonald, senator from Staten Island, for two years. 1956 Elected to the State Senate in his first run for elective office (total vote: 81,001): Marchi Rep. 44,159 (54.5%) 4 Edward V. Curry Dem. 36,842 1958 Re-elected to the Senate (total vote 66,375): Marchi Rep. 35,505 United Taxpayers 918 Total 36,423 (54.9%) Edmund J. Murphy Dem. 28,298 George Maki Lib. 1,645 1960 Re-elected to the Senate (total vote 87,186): Marchi Rep. 49,716 (57%) Ralph DiIorio Dem. 34,604 George Maki Lib. 2,866 Named chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee formed to study the state’s liquor laws. 1961 As chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Navigation, proposed and was named chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on New York City Docks in February; resigned in July, citing his race for borough president and his desire to keep the investigation “out of the realm of partisan politics.” Lost race for borough president to incumbent Albert V. Maniscalco (total vote 73,161): Marchi Rep. 35,632 (48.7%) Maniscalco Dem. 31,264 Lib. 4,508 Brotherhood 1,757 Total 37,529 1962 Re-elected to the Senate (total vote 72,987): Marchi Rep. 42,659 (58.4%) Aldo R. Benedetto Dem. 27,485 Lib. 2,843 Total 30,328 1963 Became Chairman of the Senate’s Committee on the City of New York. 1964 David Jaffe became Senator Marchi’s counsel; his first project was the investigation of the Mobilization for Youth, an anti-poverty program, for mismanagement and communist influence. As chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee investigating the Alcoholic Beverages Control Law, Marchi blocked the measure supported by Governor Rockefeller, resulting in a special session which passed a compromise bill. Re-elected to the Senate, receiving the Conservative Party (founded 1962) endorsement for the first time (total vote 88,952): Marchi Rep. 42,912 Cons. 5,986 Total 48,898 (55%) Joseph J. Holzka Dem. 38,219 Lib. 1,835 Total 40,054 5 Democrats took the State Senate in the Johnson landslide, the only time Marchi was in the minority in Albany. 1965 Became a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Governors of the Council of State Governments. Following implementation of a new court-ordered reapportionment plan, all legislators had to run again.