Assembly District 39
Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst
Name: Humberto Suarezmotta
Age: 54 years
Party Affiliation: Republican
Occupation: I am trained as an Economist with an MBA in Banking and Finance. During my career, I’ve been a taxi driver, waiter, bartender, insurance broker and college professor. I currently run a consulting service, Nexos Financial Services, which provides strategic planning, tax and governmental relations advice to small businesses.
Decision to Run: I am not an independently wealthy man and there is a limit to what I can do for the community as a private citizen. For the past two years, the city and state have been caught up in the worldwide financial crisis. They must now do far more with for less than at any other time since the depression. We need competent, dedicated and serious leaders in government who can think independently an outside of the box to find solutions to our myriad problems – not just those we can now identify, but also those hiding around the corner. I believe I can be such a leader. My opponent is not.
Major Issues: I believe that the two greatest needs of my community are jobs and education. We must both preserve existing jobs and promote new ones. At the same time, we must dramatically improve the educational opportunities for our children and reverse the shameful high school dropout rate that now plagues our community.
Top Priorities: Identifying and hiring bright motivated people to staff my district office, so that they can keep me informed about the needs of my constituents. This will enable me with their assistance to more effectively address our peoples/ needs and concerns.
Name: Francisco Moya
Age: 36
Party Affiliation: Democrat, Working Families Party
Occupation: Most recently, I was the Director of Government Affairs at Cablevision.
Decision to Run: I have spent my life in service to my community, starting at age 15 when I started the Corona Gardens Neighborhood Association with a group of concerned neighbors to address civic concerns in the neighborhood. After college, I returned to Queens to work on community issues for Congressmember Nydia Velazquez and for Elmhurst Hospital. I understand the challenges we face in our district and will represent our working families with dignity and integrity.
Major Issues: Education opens doors, and I am committed to ensuring that every student receives the best education possible. I will stand against cuts to education funding – every dollar, every year – and will work to hire more teachers and to increase access for English Language Learners and special needs students. And as Assemblymember, I am committed to making a higher education more attainable by ensuring that tuition rates at SUNY and CUNY schools remain affordable for all.
I have been alarmed at the recent gang violence in my neighborhood and have introduced a six-point plan to help law enforcement officers and community members reduce gang violence, and prevent the circumstances that lead young people to join gangs.
Top Priorities: My number one priority is creating jobs that lift families into the middle class. I will focus on stimulating small businesses in our community; generating new, 21st century, green jobs; and ensuring that companies that get money from the state are providing jobs with real wages and health benefits. I will ensure that our State Legislature is supporting middle-class families that form the backbone of New York’s economy by creating new jobs and increasing access to healthcare.
