Donna Lupardo is the incumbent Democratic candidate for New York State Assembly District 123. Lupardo has held various leadership positions in the assembly, including chair of the Agriculture Committee, and also serves on the Economic Development, Higher Education, Rules, Steering and Transportation committees. Lupardo co-chairs the NY Legislative Aviation Caucus and leads the Legislative Squadron of the NY Wing-Civil Air Patrol.
What motivated you to run for this position?
“I wanted to bring a new point of view to the team of elected officials who represented the area at the time. I was the first woman elected to the Assembly which obviously brought in a new dynamic. I was also focused on issues that were not being discussed when I first ran such as environmental contamination, health disparities and economic conversion.”
How does your background and previous experience make you a good candidate for this position?
“I moved to this community from Staten Island to attend graduate school. I then taught at [Binghamton University] for 10 years before spending 15 years working in community mental health education. I served one term on the [Broome] County Legislature and have represented the area in the assembly since 2005. I am a senior member of the assembly majority which is very beneficial to BU and the community at large.”
What do you believe are the biggest issues facing your district and how do you plan to approach them?
Certainly the high degree of poverty is an ongoing concern. After working for years to help rebuild the local economy and improve the overall quality of life, we have to make sure that no one is left behind. Also, as new industries are beginning to take root, such as battery manufacturing, workforce training and housing are emerging as centrally important issues.”
Many students and community members are concerned about the increasing prices of housing in the area as well as many reported infractions made by landlords. How do you plan to address housing?
“We need to address housing more comprehensively — to assess what is needed across the board, for all sectors and demographics. The lack of community-wide planning had resulted in abuses by absentee landlords, substandard houses for those with low income, few options for seniors who want to downsize and people with higher incomes who want to relocate their companies here. I plan to work with other leaders to convene a housing summit to discuss.”
Access to reproductive health care has been a big concern for many students and young people across the nation. What do you plan to do to address these concerns?
“I have consistently supported a woman’s right to choose. I supported the Reproductive Health Act of 2019 and voted for first passage of the Equal Rights Constitutional Amendment. My campaign is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, Family Planning of South-Central NY and Eleanor’s Legacy Foundation.”
What do you offer the students and youth of Broome County and why should they vote for you?
“I’ve spent my entire career focused on bringing new life to our local economy, in ways that will benefit everyone. I’ve directed substantial state resources to major developments at BU, raised issues of critical importance concerning climate change, equity, choice, childcare and more. I’ve also passed numerous pieces of legislation including ones that helped create the thriving craft beverage industry we now enjoy.”