SENATE DISTRICT 13

DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY

★ Preferred Candidate ★

Jessica Ramos – Dem
Candidate has returned a questionnaire
Age: 34
Occupation: Full-time Candidate Education: Hofstra University, B.A.

Jessica Ramos is the former Director of Latino Media for Mayor Bill de Blasio, with experience on her community board and as a Democratic District Leader. Her top priorities are to increase state funding to the MTA and public schools, reform rent control laws around the major capital improvements and vacancy decontrol, protect LGBTQ rights, and pursue green energy projects. Ramos supports all of Citizens Union’s reform goals. The items she spoke of most strongly include repealing state Civil Rights Law, Section 50-a, establishing no-excuse absentee voting, limiting outside compensation and setting term limits for state offices, and closing the LLC loophole for campaign contributions. Ramos is critical of the state’s current campaign finance laws and supports reducing campaign contributions and establishing a public matching funds program for state campaigns. Citizens Union prefers Ramos in this race because of her deep support for good government reform, and the knowledge and energy with which she speaks about the issues important to her.

Jose Peralta – Dem
Candidate has returned a questionnaire
Age: 46
Occupation: New York State Senator Education: Queens College, B.A.

Jose Peralta was elected to the state Senate in 2010 in a special election and is currently seeking his fifth term. He was a member of the state Assembly for eight years prior to entering the Senate. His top priorities are to pass the DREAM Act, reestablish the school zone speed camera program in New York City, pass the Secure Wages Earned Against Theft Act, secure funding for public schools in his district, and support senior services. Peralta supports a large number of Citizens Union reforms but has reservations about making mayoral control of city schools permanent. In particular, Peralta supports transparency in the budget process and state spending, creating a public matching fund program for state campaigns, and reforming JCOPE. Citizens Union does not prefer Sen. Peralta because of the strength of his opponent, who offers a new perspective on many of the issues Peralta supports.