In the 61st State Senate District we have a choice on election day. Elaine Altman is running against incumbent Michael Ranzenhoffer. Ms. Altman is a teacher who understands that our state government is broken. She is an advocate for kids, teachers, and families who is committed to working for us to pass the Women’s Equality Act, fighting for property tax relief, ensuring that our schools receive their fair share of state funding, increasing the minimum wage, and implementing tax incentives for job creation. Elaine is a teacher with more than 20-years experience. She supports students, learning, and teachers without the increase in testing that we have seen with the implementation of Common Core. Elaine believes that current mandates take power away from local schools and she will fight to give that power back! She is very familiar with the inequities in state funding for our schools and how that affects everything from the academics of our students to funding for our local sports. She grew up working for her father in his small business and knows how important local business is for the economy, as well as how difficult an increase in minimum wage could be for such businesses. I have had the distinct pleasure to spend some time with her over the last few weeks and have found that she is very down to earth, intelligent, accessible, and present. She is not afraid to speak her mind and to stand up for what she believes in. One thing I have heard her say over and over is that “one size fits all approaches do not work”. She strongly feels that representing us is a full time job and pledges to treat it as such. Elaine is endorsed by NYSUT, Working Families, CWA, UFCW, UAW, NARAL, Empire State Pride Agenda, NYS AFL-CIO and RGV AFL-CIO, NALC, Local Teamsters 449, OPEIU local 153, Northern Regional Council of Carpenters, Amalgamated Transition Union Local Union 1342, Eleanor’s Legacy, and the New York State Democratic Committee as well as the Genesee County Democratic Committee. Instead of just talking about it on November 4th YOU have an opportunity to SUPPORT CHANGE by voting for Elaine Altman for State Senate!