Staten Island native appointed as city’s finance commissioner

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Sherif Soliman, a former Staten Islander who grew up in New Springville and graduated from Port Richmond High University, was appointed by Mayor Invoice de Blasio Wednesday as the city’s Department of Finance commissioner.

A 20-yr-veteran of community service, Soliman comes from a relatives of very first-technology immigrants who settled in New York practically 45 a long time in the past soon after emigrating from Egypt.

For the duration of his time on Staten Island, Soliman was main of team to former Assemblyman Eric Vitaliano. He was afterwards tapped to direct the New York Condition Legislative Affairs workforce and experienced roles that incorporated serving as director of communications at the New York Metropolis Employees’ Retirement Program and most just lately main of team for the Workplace of the Deputy Mayor for Functions.

“Sherif Soliman is a person of New York City’s sharpest progressive plan minds, and he’s the ideal person to lead this vital agency by the most essential yr in its recent history,” explained Mayor Monthly bill de Blasio Wednesday.

“From colleges, to parks, to our public hospitals, our finance office will make our city run effortlessly – and I search forward to operating with Sherif to make sure New Yorkers get the vital products and services that make our metropolis great,” de Blasio additional.

Soliman lately performed a leadership part in the city’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, exactly where he oversaw the development and management of the “Open Streets” and “Open Restaurant” systems, advised on insurance policies about the transition to do the job-from-residence and led negotiations on state laws to provide dying benefits to the survivors of city personnel who died of COVID-19.

He also served as a senior advisor to the Initial Deputy Mayor, where he managed a portfolio that bundled the MTA. On top of that, he managed the everyday functions of the New York City Advisory Fee on Assets Tax Reform

“As a lifelong New Yorker, I’ve witnessed the resiliency of New York Town and the ability of neighborhood governing administration to uplift the life of so several by furnishing best-notch providers,” claimed Soliman. “The Department of Finance, with its team of consummate professionals, retains the levers of governing administration working and I’m honored to direct the company as a result of a pivotal year for our fellow New Yorkers.”

“I thank Mayor de Blasio for the chance to go on to serve our City’s citizens, and I can’t wait to get began,” claimed Soliman.

As the director of State Legislative Affairs, Soliman was integral in enacting the common pre-kindergarten plan and was a crucial player in growing tax exemptions for senior and disabled householders, among the other initiatives.

“Sherif Soliman has demonstrated time and yet again his devotion to this metropolis and is a genuine case in point of a community servant,” explained Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. “Through his several roles within just this Administration, and most not too long ago serving as my chief of staff, Sherif has consistently demonstrated his intellect and compassion and will make an excellent Commissioner of Finance for New York Metropolis.”

“While it is an tremendous loss right here for us at Metropolis Corridor, I could not be more excited for this next chapter of Sherif’s job and am thrilled to continue performing along with him serving the people today of New York,” Anglin included.

Soliman was very well-respected when he departed Staten Island politics and was hailed as “very shiny, pretty dedicated, extremely perceptive” by former Assemblyman Vitaliano. “He is a Staten Island man,” explained Assemblyman Cusick (D-Mid-Island) in 2014. “He is a own good friend he’s like a brother to me.”

“Mayor de Blasio’s appointment of Sherif Soliman as Finance Commissioner is great information for New Yorkers,” reported Allen Cappelli, member of the NYC Advisory Commission on House Tax Reform.

“Having followed his vocation in govt for the previous 25 yrs and acquiring worked closely with him on Residence Tax reform these earlier several years, I know him to be an remarkable general public servant whose capabilities and experience are only exceeded by his get the job done ethic,” mentioned Cappelli.