Our Priorities

Elliot believes in making our communities stronger and fairer for everyone—where the rich pay their fair share, we lift up the middle class, and everyone can achieve the American dream. To achieve those goals, he is working on the following issues.

Defend Roe, fight for Ohio women

Ohio women are under attack. Trump-appointed judges ripped away the constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade, and women make 70 cents on the dollar compared to men for the same work. Elliot will fight for the rights and interests of Ohio’s women, including by (1) protecting reproductive rights and choice and (2) closing the pay gap—equal pay for equal work.

Enact common-sense gun control

Crime and safety are serious problems in our communities. Our gun laws are out of control. Elliot will fight to repeal the recent permitless-carry and arming-teachers laws, ban high-capacity assault weapons and ghost guns and enact background checks.

Raise the minimum wage

If the federal minimum wage increased since 1968 at the same rate as productivity increased since that year, then the minimum wage would be today at least $21.50 per hour. Ohio’s minimum wage of $9.30 per hour is not acceptable. Minimum-wage workers cannot afford basic things, like housing. Elliot will fight to raise the state minimum wage to at least $18 per hour.

End gerrymandering

Ohio belongs to all of us, not just the superrich. But for years, the Republicans in Columbus have rigged the system in their favor and turned their backs on honest, hardworking people. We need tough leaders who won’t give in to the millionaires and the lobbyists but will fight for good jobs, good wages, and guaranteed health care for every single Ohioan. This means stopping GOP efforts to keep Democrats out of office, making the redistricting process truly independent and nonpartisan, guaranteeing the right to vote, ensuring the integrity of the results of our elections, catching and prosecuting rich tax cheats and repealing the worst remaining parts of H.B. 6.

Focus on education

We need excellent education to prepare our kids and help our workers succeed in the modern economy. Elliot will do that by enacting (1) universal pre-K and (2) free community college and trade schools.

Support our seniors

Our seniors are struggling. The cost of living is rising, and aging in place poses a challenge for many older people. Elliot will help to ease their burden by (1) increasing the state Homestead Exemption, (2) eliminating taxes on 401(k) and pension income and (3) enacting an Ohio renters’ tax credit.

Lower taxes on the middle class

Working-class families and the middle class are hurting. Elliot’s top priority is to deliver to them the relief that they desperately need. He will do so by (1) enacting an Ohio child tax credit and (2) expanding and making refundable the state Earned Income Tax Credit.

Build clean energy

Climate change is a crisis. We must act now to avoid the worst consequences. Elliot will act by building an Ohio Green New Deal, including (1) installing solar panels on all government buildings and (2) building out Ohio’s electric-vehicle infrastructure.

Health care

Health care is a critical issue in everyone’s lives. And it must be better, more affordable and more accessible. Elliot will fight to improve our health care in every way. Elliot will fully fund mental-health programs, lower the prices of prescription drugs (for example, capping the price of insulin) and enact universal child health insurance.

Legalize cannabis

The War on Drugs is a failure. The resources of our law-enforcement agencies are wasted by enforcing laws that criminalize cannabis. More than one-third of Americans live now in states that legalized the recreational use of cannabis, and those states are gaining hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that they can use to cut middle-class taxes, fund education and support their seniors. Elliot will fight to legalize recreational cannabis use in Ohio.

Social justice & equity

Black people and the members of other marginalized groups need help. Elliot is committed to values of equality and social justice. He will fight to enact a post-incarceration program to help transition formerly incarcerated individuals back to civilian life.

Build Back Better the infrastructure of our community

The roads, bridges and other public works of our communities are not reliable. They are falling apart. As a result of the American Rescue Plan, the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better agenda, we can now fix these problems and complete the community projects that we have needed for years. These projects will grow our local economy, attract business investment, create good jobs and make our communities more resilient, more sustainable, healthier and fairer. Elliot’s priority is to secure for the district those badly needed resources to improve our roads, bridges, water, power, internet, sewer, public transit, clean energy and other areas that are eligible to receive funding.

Champion opportunities and good jobs

The East Side of Cuyahoga County needs more and better jobs. Elliot will champion building these opportunities. This means helping small and local businesses, investing in child care, supporting workers and unions and bringing stakeholders together on these issues.

Clean indoor air

COVID has taken the lives of too many, strained our health care and upended our lives. We all believe in doing our part to defeat the virus and end the pandemic. The COVID vaccines are miracles. But we must use all of our tools to fight the virus. That effort starts with ensuring that our indoor spaces have clean air. Elliot supports requiring buildings to have effective ventilation and filtration.

Ensure equal treatment under the law for all

As the son of gay parents, Elliot knows the importance of protecting the individual rights of everyone, regardless of background. From guaranteeing the right of individuals to control their reproductive-health decisions to decriminalizing the use of cannabis, working to enact the Ohio Fairness Act and protecting the rights of trans folks to live their lives, Elliot will fight for those rights.