STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In a joint letter to New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Staten Island’s elected officials expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the allocation of funds from the Opioid Settlement previously secured by James in a series of lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

“We write to you to express our unified outrage and disappointment that Staten Island is once again not being taken into consideration as new funds from the Opioid Settlement are making their way to New York City but evidently, not all the way to the borough we call home,” the letter begins. “Since 2022, New York State has accrued $35 million in interest alone on the Opioid Settlement Fund, yet a substantial portion of that money remains unspent with those dollars unavailable for Staten Islanders to utilize. These funds are urgently needed to turn the tide of the opioid epidemic and continue the decrease in overdose deaths we were proud to report in 2024.”

The Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force previously said that they played a crucial role in the 49% reduction in fatal overdoses on Staten Island in 2024. Last year, there were 81 suspected overdose deaths on the island.

This year, as of Nov. 9, 78 people have died of suspected overdoses on Staten Island, though 66 individuals were rescued, according to preliminary and incomplete statistics provided by the District Attorney’s Office in mid-November.

The letter explained that the “Staten Island approach” to addressing the opioid crisis is “evidently working,” however, additional funding is required. Despite money from the Opioid Settlement Fund continuing to flow from the attorney general’s office, that funding is not finding its way to Staten Island, as indicated in the letter. This has left borough officials “appalled” to find that their constituents are being overlooked.

“With additional funding in the pipeline for 2026, we urge you to reassess whether the previous one-off payment to Staten Island treatment providers seems like a fair amount, considering that we are the borough with the most need, second only to the Bronx who does in fact have access to all three areas of funding and services,” the letter added.

In 2024, $12 million in settlement funds was slated for eight borough organizations that provide treatment and prevention services. Each of those organizations were designated to receive $375,000 over four years.

That $12 million in funding is part of the $2.6 billion previously secured in the settlement by James.

“For far too long Staten Island has struggled and survived without public health care resources,” another part of the letter read. “However, with additional funding from the Opioid Settlement forthcoming, we humbly ask that Staten Island and its 500,000 residents who contribute mightily to this City be equally served and receive its fair share. Given the heartbreak and loss that we have already endured, and the fact that this is not the first time we have had to advocate for our fair share of funding, Staten Island should not become a victim of disproportionate allocations of funds as well as services.”

The bipartisan letter was signed by all of Staten Island’s local elected officials, including the city councilmembers, state legislators, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and Borough President Vito Fossella.