On Wednesday, April 10th, Borough President James S. Oddo, District Attorney Mike McMahon, and the technology company Uber announced a continuation of their partnership that began on Thanksgiving Eve in 2017 to combat drunk driving. At the press conference, they announced the availability of free Uber rides on Cinco de Mayo to allow Staten Islanders to arrive safely home after their celebrations.
 
Between the hours of 3pm-11:59pm on Sunday, May 5th, Staten Island residents can open up their Uber apps and enter the promo code “SAFERIDE19” to unlock two free rides (up to $10 each way). The ride must start and end in Staten Island. Codes will work on a first come, first served basis as the number of free rides available through this promotion will be limited.
 
Each trip has a maximum value of $10. If a ride costs more than $10, riders will receive that much as a credit and will be responsible for the remaining fee due.
 
When taking an Uber, be sure to always put personal safety first. Before getting in the vehicle, take a second to double-check the app for your driver’s information, which includes matching the license plate number, matching the car’s make and model, and checking the driver’s photo. Riders should also be aware of the safety center features within the app. The features include an emergency assistance in-app button that allows users to call 911 to get help if you need it, as well as a Share My Trip option that allows users to set up trusted contacts and create reminders to share your trip status with friends and family in real time.
 
The Carl V. Bini Fund, the Forest Avenue BID, the South Shore BID, and the Richmond County Bar Association are also sponsoring this initiative. 
 
“I am grateful to be able to continue our successful SI Safe Ride initiative on another big party night. We don’t want a single person getting behind the wheel drunk,” said Borough President Oddo. “If you plan on celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year, please do so responsibly and leave your car at home. Thank you to DA McMahon and Uber for partnering with us to promote safe and sober driving on Staten Island.”
 
“Continuing on the success of our SI Safe Ride Initiative, I am thrilled to join Borough President Oddo and Uber to once again make this offer available to Staten Islanders,” said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. “As prosecutors, we see firsthand the devastating consequences of drunk driving, so we encourage everyone to make the responsible decision while celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year and take advantage of this promotion.”
  
“When people have access to a convenient, reliable way to get home, they're able to make safer choices. We're proud to partner with Borough President Oddo and DA McMahon to help encourage Staten Islanders to leave the keys at home on Cinco de Mayo and take a safe ride,” said DeShawn Wright, Senior Manager for Public Affairs at Uber.
 
The free rides are part of the “SI Safe Ride” initiative, which launched in November of 2017. Nearly 3,000 Staten Islanders participated in the initial promotion, which allowed users to get free rides on Thanksgiving Eve in an effort to combat drunk driving. “SI Safe Ride” was created through a partnership between Borough President James Oddo, the technology company Uber, District Attorney Mike McMahon, the NYPD, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
 
A report by Uber and MADD concludes that when empowered with more transportation options like Uber, people are making responsible choices that result in fewer alcohol-related crashes.

Uber has been proven to help reduce drunk driving across America. For example, DUI arrests in Seattle decreased by more than 10% after Uber started serving riders and drivers in the city, according to a study.  An independent study conducted by Temple University found cities where Uber operates have 3.6%-5.6% fewer drunk driving deaths than cities without access to ridesharing.
 
In 2003, Oddo and McMahon, then City Council Members, sponsored “Operation Arrive Alive,” a similar, though low-tech initiative that relied on bartenders to call a cab for patrons who requested one.  “SI Safe Ride” is different in that it allows patrons themselves to summon an Uber in the way they are accustomed to.  
 
Initiative sponsors, the Forest Avenue BID and the South Shore BID, include the following nightlife establishments: Curly Wolf Saloon, Play, Joyce’s Tavern, Campania, Talk of The Town, Flanagan’s Tavern, Marmar Restaurant, Jody's Club Forest, Liberty Tavern, Ho Brah A Taco Joint, Cafe Milano, Kettle Black, Kings Arms Diner, 3 Guys Sushi, Panini Grill, Burrito Bar & Restaurant, Duffy's, Bruno's, Li Greci's Staaten, Casa Franco.

​Borough President James Oddo and District Attorney Michael E. McMahon will host the Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Breakfast on Tuesday, March 26th at 9am at the Hilton Garden Inn in the Tea House Garden. The ceremony, which continues the thirteen-year commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the conflict, will honor those who served in the U.S. Armed Forced during the Vietnam War era. The breakfast will begin at 9am, with the ceremony to start at 10am. 

At the third annual breakfast, veterans will be given a symbol of appreciation by BP Oddo and DA McMahon. In addition, there will be a POW/MIA recognition ceremony. 

