ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 39

DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY

★ Preferred Candidate ★

Catalina Cruz – Dem
Candidate has returned a questionnaire
Questionnaire Supplement
Age: 35
Occupation: Attorney Education: John Jay College, B.A.; CUNY School of Law, J.D.

Catalina Cruz is the President of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County and former Chief of Staff to Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland. Her top priorities are to fix the MTA by restricting debt to facilitate spending on repairs, invest in public schools’ physical expansion and use of new technologies, secure more affordable housing in the district, and protect immigrant rights through policy changes and legal services. Cruz, like her opponent, supports Citizens Union’s entire reform agenda. She is especially committed to restricting legislators’ outside compensation, requiring greater transparency in government procurement, and thoroughly reforming JCOPE. Cruz also supports reform of the special election process, state campaign finance laws, and police oversight including establishing an independent prosecutor for police abuses. Citizens Union Prefers Catalina Cruz in this race because her detailed knowledge of state government and the nuance of her ideas makes her the candidate best positioned to advance reform.

Ari Espinal – Dem
Candidate has returned a questionnaire
Questionnaire Addendum
Age: 30
Occupation: New York State Assembly Member Education: St. Francis College, B.A.

Aridia Espinal was elected to the state Assembly after beating her current opponent, Catalina Cruz, in a special election on April 24th, 2018. Previously, she had been the Director of Constituent Services for then-Assembly Member Francisco Moya. Her top priorities are to reduce school overcrowding, improve the quality of life for tenants and co- op owners, raise revenue for MTA repairs through congestion pricing, protect immigrant rights, and protect workers from dangerous and unfair workplaces. Like her opponent, Espinal supports Citizens Union’s entire reform agenda. In particular, she is enthusiastic about improving access to polls through automatic and election day voter registration. She also supports a public campaign finance system at the state level. Citizens Union does not prefer Assembly Member Espinal in this race because of the overall strength of her opponent, but commends her enthusiasm and dedication to public service.

Yonel E. Letellier Sosa – Dem
Citizens Union was not aware of this candidacy at the time of the evaluation.