The son of a longtime Common Council member is running for public office for the first time in a bid to succeed Assemblyman Sean Ryan in the 149th District against a Republican who lost handily when he ran for the seat in 2018.
Jonathan Rivera, 34, the son of Niagara Council Member David Rivera, calls himself ready and qualified for the job.
"I'm running because I've always had the drive to be of service to the community," said Rivera, who gained the endorsements of the Democratic, Independent and Working Families parties. "I feel like the challenge ahead of holding elective office in this era requires a certain kind of dedication and experience."
Joseph Totaro, 68, running as a Republican, is admittedly not putting up much of a fight: He has has done no campaigning and said he has no expectation of winning.
Totaro, a retired employee in the county's fleet department, said he is on the ballot to ensure voters have a choice.
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"It's hard to win when someone has three lines and you only have one," he said, referring to his opponent's advantage.
The district includes parts of Buffalo, Lackawanna and Hamburg.
Rivera cited his work as a former branch manager of a bank on the West Side and service in government positions. That includes his current job as special assistant to the commissioner in the Erie County Department of Public Works, where he is involved in personnel, administrative and budgeting issues and serves on the county's Covid-19 response team.
Rivera worked on an effort to ban microbeads from waterways several years ago while working for the county executive.
Rivera – whose father was a police officer before entering public service – took part in Black Lives Matter marches in Buffalo that targeted police abuse and racial injustice.
"I would say that in a way it's a long time coming," Rivera said. "We know people of color are disproportionately affected by how law enforcement carries out its duties, and we still have a long way to go."
If Rivera wins, he said he will proudly become the first person of Latino descent, west of New York City, to be a member of the State Assembly majority.
Totaro wants to establish term limits and repeal bail reform passed in the State Legislature earlier in the year.
Totaro would expand two-year Assembly terms to four years and limit office holders to two terms.
"I don't think someone should be in public office for 30 to 40 years," Totaro said.
He believes bail reform has resulted in too many criminals running free, though he asserted, without proof, that it is responsible for a surge in crime and shootings in Buffalo.
He also wants nursing homes, which have been off-limits or instituted restrictive visitation policies, reopened for families and loved ones, because he fears residents are dying from prolonged isolation.
Totaro isn't a supporter of the Black Lives Matter protests against police violence.
"My real opinion is all lives matter," he said. "It's not just Black lives matter. It's not just blue lives matter. All lives matter."
Mark Sommer covers preservation, development, the waterfront, culture and more. He's also a former arts editor at The News.
