Ballotpedia, Ruben Cruz II

Ruben is from New York. He lives with his wife. He earned his bachelor's degree from the City University of New York, Queens College.

Ruben runs a consulting firm that supports non-profit organizations in healthcare, wellness, arts, and cultural programs.

Ruben D. Cruz II ran for state senate in 2022, but did not win.

Candidate website

Wants to reduce fines for small businesses.

Plans to address "hidden fees" on bank statements and utility bills.

Believes the pharmaceutical industry has systemic issues, exemplified by Martin Shkreli's price hike of Daraprim, which remains unchanged despite Shkreli's unrelated prison sentence.

- Wants to reduce fines for small businesses.
- Supports capping interest rates.
- Plans to address "hidden fees" on bank statements and utility bills.
- Opposes bank and ATM fees.
- Believes the pharmaceutical industry has systemic issues, exemplified by Martin Shkreli's price hike of Daraprim, which remains unchanged despite Shkreli's unrelated prison sentence.

Economy

Supports efforts to reduce the "digital divide" in underserved communities.

Believes improving infrastructure will create more jobs, reduce traffic, and ensure cleaner air for families.

Plans to address pollution levels in the subway system.

Supports the WildlifeNYC Program, which aims to protect local wildlife.

- Supports efforts to reduce the "digital divide" in underserved communities.
- Believes improving infrastructure will create more jobs, reduce traffic, and ensure cleaner air for families.
- Plans to address pollution levels in the subway system.
- Supports the WildlifeNYC Program, which aims to protect local wildlife.

Energy & the Environment

Believes in a holistic healthcare approach, emphasizing both prevention and treatment.

Believes in prioritizing education about healthy living, including physical and mental health, for all ages.

Supports the continued operation of food pantries in underserved communities.

Plans to create online, multi-generational exercise programs to encourage physical activity for all ages.

Plans to ensure cooling and heating centers operate consistently, particularly in underserved areas such as some New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) locations.

- Believes in a holistic healthcare approach, emphasizing both prevention and treatment.
- Believes in prioritizing education about healthy living, including physical and mental health, for all ages.
- Supports the continued operation of food pantries in underserved communities.
- Plans to create online, multi-generational exercise programs to encourage physical activity for all ages.
- Plans to ensure cooling and heating centers operate consistently, particularly in underserved areas such as some New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) locations.

Healthcare

As of September 19, 2024, Ruben D. Cruz II’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

Plans to install more speed bumps on wider streets and respond more quickly to resident requests for stop signs to improve safety.

Proposes assigning police officers to apartments within New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings to promote better relationships and understanding.

Believes in creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth and clearing the backlog of Title IX investigations.

Supports allowing principals to have full control over their schools, including hiring school safety personnel and crossing guards.

- Plans to install more speed bumps on wider streets and respond more quickly to resident requests for stop signs to improve safety.
- Proposes assigning police officers to apartments within New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings to promote better relationships and understanding.
- Believes in creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth and clearing the backlog of Title IX investigations.
- Supports allowing principals to have full control over their schools, including hiring school safety personnel and crossing guards.

Public Safety

Supports expanding bilingual programs to motivate students.

Proposes a system of rotating teachers across schools with incentives for participation to address segregation.

Believes in reallocating the budget to fund universal childcare and 3K programs.

Supports a curriculum that emphasizes civics education, encouraging public service and voter participation.

Supports investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs to maintain competitiveness.

Supports continued funding for programs like MetroCards for students and the City University of New York (CUNY) Fatherhood Academy.

Supports strengthening relationships with educators.

- Supports expanding bilingual programs to motivate students.
- Proposes a system of rotating teachers across schools with incentives for participation to address segregation.
- Believes in reallocating the budget to fund universal childcare and 3K programs.
- Supports a curriculum that emphasizes civics education, encouraging public service and voter participation.
- Supports investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs to maintain competitiveness.
- Supports continued funding for programs like MetroCards for students and the City University of New York (CUNY) Fatherhood Academy.
- Supports strengthening relationships with educators.

Education

Believes community boards should be included in land use and housing decisions.

Supports cost-effective measures like speed bumps to expedite bus travel.

Proposes selling New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments to residents at a symbolic price of $1 to create wealth and incentivize investment in their buildings.

Believes areas like Rockaway and the gap between Woodside and Woodhaven need additional bus routes.

Supports granting buses priority at traffic lights to improve efficiency, but believes it shouldn't come at the expense of increasing the bus fleet and routes.

Opposes the Cross Bay Bridge toll, believing it "creates an unnecessary burden within the same district."

Opposes the "City of Yes" zoning changes, believing they harm Queens by allowing new construction without parking requirements or sewer system upgrades.

- Believes community boards should be included in land use and housing decisions.
- Supports cost-effective measures like speed bumps to expedite bus travel.
- Proposes selling New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments to residents at a symbolic price of $1 to create wealth and incentivize investment in their buildings.
- Believes areas like Rockaway and the gap between Woodside and Woodhaven need additional bus routes.
- Supports granting buses priority at traffic lights to improve efficiency, but believes it shouldn't come at the expense of increasing the bus fleet and routes.
- Opposes the Cross Bay Bridge toll, believing it "creates an unnecessary burden within the same district."
- Opposes the "City of Yes" zoning changes, believing they harm Queens by allowing new construction without parking requirements or sewer system upgrades.

Housing & Urban Development

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Ruben D. Cruz II

Ruben is from Queens, New York. He lives with his wife.

Ruben D. Cruz III transitioned from corporate America to entrepreneurship in 2006. He currently runs a consulting firm that supports non-profit organizations in healthcare, wellness, arts, and cultural programs.

As of September 23, 2024, Ruben D. Cruz III’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in maintaining consistent financial investment.

Believes in maintaining economic stability by employing local residents.

Supports providing free broadband citywide.

Believes in making incremental changes to address environmental issues and rising costs.

Believes in holding companies accountable for their actions and not just offering deals without apologies.

Believes in highlighting senior healthcare issues, as demonstrated by the documentary "Echoes in a Glass," which earned him "New Yorker of the Week" honors for his work with the elderly during COVID-19.

Believes in balancing risk and transparency to ensure fair and secure elections.

Believes that "no one is looking to solve problems, They’re looking to profit from them" in regards to voting rights.

Believes the MTA must balance responsible risk management with public transparency, saying "open communication about FMTAC's role and reinsurance practices can help alleviate concerns and ensure optimal use of public funds for our vital transportation system."

As of September 19, 2024, Ruben D. Cruz III’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes there is a significant disconnect in NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) policing.

Believes in prioritizing physical safety measures like speed bumps over using cameras and tickets to deter traffic violations.

Believes in enhancing public safety measures.

Ruben D. Cruz III

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
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- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  