Elinore Goldberg

Democrat

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 95
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired
Education: BA from University of Conn.; Fellowship at JFK School of Government, Harvard
Family: Married
Hometown: Hope

Political experience

I have no direct political experience but have been a voice for children and families at the legislature and with our Congressional delegation over my 17 year career as the president and CEO of the Maine Children’s Alliance.

Why are you running for office?

I decided to run for a House seat because I believe that I can make a difference. I believe state government is going in the wrong direction by reducing services to young children, not investing in alternative energy, not expanding health care to the thousands who are not currently eligible and not supporting the minimum policies that would actually advance economic development.
I’ve been an advocate for Maine’s children and families all my adult life and decided that it was time to advocate for my community in Augusta.

• Income Tax: Gov. LePage would like to lower Maine’s income tax rate and eventually eliminate it, by increasing the state’s sales tax and expanding it across a broader range of goods and services. Do you support this proposal?
  • Other

    I do think the sales tax should be expanded to tax services, but that increase in revenue should support a return to 5% of the general fund for revenue sharing, reintroduction of the circuit breaker and increased support for General Purpose Aid to education. This should not reduce the income tax, but should reduce the burden of property taxes for those on a fixed income or with insufficient income to afford the continuous increase in their property tax burden that has been exacerbated by the cuts of the last few years in revenue sharing and elimination of the circuit breaker.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • Yes

    I support the 2nd Amendment and the right for all Mainers to own guns to hunt and to protect themselves and their families. I agree with this expansion of background checks because it is important to avoid selling firearms to felons, batterers, and those with mental illness.

• Minimum Wage: In light of the ballot question facing voters this fall, do you support raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.50 to $12 an hour by 2020?
  • Yes

    Maine’s current minimum wage is not a livable wage for Maine families, and I support increasing Maine’s minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020 and tracking the cost of living thereafter. Many business leaders support increasing the minimum wage as a driver of improving the state’s economy. In addition, it an important way to reducing the negative aspects of poverty for many Maine children.

• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • Other

    Maine’s current minimum wage is not a livable wage for Maine families, and I support increasing Maine’s minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020 and tracking the cost of living thereafter. Many business leaders support increasing the minimum wage as a driver of improving the state’s economy. In addition, it an important way to reducing the negative aspects of poverty for many Maine children.

• Addiction/Overdoses: Do you believe the state is doing enough in response to the rise in heroin/opiate addiction and overdoses? If not, what else should be done?
  • A single law enforcement approach is inadequate to the problem. We should have a mix of pharmaceutical and therapeutic support for those already addicted, prevention services that have evidence that they are affective in our schools and communities and a public health campaign to ensure addiction is not socially accepted in the future. In addition, our medical model of pain management should be reconsidered to include alternatives to opiates and prevent future addiction that was started as a response to pain management.