The Sullivan County Democrat recently interviewed incumbent NYS Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther who is running unopposed in New York's 100th Assembly District, which covers most of Sullivan County.

Gunther is running on the Democratic, Working Families and Independence party lines. Here are her responses to our Q & A.

Q: For our readers who may not know a lot about you, refresh their memory on where you grew up and your professional career before you were a NYS assemblyperson.

A: I was born in the Bronx to Theresa and Eugene Malone. I have two brothers and one sister. I loved jump rope, stick ball, and I could throw a football as good as any boy. I guess you could say I was a bit of a devil. My dad was a NYC police officer.

When NYC police officers were allowed to move out of the city we did. We moved to Greenwood Lake. I attended John S. Burke Catholic High School and from there became a nurse. I married my husband Jacob Gunther, and have three wonderful children. I reside in Forestburgh, and I love it. I ran for my husband's seat in the NYS Assembly after his passing. It has been an honor to work hard for the people I serve ever since.

Q: Reflecting on your many terms as assemblyperson, what are some of the things you're most proud of accomplishing?

A: Before the pandemic hit, Sullivan County was making real economic strides. Resorts World Casino brought more than one thousand jobs, The Kartrite was a huge success, and so many more small businesses opened up all over the county. Making Sullivan County attractive for businesses is a collaborative effort. It takes working together with our partners on the state and local levels to ensure that businesses not only can survive, but can truly thrive in our area. We need to continue those efforts as we recover from the effects of COVID-19.

Serving as Chair of the Assembly Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee is a tremendous honor. Over the past few years, we have fought for increased wages for direct support professionals (DSPs) and more funding for supports and services. DSPs work long hours and go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the people they take care of live happy and healthy lives. Mental health and developmental disability service providers are some of the largest employers in our area. More investment means more resources coming back to our community.

Q: What has been your takeaway from meeting with constituents specifically in Sullivan County? What is going well and what does the region need help with?

A: The biggest thing I hear is people wondering why, after so many years, can we still not get universal broadband in Sullivan County. It's outrageous and it's something I'm fighting for every day. This state has given billions away to Spectrum and other internet providers and we've seen download speeds and reliability getting better in cities but almost nothing for our rural areas. The lack of broadband has always stymied economic growth in Sullivan County, but now with the pandemic, it's dangerous.

Our children can't get the education they need and deserve. Our health professionals can't get the bandwidth they need to provide telehealth services to those in hard to reach areas. At a time when more and more people are working from home and moving out of the cities, the lack of broadband is hindering our ability to expand our tax base.

Q: If re-elected, what are the three issues you look to address?

A: The pandemic has shown that broadband is not a luxury, it's a necessity. New York needs to encourage locally-driven, community-based broadband services. We don't have to look far to see this type of project succeed. Vermont, a state with a lower population density than Sullivan County, has shown that rural areas can be provided with access to affordable quality internet.

The economic ramifications of COVID-19 have exposed immense disparities in how we fund local governments across the state. School districts have been threatened with a 20% reduction in state funding. For higher need, sparsely populated areas such as ours, these cuts would be devastating. Other areas of the state can increase their property tax burden to avoid cuts. That's not possible in Sullivan County. Our effective property tax rates can be as much as 15 times those of higher wealth areas on Long Island. We need a property tax circuit breaker that allows communities to avoid service cuts, while ensuring lower income seniors aren't forced from their homes.

Access to healthcare has never been more imperative. I will continue to work with our representatives on the federal level to ensure that reductions in state revenue due to COVID-19 do not lead to reductions in healthcare services for our community.

Q: Why are you the best person for the job?

A: I believe one of the most important aspects of my job is to listen to the people I represent. I am always available to discuss any issue that a constituent may have, and I work hard to ensure our community gets the resources it needs. When you love what you do, and the people you work with, it is not a job, it becomes a passion.