Patch Candidate Profile: Burns Seeks Seat On Orangetown Town Council

PEARL RIVER, NY — Election season 2023 election is here and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Brian Burns is among four people vying for two seats on the Town Council in Orangetown; also running are Chrissy Knapp, Jerry Bottari and Paul W. Valentine.

A teacher, he served for nine years in the Army National Guard. He is a member of the Orangetown Shade Tree Commission and the Orangetown Democratic Committee. He has degrees in music from the University of Delaware, University of Northern Colorado and University of Oklahoma. The 46-year-old lives in Pearl River with his wife and son.

Patch: Why are you seeking this office?

Burns: I’m running for Town Board because I believe strongly that diversity of thought is essential to good governance. With single party rule, such as Orangetown now has, there isn’t any real debate about anything. Even a single Board Member representing a different part will require more public debate and greater accountability. Also, we need more diversity of professional background. As a lifelong educator, I bring a different point of view to government and its purpose of service.

Patch: What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

Burns: I disagree with my opponents on zoning. I believe that variances should be few, far-between, and highly beneficial to our quality of life.

I disagree with my opponents on salary for elected officials, believing that no elected body should be able to vote its own raises, especially at the significant increases we’ve seen in recent years. Elected officials’ salary adjustments should be tied to cost of living and be adjusted only in relation to that index.

I disagree with my opponents’ decision to remove language regarding environmental stewardship from the town’s Comprehensive Plan. Our river villages, in particular, will have to deal with the brunt of environmental issues in the next decades; Town Board should be in the vanguard of working to keep Piermont and Nyack above water.

Patch: What is the single most pressing issue facing your constituents and what do you intend to do about it?

Burns: The most pressing issue facing Town Board is the lack of transparency in governance caused by single-party rule. Free, healthy debate leads to successful compromise and greater accountability. When one party is completely in charge, there is an illusion of agreement that doesn’t really serve all of our constituents.

Patch: How would you address the affordable housing issue in the community?

Burns: One of the first ways to address affordable housing is to be careful with tax burden. While taxes are necessary to the running of the Town, we are very close to pricing out any new families who want to live in Orangetown and need to think strategically about increasing revenue without increasing tax burden on individual families. Tourism, the film office, a healthy and thriving small business economy, and ensuring sweetheart tax breaks for larger business partners are more carefully planned would all assist in this area.

Patch: How would you protect the drinking water in the community?

Burns: One of the reasons I was so concerned with the current Town Board’s slashing of environmental concerns from the Comprehensive Plan is that I worry a great deal about our water, particularly in Veolia-served areas of town. I think moving back toward a municipal water plan would help ensure quality of water. Local people running a local, public utility are likely to have the best interests of their families at heart. I’m not convinced a multinational conglomerate does.

Patch: What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Burns: Ensuring South Nyack receives services as a full constituent hamlet of Orangetown. Caring for, and if possible increasing, available parkland and open space, including trails and camping areas. Care for veterans - ensuring that our local veterans are served by the town, the county, and the state. Continuing to bring visibility to the invisible issues suffered by our combat arms veterans.

Patch: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Burns: My life as an educator and conductor has prepared me as a leader, allowing me to work with people from all walks of life and from almost every imaginable background. I’ve learned that leadership is service, it is psychology, and it is community building. I have developed a capacity to work well with people from those numerous backgrounds, even those with whom I disagree, and have become comfortable with civil disagreement. As evidence of this, I point to leadership positions I have held in everything from the military to the stage.

My academic background is also an asset to potential public service, as I am well versed in the use of evidence to support claims and will be driven by factual information as well as ethical belief.

Patch: What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Burns: My father once told me that I didn’t need to wait for Valentine’s Day or my anniversary to get my wife flowers ... that I could do it any time because I love her all the time! I took that to mean, more broadly, that consistent actions demonstrate priorities. The holidays are wonderful, but life is lived every day.

Patch: Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Burns: Finally, I’d like voters to know that I will genuinely listen to and consider multiple sides of issues.

I believe firmly that the overwhelming majority of people want what’s best for our community, and that we can work together to find common ground through common courtesy and open communication. I’d like to thank everyone who has been so supportive of my campaign!