Staten Island residents who were active members of the military during the period from 1955 to 1975 are eligible to attend the breakfast. Veterans may be asked to provide their DD-214 as proof of service.

“Our veterans have made our freedom and way of life possible, and for this we continue to thank them,” said Borough President Oddo. “Many of our veterans who served bravely in the Vietnam War were not welcomed home properly when they returned. I am extremely thankful to all those who have dedicated their lives in service to protecting this country, and for that DA McMahon and I are happy to continue this ceremony to recognize their heroism, sacrifice, and service to our country.” 

“Today as Americans we rightfully greet those returning home from serving our nation with gratitude and praise; the same cannot be said for the men and women who served in Vietnam. Upon their return, our Vietnam vets were often met with disrespect and outright disdain. Joining with Borough President Oddo to once again give these heroes a long overdue ‘Thank You’ and ‘Welcome Home’ is a true privilege and I encourage all of our Vietnam veterans to join us for a celebration of their service both abroad and here at home,” said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. 

Veterans wishing to attend the ceremony must RSVP to Diane Marciuliano at (718) 816-2246 or DMarciuliano@statenislandusa.com by March 18th.

​On Wednesday, February 15th, BP Oddo joined with District Attorney McMahon, NYPD Assistant Chief Delatorre and health professionals to announce the Heroin Overdose Prevention and Education (HOPE) initiative, which redirects low-level drug offenders to community-based health and treatment services instead of jail and prosecution. The goal of HOPE is to reduce drug overdoses and improve public safety by getting those suffering from addiction onto the path to recovery. 
 
The program allows eligible offenders to meet with peer coaches to provide them with a naloxone kit and talk to them about the program. The peer coach will also encourage the individual to visit a community based Resource and Recovery Center, of which there are two on Staten Island – one that runs 24 hours on the North Shore by Community Health Action of Staten Island, and another that operates on the South Shore by Christopher’s Reason and the Resource Training Center. If the individual decides to pursue treatment, the case will not be prosecuted.
 
“We have to think outside the box on this issue,” said BP Oddo. “We’ve begun to do that with our Too Good for Drugs and HOPE initiatives. We need to work together with law enforcement, health professionals and community-based organizations to help educate the next generation about the dangers of opioids and get those in need into treatment. This initiative is just one part of our multi-faceted approach to dealing with the opioid epidemic.”
 
“This effort recognizes that substance abuse illness is both a public health and a public safety crisis that is endangering our community and demands urgent collective action. Too often in our criminal justice system, individuals suffering from substance abuse disorder find that treatment or services are too far out of their reach or offered too late in the process to have meaning in their lives. Putting this effort in place has been an extraordinary example of the power that government can harness and mobilize across multiple disciplines to tackle a crisis effectively,” said District Attorney Michel McMahon.
 
In 2015, Staten Island had the highest rate of overdose death of any of the five boroughs and one of the highest rates in all of New York State. Last year, the NYPD reported more than 90 suspected overdose deaths on Staten Island and an additional 74 overdose-reversals with the drug Naloxone made by the NYPD.

​“Thank you; we need more help,” is the message of a short letter drafted by Borough President James S. Oddo and signed by every other elected official on Staten Island to Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio.
 
The letter, dated January 10, 2017 and addressed to Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio reads in total as follows:
 
“We sincerely thank you for all you have done to help us fight the opioid epidemic plaguing Staten Island.
 
“We desperately need more help.
 
“We are hopeful we can all get in the same room in the near future to figure out how we can do even more.”
 
Ironically, within hours of sending the letter, the Governor sent out a press release announcing a slew of new proposals in his State of the State to combat this epidemic state wide.
 
“I certainly welcome the Governor’s new proposals, and look forward to learning more about them,” said Borough President Oddo. “In fact, they are an indication of how important it is to get in the same room to discuss all our efforts and discuss what more can be done. At our December 2, 2016 meeting I hosted at Borough Hall, my colleagues and I agreed that the crisis is so pervasive and serious that we must be working with the highest reaches of the state and city government to solve it. This letter appealing to the Governor and Mayor for their direct engagement with us asks just for that. Does the request reflect a bit of chutzpah on our part? Perhaps. But the cause is that important and the consequences of inaction too serious.” 
 
Besides Borough President Oddo, the bipartisan group of elected officials signing onto the letter was: District Attorney Michael McMahon, Congressman Dan Donovan, State Senators Andrew Lanza and Diane Savino, Assembly Members Michael Cusick, Matthew Titone, Nicole Malliotakis, and Ron Castorina, and Council Members Steven Matteo, Joe Borelli, and Debi Rose.