Biweekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA ACROSS THE COUNTRY

SENATOR RIVERA JOINS US SENATOR MARKEY, REPRESENTATIVE KHANNA IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE-BASED UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT

Last week, Senator Rivera joined Congressman Ro Khanna of California and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts as they announced the introduction of their State-Based Universal Health Care Act (SBUHCA). The SBUHCA will allow states that have passed legislation creating a state-based, universal healthcare program to go into effect without federal red tape.

With the passage of the federal reconciliation bill depriving people of healthcare coverage, defunding healthcare institutions and programs, and making states responsible for a larger share of their healthcare spending, Senator Rivera strongly believes that this is the right time for this piece of legislation, which will support the implementation of the New York Health Act (S3425), his groundbreaking legislation to create a single-payer plan for New York residents and employees.

“I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in D.C. who have introduced a brilliant bill to enable states to establish universal healthcare systems with support from the federal government. I assure my fellow New Yorkers that we could establish a single payer system through the NY Health Act without a federal waiver, but the State-Based Universal Health Care Act would make that process far more seamless and ultimately, make healthcare more accessible and affordable and fix our broken healthcare system,” said Senator Rivera.

Watch a reel about this important announcement here.

SENATOR RIVERA ATTENDS NALEO'S 42ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE

This week, Senator Rivera attended the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. NALEO is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.



During the conference, Senator Rivera attended panels where issues that ranged from Medicaid's future to AI Regulations & Technology Developments, the current landscape of the Latino electorate, and Latino financial entrepreneurship among others, were discussed in the framework of their impact on our country's diverse Latino communities.

SENATOR RIVERA RELEASES STATEMENT ON CMS ANNOUNCEMENT TO DISCONTINUE CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT FOR CHILDREN COVERED BY MEDICAID AND CHIP PROGRAM

Last week, Senator Gustavo Rivera attended B.R.A.G's (Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence) Annual BBQ. B.R.A.G. is courageously addressing the gun violence epidemic in his district.

Anti-violence programs help young people make the right choices to keep all of our neighbors safer and Senator Rivera has proudly secured more than $500,000 dollars for B.R.A.G since 2020.  

MONDAY 7/28: HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SPRAY FOR ADULT MOSQUITOES IN PARTS OF THE BRONX AND STATEN ISLAND TO REDUCE RISK OF WEST NILE VIRUS

Partnerships for Parks - Budgeting 101 with TD Bank

 

Budgeting 101 for Grassroots Groups with TD Bank

Are you part of a grassroots organization receiving grants or donations? Wondering how to manage your funds? There’s still time to register for our popular workshop with financial experts from TD Bank.

TD Bank will walk through the basics of budgeting for small nonprofits and community-based organizations and review group budgets one-on-one. Don’t miss this chance to learn budgeting basics, planning tips, and personalized pointers from the experts at TD Bank. Dinner will be provided!

This workshop will occur in person. However, virtual attendees are welcome to join from 6-6:45 p.m. via Zoom for the initial presentation. From 6:45-7:30 p.m., only in-person attendees can participate in the budget review. You will receive information on how to attend the workshop once you register.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 6-7:30 p.m. 

REGISTER NOW

Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people and organizations with the skills and tools needed to ensure these spaces are dynamic community assets.

QUEENS MAN INDICTED IN STABBING DEATH OF WIFE AND TODDLER IN FAMILY’S RIDGEWOOD HOME

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Ernesto Cruz was arraigned on an indictment charging him with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and weapon possession for the stabbing deaths of his wife, Ana Alexandra Pilatagsi Moposita, and the couple’s 2-year-old daughter. The victim and her daughter were each stabbed numerous times in the torso inside their Ridgewood home. The defendant then allegedly stabbed himself in an apparent suicide attempt.

District Attorney Katz said: “New York City mourns the 2-year-old child and mother who were stabbed to death in their own home. The defendant stands accused of killing them before trying to take his own life in a devastating case of domestic violence. I urge anyone who is made to feel unsafe in their own home to reach out. The prosecutors in my office work closely with our service provider partners who can help with safety planning. My thoughts are with the loved ones affected by this loss.”

