Inside Government with PoliticsNY is new a Q&A series that gives New Yorkers a glimpse inside the role of the elected officials who represent them. This edition of Inside Government features New York State Assembly Member Michael Reilly. Assembly Member Reilly represents the 62nd Assembly District on Staten Island which includes neighborhoods within the South Shore of Staten Island, as well as parts of the Mid-Island.
Q: What piece of legislation are you most proud to have passed this legislative session?
A: I’m proud to have strongly and vocally supported legislative efforts to restore public safety and advance taxpayer advocacy.
Q: How does your office work to support your constituents in their day-to-day lives?
A: From quality of life issues to complex agency issues, my team and I help our constituents navigate the complexities of city and state government bureaucracy.
Q: What is the most prevalent issue facing your constituents and how are you working to resolve it?
A: Over taxation, public safety, and inadequate services like public transportation rank among the top issues.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish by the end of 2025?
A: I plan to continue advocating for policies that address many of the uniquely complex issues affecting the people of Staten Island and especially those in my district.
Q: What is the proudest moment of your political career?
A; Some moments include: changing the law to allow DAs to combine petit larceny charges to address organized retail theft; co-chairing the School Safety Task Force and getting NYC DOE to lock the doors, a $10 million budget allocation for Drug Recognition Experts (police officer training) to reduce impaired driving across the state; passing legislation to move forward a new Outerbridge; getting NYC DOE to open a new special education program.
