April 8, 2020
Statement From Leslie Danks Burke, on the passage of the New York State budget last week:
“We’re in the midst of an unprecedented health crisis, and the state budget passed last week is not perfect but we must make sure that our schools are funded and our communities get the help they need,” said Danks Burke. “I’m appalled that my opponent, Tom O’Mara, wanted to play politics in a pandemic, stall the budget, kick the can down the road, and ultimately voted against capital projects, school funding, and healthcare. He’s punting and complaining instead of getting the job done, and we need a real seat at the table.”
“The reality is, our region has been conditioned to settle for lazy representation, with our State Senator unable to deliver under either a Republican or a Democratic majority. The state is plunging into a recession, and we’re in the part of the state that never came out of the last one. It’s time for serious leadership in the state legislature that will step up and fight for us,” Danks Burke concluded.
Leslie Danks Burke is an attorney and a longtime advocate for education, healthcare, and rural economic development. She is the daughter of farmers and a mother who, together with her husband, is raising two children in this community. A Democrat, she previously ran for State Senate in the 58th in 2016, outraising O’Mara by over $200,000 and receiving more voter support from outside her party than any other challenger to a sitting incumbent that year — on either side. Since 2016, Danks Burke has remained a powerful advocate for local community engagement and honest government.