Cruz, 54, of Forest Avenue in Ridgewood, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder in the first degree, two counts of murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Queens Criminal Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court on October 16. If convicted, Cruz faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the investigation and indictment, on July 19, 2025, at approximately 7:15 p.m., NYPD officers responded to an apartment on Forest Avenue in Ridgewood on a report of an assault in progress. They found Ana Alexandra Pilatagsi Moposita, 41, and her daughter, 2-year-old Analiz Cruz Pilatagsi, bleeding and unresponsive. Both had been stabbed multiple times.

The victims were taken to area hospitals where they were pronounced deceased.

Cruz had stab wounds to his chest and a cut on his wrist. He was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery.

Assistant District Attorney Ryan Nicolosi of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Veronika Podoprigora under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross and Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.

ICE Arrests Criminal Illegal Alien Accused of Stalking a Mother

“Day-in and day-out, our brave ICE agents are nabbing creeps who shouldn’t be in our country in the first place.”- Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the arrest of a criminal illegal alien with a history of violent offenses including assault, accused of stalking a mother and U.S. government official, and two convictions for driving while intoxicated.  

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating this criminal illegal alien after a U.S. government official contacted the agency that she feared she was being stalked. The government official, whose name will remain undisclosed for her protection, was fearful for her family’s safety, including her child’s safety.  

During the investigation, HSI identified the suspected stalker as Jose Madrid Reyes, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador. His criminal record stretches back nearly two decades. 

His rap sheet includes: 

• On August 9, 2006, the Prince William County General District Court in Manassas, VA convicted Madrid of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).
• On May 19, 2017, the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in Fairfax, VA convicted Madrid of Misdemeanor Assault on Family Member.
• On September 13, 2019, the Fairfax County General District Court in Fairfax, VA convicted Madrid of DWI.  

On July 12, 2025, ICE arrested Jose Madrid Reyes. Despite being ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2022 and denied permanent legal status in 2024, Madrid Reyes remained in the United States illegally.

“Day-in and day-out, our brave ICE agents are nabbing creeps who shouldn’t be in our country in the first place. On July 12, ICE arrested Jose Madrid Reyes—a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador—who was suspected of stalking a U.S. federal official. We will not allow these predators to terrorize American citizens,” said Assistant Secretary McLaughlin. “Despite facing an 830% increase in assaults against them, ICE law enforcement is keeping Americans safe from criminal illegal aliens and sending these slimeballs back to their home countries.” 

Madrid Reyes will remain in ICE Custody pending his deportation, which is expected within the coming days.  

ICE encourages the public to report crimes or suspicious activity by contacting the ICE tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or visiting www.ice.gov.  

Governor Hochul Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Hamburg’s “Blast On The Beach”

Governor Hochul: “I always take the lessons I learned of public service working with so many of you all the way to corridors of our Capital in Albany, and can't tell you how many times I referenced when I was on the Town Board, we did it this way when I was on the Town Board, we listened to the people when I was on the Town Board. They get tired of it, but it was a profoundly defining experience for me, and I'm so proud that I was able to be a Council Member for 14 years. I loved every minute of it. And to be able to create something like this and have it endure for a quarter of a century makes me prouder than you can ever believe.”

Hochul: “The reason this meant so much to me was because it symbolized community, and that's one of the reasons I'm so proud that my 3-year-old granddaughter has joined us. Her first big event, my son Will, and New York's first ever first gentleman is my husband Bill, because I wanted her to see where I come from, where we come from, and how it so dramatically affected my life going forward.”

This is actually more emotional than I thought it would be. It was 25 years ago when an extraordinary Town Board worked as cohesively as you've ever seen in government. And I'm joined by many of them. Jim Connolly, probably the Highway Superintendent at the time — former Town Board Member. Joan Kesner is here. Mark Cavalcoli has joined us. Tom Quatroche would be here, but he is out visiting his son in LA — I gave a pass for that. But also Cathy Rybczynski, who was our Town Clerk at the time, this was the dream team of elected officials, but we were always buoyed by outstanding public servants. And I want to give a special recognition to Rosemary McManus, who was the brainchild of so much of what we did in our community to bring people together.

And there are so many others who are no longer with us. I think of George Lee, the former Deputy Mayor of Blasdell, was part of our committee, but we pulled together a group of people — and what are we going to call it? The Town Rejuvenation Project was an idea that came forward, and I cannot tell you what it meant to me to see so many people 25 years later still proudly wearing the same name in the T-shirts that brought us here today, but many other projects.

