Laura J. Burns

LAURA J. BURNS

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Burns, 52, of Rockville Centre, writes young adult novels. She lost the 2019 bid for the seat. She is also on the Working Families and Common Sense party lines.
• She helped establish one of the nation’s largest gun violence prevention groups, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, after the Sandy Hook school massacre.
• The Barnard College graduate serves as co-president of the Rockville Centre PTA Council and board member of the fundraising arm for Rockville Centre’s Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

ISSUES:

• Burns cites fiscal health and holding the line on taxes as top priorities. She pledged to vote for what’s good instead of along party lines. She said political outsiders like her are needed to counter the Republican "entrenched" machine that did "nothing" on long-standing problems like property assessment.
• She plans to set up roving office hours in parks, stores and other neighborhood spots and monthly town halls. She believes grants available to the district are not fully tapped and equally distributed to communities, saying she envisions such aid for bike paths, broadband and downtown revitalization.
• Burns said she would invest in public safety, partly by promoting community policing programs, such as the Police Athletic League, because they build trust.