Addressing climate change and ensuring quality public education are priorities for Solomon Goldstein-Rose, who at 22 is the youngest candidate running for the 3rd Hampshire District seat.
“They are things that affect our community the most (and) my generation the most,” Goldstein-Rose said. “I’ve been concerned about climate change as long as I can remember.”
Goldstein-Rose grew up in Amherst and served on the Amherst School Committee in his senior year. At Brown University, he earned a degree in engineering and public policy in June. And even while campaigning this summer, he has been assistant director of the Pelham Players Children’s Theater.
His immediate goal for legislation is implementing carbon pricing, charging those who emit carbon dioxide. “It would create more jobs, keep more money in the state and reduce emissions significantly,” Goldstein-Rose said.
He supports a fee on fossil fuel for the first point of sale, with this becoming a dividend to every resident in the state, regardless of energy use. More of this money would go to low-income residents.
But accomplishing this would be a matter of getting other legislators to believe in the science that shows this is a good policy to enact.
Goldstein-Rose said he would start meeting with others to go over his policy positions.
“I’d meet with as many as possible to introduce myself and directly address that I’m the youngest member,” Goldstein-Rose said.
There is a lot of apathy in the Legislature toward some of his ideals, and he would like to inspire the Democratic Party to have a greater cohort of young people.
“We need to start getting more young people to start believing in government, believing in the system, again,” Goldstein-Rose said.
He said he will fight for more Chapter 70 school aid and suggests adopting the Foundation Budget Review Commission, which examined how to better fund schools. Longer term, he will seek to reduce property taxes and increase income taxes.
He supports the fair share amendment, or millionaire’s tax, which he said is a good step toward covering various costs, such as deferred maintenance at schools and ensuring electives remain available for students.
Goldstein-Rose’s most prominent endorsement comes from retired U.S. Rep. John Olver, but he also lists among his supporters Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash, high school Principal Mark Jackson, high school English teacher John Bechtold and long-time Democratic activist Alice Swift.
The Sierra Club and Environmental League of Massachusetts are statewide organizations that have endorsed him.
Goldstein-Rose said he brings a longer-term vision, with bolder ideas such as supporting more clean technology research, that UMass can benefit from.
He would maintain the constituent service state Rep. Ellen Story is known for and bring people’s ideas forward to shape state policy.
“Being a recent student, I’m a good listener,” Goldstein-Rose said.