This event was supposed to be one year, it was to celebrate the millennial, year 2000, right? And then we did it. Rosemary, we're good. We did a lot of work. Great. We'll see you next millennial. But everybody said what about next year and next year? And it became one of those traditions, and I could not be prouder here today. We've had a lot of ups and downs — even with this event. I'll never forget one of the early years where we were like, where are the guys with the fireworks? Shouldn’t they be setting up about now? We were doing fireworks. We advertised fireworks. Where's the fireworks? Get a phone call. Fireworks guy, I'm in Hamburg. I don't know where you are. He goes, I'm at the Chevron station. What Chevron? What are you talking about? He goes, “I can't find you.” He turns out he was in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, which is near Philadelphia. So, he hightailed it up here. He made it. We went off a little bit late. We're all out there, probably not legally, but planting fireworks in the ground because the show must go on. And that's just one example of what it meant to me to get this to be a celebration so our community could come together.

And we found so many different ways, whether it's for the little kids to come for their very first community gathering. What I loved was the teenagers on the beach. We had them dancing and having a great time. And the senior citizens who could sit on the hill with a hot dog and watch the sunset. The reason this meant so much to me was because it symbolized community, and that's one of the reasons I'm so proud that my 3-year-old granddaughter has joined us. Her first big event, my son Will, and New York's first ever First Gentleman is my husband Bill, because I wanted her to see where I come from, where we come from, and how it so dramatically affected my life going forward.

I always take the lessons I learned of public service working with so many of you all the way to corridors of our Capital in Albany, and can't tell you how many times I referenced when I was on the Town Board, we did it this way when I was on the Town Board, we listened to the people when I was on the Town Board. They get tired of it, but it was a profoundly defining experience for me, and I'm so proud that I was able to be a Council Member for 14 years. I loved every minute of it. And to be able to create something like this and have it endure for a quarter of a century makes me prouder than you can ever believe.

So, thank you everyone for the warm homecoming today. And with that, I want to present a proclamation in honor of 25 years, and my team writes really long proclamations. Rosemary used to write proclamations for us — a little bit shorter. 25th Anniversary of Hamburg’s “Blast on the Beach.” And you have a nice long proclamation, anybody here want me to read this? I didn't think so. Okay. Alright. You can all read it in a few minutes, but I want to present this to you and I'd love for my former elected officials from the Town Board and Rosemary to join us here as we present this to the supervisor, Cathy Rybczynski.

Attorney General James Calls for Immediate and Unrestricted Humanitarian Aid to Enter Gaza

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James together with a coalition of elected officials released the following statement: 

“We are a coalition of multiracial, multiethnic, and multifaith elected officials writing today out of urgent moral necessity. Our communities span diverse histories, traditions, and beliefs, but we are united in a shared commitment to human dignity and justice. And we are united in this moment by both condemning the October 7th massacre perpetrated by Hamas and an unavoidable truth: a famine is unfolding in Gaza before the eyes of the world.  

“There is no denying it—we are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe. Gaza is in the grip of starvation. Palestinian children are dying from hunger and preventable disease. Entire communities have been displaced, infrastructure has been decimated, and aid remains restricted or delayed. The scale of suffering is staggering.   

“We urge a lasting diplomatic solution that permits sustained, unrestricted humanitarian aid to reach all those in need. The delivery of food, medicine, and essential resources must not be contingent on political negotiations, restricted by logistical blockades, or held by lack of cooperation. Children are not combatants and human life cannot be collateral.  

“At the same time, we join the call for the immediate and safe return of all hostages. The anguish experienced by their families is heartbreaking, and we grieve for all who continue to live with fear and uncertainty.  

“There is no military solution to this crisis. Only diplomacy can prevent further loss of life. Only peace can end this cycle of devastation.  

“We know that this conflict is complex. But compassion is not. The suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, the fear in Israel, and the grief in families across the region all speak to a common truth: every life is sacred. Every child deserves a future. And we, as people of conscience, have a duty to act.  

“We urge our fellow Americans to speak out, to support relief efforts, and to demand that our leaders use every tool of diplomacy to end this crisis. History will remember what we did, or failed to do, in this moment.” 

