New York State's Most Influential Latinos?

By Angelo Falcón

The NiLP Report

The role of state government is increasingly important in determining public policies affecting the Latino community. In New York, the Latino community sends 16 of their own to serve in the State Legislature, making up 8 percent of the total. The Latino presence among state government workers if about 5 percent. However, regarding the state's population, Latinos make up 19 percent of the total, indicating a major representational gap for this community for state government.

City & State Magazine issues a respected annual listing of the top 100 individuals they consider to be the most influential in Albany. This year's list only includes 5 Latinos (5 percent of the total). Given the substantial representational gap that exists for Latinos regarding the State Legislature and state government employment, it is not surprising that such a small number of Latinos are viewed as influential at the state level.

The Latinos most influential identified (number 10 in the overall ranking) is Robert Mujica, an Ecuadoran from Queens, who recently became the State Budget Director. He is a Republican and, given the recency of his appointment, made the list simply by virtue of occupying this important position under the Governor. He was followed by Betty Rosa (36 in the overall ranking), who was recently elected as Chancellor of the Board of Regents. Again, her listing was probably more as a result of the position she now holds on this important panel. In both cases, their influence flows from the positions they hold and since both are recent it will be interesting to see if they make the list next year. At this point, all that can be said is that they are potentially influential.

The third most influential Latino statewide. According to City & State, is Ruben Diaz, Jr., the Bronx Borough President (who is 37 on the overall list). This is the result of his growing closeness to the Governor and increasing signs that he is thinking of challenging Bill de Blasio as NYC Mayor. He is followed by Hector Figueroa as the fourth most influential Latinos in the state (48th on the overall list), who is President of the union, SEIU 32BJ, making him the highest ranking Latino labor leader in the state. He has been in the forefront of major statewide campaigns for the $15 minimum wage and organizing airport workers.

The last Latino on the list is Marcos Crespo, an Assemblyman and Chairman of the Bronx Democratic Committee (72 on the overall list). This relative low positioning of Crespo on this list is surprising given the positions he holds. Not only does he head up the Bronx Democratic machine, which he inherited from the current Assembly Speaker, Carl Heastie, but he is also the Chair of the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Legislative Task Force (which oversees Somos El Futuro). The perception appears to be that he has not fully realized the potential power these entities possess.

This year for the first time, City & State also provided a list of those they "delisted" or taken off the list from the previous year. There were two delisted Latinos: Assemblyman Francisco Moya from Queens (who was 68 on last year's list)and lobbyist Toñio Burgos (who was 75 on last year's list).

Here are the descriptions provided by City & State for the most influential Latinos in New York State that they selected this year (along with their ranking on the overall list of 100):

10. Robert Mujica

New York State Budget Director

On last year's list, we pointed to reports that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration was trying to poach the veteran Senate Republican staffer as a reason to bump him up a few spots. Well, the rumors came true. Cuomo tapped him to be his new budget director late last year, and in this year's negotiations, Mujica found himself on the other side of the table.

By all accounts, he seemed to take to the new role well. With much of the logjam surrounding the budget negotiations centered around conflicts between Cuomo and the Republican-controlled state Senate, Mujica's nearly 20-­year history with the GOP conference was invaluable in reaching an agreement where all sides could walk away happy.

The respect he commands across the aisle, and his vast experience negotiating legislation is sure to make him an integral player in the upcoming end­-of­session rush, where the passage of dozens of bills often hinges on the ability of internal staff to think fast and nimbly navigate closed­-door negotiations.

36. Betty Rosa

Chancellor, Board of Regents

Rosa's successful election to chancellor of the state Board of Regents heralds a significant shift in the state's education policies. Unlike her predecessor, Rosa is a Common Core critic and has even proposed making permanent the moratorium on using the state tests as a factor in teacher evaluations. Rosa, a former New York City principal, and superintendent has a much more collaborative relationship with the state teachers union, and will be sure to play a major part in the future of New York education.

37. Ruben Diaz Jr.

Bronx Borough President

Díaz has become a go­to Democrat for politicians like Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Hillary Clinton on urban and Latino matters. The Bronx borough president also has a knack for distancing himself from people whose political stock is diminishing, like New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Thanks to his years of service in the Assembly, he knows how the state Legislature works. This has helped him maintain good relationships with members of that body. Of course, it has also helped that he and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have been friends and political allies for a long time.

48. Hector Figueroa

President, SEIU 32BJ

As the head of one of the state's largest private sector unions, Figueroa can mobilize his membership at a moment's notice behind any number of causes as he did during the legislative session to help win an increase in the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour. Figueroa's latest victory was organizing airline workers at JFK and LaGuardia airports to begin bargaining for their first-­ever union contract after a series of strikes.

72. Marcos Crespo

Chairman, Bronx County Democratic Party

As one of the youngest members of the Assembly, Crespo is still learning his way around New York state politics. Judging by some of the initial results, his greatest asset appears to be his ability to listen, while standing his ground when he believes he's right. He appears to be growing into his role as chairman of the Assembly and Senate Puerto Rican and Hispanic Task Force, and his independence and clout as the Bronx Democratic Party chairman are still developing. Work in progress, for sure.

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