Friday, December 6, 2024
Although Noah Burroughs has strong ties to his Hempstead community—serving as a village trustee since 2022 and a teacher for 20 years—he claims that his top priority during his campaign for the 18th Assembly District seat is to address the individual needs of the district's diverse communities. If elected, he plans to maintain open lines of communication to ensure that constituents' needs are met.
“Every district, every town, hamlet, they're all going to be different,” said Burroughs, 47. “So everyone’s going to have a different need must discuss to figure out how to correct those issues.”
As a trustee, Burroughs advocated for water quality infrastructure reform due to elevated levels of 1,4 dioxane in the local water supply. He and the board also worked on revitalizing green spaces, such as adding bathrooms and athletic facilities in Mirschel Park, demonstrating his ability to effect change.
As an educator, Burroughs is aware of the growing concerns over school safety in the face of recent violence threats in the assembly district.
“Every school is going to have safety concerns based on the climate and culture,” he said.
Burroughs praised local school districts like Uniondale for their developments but emphasized that others, like Hempstead, require more support to continue improving. He highlighted specific concerns, such as transportation issues during flooding in Freeport and the impact of charter schools in Hempstead and Uniondale. He said he is committed to being an “open-door elected official” to facilitate communication with school districts.
“Every district has different needs that must to be catered to,” he said. “It’s up to me, as well as the superintendents, to figure out what those needs are and how to address them.”
On the issue of rising cost of housing on Long Island, Burroughs identified steep down payments and high mortgage interest rates as significant barriers for families. He said he supports Democrat Laura Gillen who is running in the 4th Congressional District, and who has pledged to make Nassau County a more affordable place for families if she is elected. Burroughs added that he and Gillen share similar values concerning homeownership challenges.
“These are things we can discuss,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out lower interest rates, but strong relationships with people like her, as well as Hakeem Jeffries, are crucial for addressing these issues at the federal level.”
Another focus for Burroughs is increasing the number of restaurants and businesses in the district. He suggested offering tax breaks to incentivize businesses to open locally, which could help reduce the tax burden on homeowners. He also emphasized the importance of engaging with the community throughout the business development process to ensure that projects align with local needs.
For constituents in District 18, Burroughs believes voting for candidates who will advocate for their interests should be a priority. “I tell the people in those communities that it’s not up to me to handle it; it’s up to us to handle it,” he said. “And how do you do that? You do that by your direct elections.”