Joining Attorney General James in releasing the statement are:

U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler

U.S. Representative Pat Ryan

U.S. Representative Paul Tonko

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger

Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey

Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan

Albany Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs 

State Senator Jabari Brisport

State Senator Siela Bynoe

State Senator Patricia Fahy 

State Senator Nathalia Fernandez

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez

State Senator Andrew Gounardes

State Senator Michelle Hinchey

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal

State Senator Robert Jackson

State Senator Liz Krueger

State Senator John Liu

State Senator Rachel May

State Senator Shelley Mayer

State Senator Sean Ryan

State Senator Julia Salazar

State Senator Luis Sepulveda

State Senator James Skoufis

Deputy Assembly Speaker Phil Ramos

Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson

Assemblymember Charles Fall

Assemblymember Emily Gallagher

Assemblymember Deborah Glick

Assemblymember Charles Lavine

Assemblymember Grace Lee

Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, RPh 

Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes

Assemblymember Kwani O’Pharrow

Assemblymember Karines Reyes

Assemblymember Gabriella Romero

Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal

Assemblymember Nader Sayegh

Assemblymember Amanda Septimo

Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha 

Assemblymember Michaelle Solages

Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest

Assemblymember Phil Steck

Assemblymember Al Stirpe

Assemblymember Emérita Torres

Assemblymember Claire Valdez 

New York City Council Majority Leader Amanda Farías

New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés

New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher

New York City Councilmember Justin Brannan

New York City Councilmember Tiffany Cabán

New York City Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa

New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif

New York City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan

New York City Councilmember Lincoln Restler

New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera

New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam 

Dutchess County Legislator Kristofer Munn

Dutchess County Legislator Yvette Valdés Smith

Orange County Legislator Genesis Ramos

Oswego County Legislator Marie Schadt 

Ulster County Legislator Abe Uchitelle

Ithaca Common Councilmember Kayla Matos

Kingston Common Councilmember Michele Hirsch 

Kingston Common Councilmember Michael Tierney

Newburgh City Councilmember Giselle Martinez 

Office of the New York State Comptroller Dinapoli - Audit Finds Fixes Needed in NYC High School Matching Process

Audit Finds Fixes Needed in NYC High School Matching Process

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) needs to do more to ensure students are matched to high schools in line with existing regulations, according to an audit released by Comptroller DiNapoli. The audit found that NYCPS did not always follow required placement policies, which set how certain groups of students should be prioritized. 

“Thousands of New York City students rely on a fair and transparent system to get into the high school programs that fit their needs and to give them the best opportunity for a bright future,” said DiNapoli. “My office’s audit found that the city’s process is overlooking some students who face economic hardship. The system needs to be more consistent and transparent to ensure every student is matched according to the placement rules.” 

Read More

Comptroller DiNapoli Discusses Impact of Federal Cuts on New York

Comptroller DiNapoli joined Darcy Wells on the AFL-CIO’s Union Strong podcast to discuss how the recently passed federal legislation will impact New Yorkers in the areas of health care, education, food programs, and more. He also promoted the many ways New Yorkers can find their lost money through the Office of Unclaimed Funds.

Watch Podcast

Former Essex County Fair Treasurer and Willsboro Town Clerk Ordered to Pay Full Restitution

Comptroller DiNapoli, Franklin County District Attorney Elizabeth Crawford, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced that the former treasurer of the Essex County Agricultural Society and former Willsboro town clerk/tax collector, was sentenced to serve five years probation and ordered to pay full restitution of nearly $90,000 after her conviction by guilty plea.

Read More

MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL AUDITS

• Remsenburg-Speonk Union Free School District – Financial Management
• Center Moriches Union Free School District – Payroll
• Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services – State Aid
• Hyde Park Fire and Water District – Procurement
• Town of Spencer – Disbursements
• Roosevelt Fire District – Length of Service Award Program
• Pine Plains Central School District – Lead Testing and Reporting
• York Central School District – Lead Testing and Reporting
• Greenwood Lake Union Free School District – Audit Follow-Up
• Port Jervis City School District – Audit Follow-Up

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• NYS Comptroller, wine in grocery stores
• A perfect budget storm
• New York spent $1.3B on overtime in 2024: Which agencies spent the most?
• State’s adult care facility lacks oversight — state comptroller finding
• NYC school placement system fails to prioritize disadvantaged students, audit finds

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