Lt. Gov. touts comprehensive plan
RAYNHAM Deborah Goldberg, a candidate for lieutenant governor, said investing in public higher education is the best way to expand the states faltering economy and create jobs.
No one is investing in our skilled work force, said Goldberg,
who made a campaign stop at the Jockey Club restaurant last night. They’re
our greatest asset. In the state college, university and community college
system, about 85 percent of the graduates stay and work in Massachusetts.
Goldberg, the former chairwoman of the Brookline Board of Selectmen,
said she would like to see communities and businesses form partnerships
with local colleges.
Were ranked 47th in the country behind Mississippi and Alabama in investing
in education, the Democrat said.
Health care, education, homes and the economy are the most important
issues in the election, Goldberg said.
I’m one of the only lieutenant governor candidates who isn’t
a single-issue candidate, she said. The issues are all interrelated.
You have to connect the dots.
The candidate said her accomplishments working in business, municipal
government and philanthropic endeavors give her a breadth of leadership
experience.
Goldberg’s family founded the Stop & Shop grocery chain, and
she worked in the company until a 1988 corporate takeover. She said one
of her major accomplishments was providing health insurance to the chains
50,000 full-time and part-time employees.
During her tenure as a selectwoman in Brookline, a community of nearly
60,000, Goldberg was responsible for a $190 million budget. She said
she avoided layoffs and property tax overrides while adding police and
fire personnel during bad economic times.
Goldberg pledged to be accessible if elected.
We need people in the corner office who know and understand Massachusetts,
and understand how to get things done, she said, adding that she would
get out and visit all regions of the state.
It took a dam about to give way to get the governor down here last year,
the candidate said.
Goldberg said she could work well with any of the three Democrats running
for governor Chris Gabrieli, Deval Patrick and Tom Reilly.
I look at each individual running and know they could do a job far superior
to the current administration, she said. Honestly, I could work with
all three of them.
Goldberg will face Worcester Mayor Tim Murray and Andrea Silbert of Harwich,
a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley, in the Sept. 19 state primary.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Kerry Healey’s running mate,
Reed Hillman, is running unopposed for lieutenant governor in his party’s
primary.
