Is Janet Burman a sacrificial lamb or a serious political candidate? You decide.
On June 14 on the front lawn of her big, white-columned James Street home, Janet Berl Burman formally announced her intention to unseat state Sen. Dave Valesky in the November election.
Valesky represents the state’s 53rd District, which includes Liverpool.
Burman, 63, is the former chairwoman of the Syracuse Republican Committee, an economist and writer. She has previously run unsuccessfully for Syracuse Common Council, Onondaga County Legislature and Congress.
And this will be her second stab at the state Senate. In 1998, she challenged then-incumbent Nancy Laraine Hoffmann in the 48th District, but Hoffmann buried her by earning 66 percent of the vote.
At her June 14 announcement, Burman candidly admitted that she’s far more fam9iliar with the issues facing the city of Syracuse, although the sprawling 53rd District also includes all of Madison County and the towns of Salina and Cicero. To solidify her non-urban bona fides, Salina Town Supervisor Mark Nicotra and Salina GOP Chairman John Niestemski attended her announcement along with Cicero GOP leader Jim Corl Sr.
Burman leveled several criticisms at state government, which she blamed for failing to stem rising poverty statistics locally while granting undeserved property tax relief to questionable developers. An alumna of the Carnegie Mellon University public affairs Ph.D. program, Burman worked from 1999 to 2008 as district administrator of the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board from 1999 to 2008.
She will become the first Republican to run against Valesky since 2010, when he defeated pianist Andrew Russo by some 4,000 votes. Valesky ran unopposed in the past three elections after joining the Independent Democratic Conference, a group of eight Democrats forming a coalition with Republicans who have long controlled the state Senate. That coalition dissolved in April.
Is Janet Burman a sacrificial lamb or a serious political candidate?
I suggest local Republicans stock up on mint jelly.
Valesky here July 2
By the way, Sen. Dave Valesky is sponsoring the Liverpool Community Concert Band concert at Johnson Park at 7 p.m. Monday, July 2. If we’re lucky we may even get a chance to hear him sing. I’m serious.
BASCOL still basking
I remember the first time I heard about BASCOL back around 1995. My 7-year-old stepdaughter attended and regularly sang its praises. But what was it?
We always just called it BASCOL, rhyming with rascal.
When I asked Lizzy what the six letters stood for, she just shrugged.
Turns out to be an unmanageable mouthful: Before and After School Care on Location. It’s so much quicker and easier to simply say “BASCOL.”
Anyhow, BASCOL has been faithfully serving families with students in grades K-6 in the Liverpool area for the past 26 years. It makes its programs available whenever school is not in session including vacation days, snow days and early dismissals. Full-day programs are conducted in Liverpool, Central Square and Syracuse.
Those programs allow parents to work their day jobs without having to worry about how the kids are dealing with down time.
Summer escape
In fact, BASCOL promises a fun and nurturing environment with plenty of recreational activity while conducting core programs in art, drama, phys-ed, nutrition, literacy and science.
The programs are now offered at 19 locations even extending northward into Oswego County. Staff members boast backgrounds in education as well as First-Aid and CPR certification.
BASCOL’s current executive director is Candace Edwards and its board president is Susan Inman.
LEGO-mania will be the focus of an Ultimate Summer Escape now being planned by BASCOL for June 25 through Aug. 29, at St. Ann’s Church, 4471 Onondaga Blvd., in Syracuse; for info, call (315) 622-4815; or visit bascol.org.
Dan Elliott still rocks
A professional rock vocalist for more than a half-century, Dan Elliott honed his chops here in the 1960s with local combos such as the Dimensions, Wilkes-Bury Brigade and the Livin’ Ennd. After recording a single in 1966 with his band The Monterays, the band’s manager — Syracuse disc jockey Dandy Dan Leonard — landed the group a gig opening for The Beach Boys at the Onondaga County War Memorial.
Since that early triumph at age 16, Elliott has lent his talents to The Belmonts, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and has renewed his relationship to The Monterays.
This Friday, June 22, Elliott will host a Rock and Roll Dinner Dance Party at Bella Domani on West Taft Road, in North Syracuse. For reservations, call Zenetta at (315) 472-0222.
Last word
“Our economic opportunities are limited here because of how New York state conducts its business.” — State Senate candidate Janet Burman.
The columnist can be reached at [email protected].
