José A. Cruz

29th District (Rochester)

Committees: Human Services (RMM), Agenda Charter

Monroe County Legislator José Cruz represents the 29th District, which includes the northeast area of the City of Rochester, north of Avenue D and west of Culver Road. José was first elected to the Monroe County Legislature in 1999, re-elected in 2001, and then again in 2005. He currently serves as the Ranking Minority Member of the Human Services Committee, as well as on the Agenda/Charter Committee.

 

José has deep roots in the 29th District and years of service to the community he represents. José is an alumnus of Benjamin Franklin High School, where as a student leader he was a founder of the Puerto Rican Youth Development & Resource Center, Inc. (PRYD). José currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Ibero American Investment Corporation, Ibero American Investment Corp, the Legal Aid Society, Charles Settlement House, and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. José is also a trustee at the Allendale Columbia School and a member of the ESL Sports Centre Board of Directors.

 

Professionally, José has focused on bringing economic opportunities to the community he now represents. He has served as Director of Community Development for the Ibero American Action League, as well as C.E.O. of the Worker Ownership Resource Center, which provided training and technical assistance to low income persons establishing their own businesses. Currently, José is Administer of the City of Rochester Lyell Avenue Neighborhood Empowerment Team.

 

José Cruz and his wife, Maria Diaz Godreau, live on Northland Avenue in northeast Rochester. José has four children: Liana, Ariel, Marcos, Marielee.

 

Legislative Initiatives

Establish an Additional Eastside Lunch Club 60 Site - Proposed Legislation, May 2008

Rejected by President of the Legislature

 

Accountability at Human Services - Proposed Legislation, May 2007

Vote: Human Services Committee, 3 Yeas (D)- 4 Nays (R)

 

Call for Investigation in to Death of Charles Lyon - Proposed Legislation, April 2006

Vote: Human Services Committee, 3 Yeas (D) - 4 Nays (R)

 

Call for Investigation in to Death of Charles Lyon - Proposed Legislation, April 2005

Vote: Human Services Committee, 3 Yeas (D) - 4 Nays (R)

 

Raising the Minimum Wage - Memorializing Resolution, March 2004

 

Keep DMV Downtown - Proposed Legislation, April 2003

Vote: Ways & Means Committee, 5 Yeas (D) - 7 Nays (R)

 

In the Press

Keep Lead from Poisoning Our Children, Community - D&C, June 8, 2004

Streamlining Social Services Mustn't Stream Roll the Needy - D&C, April 28, 2003

Solving Budget Problems Takes Dialogue, Openness - D&C, August 29, 2002

Don't Reject Consolidation Without a Fair Debate - Democrat & Chronicle, April 30, 2002

The County Has a Moral Duty to Maintain Day Care Subsidies - D&C, Feb. 25, 2002