Linda Sanborn said she now has time to become a solid voice in Augusta for House District 130, especially on healthcare issues, which is propelling her to run for the seat David Farrington vacated.

“I have the time to do it now, and I think I could be a good voice in Augusta especially, particularly to concerns on health and human services,” said Sanborn. “This is a good time in my life to do this kind of thing.”

Sanborn, a retired family doctor, received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and her medical degree from the University of Illinois. She has a husband, Jeffrey, and three son and has lived in Gorham for 17 years.

The biggest issue for Sanborn during this election is tackling the growing economical crisis.

“I just think energy, jobs, the economy, those are the biggest things for the state of Maine right now,” she said. “I think those are really affecting people’s lives the most right now.”

As a former healthcare provider, Sanborn said she is not opposed to the tax increase on wine, beer and beverages that helps fund Maine’s Dirigo Health program in which 18,000 Mainers are enrolled – a program about which she has mixed emotions.

“I really think that tax was done for the right reason,” she said. “I know that it was designed to support the Dirigo Health program and I think that Dirigo Health was done for the right reasons because we have so many uninsured and it has helped.”

Sanborn said she is not excited about a potential casino coming into Oxford County or a casino coming to Maine in general.

“I am not enthusiastic about the idea because I think you are getting a lot of money from Mainers who can’t necessarily afford that,” she said. “I would like to think there would be better ways to get those dollars rather than using casinos to do it. I am not as informed as I’d like to be about the casinos and it is an issue I would like to learn more about.”

As far as slot machines possibly coming into Scarborogh, Sanborn said she needs to learn more about the issue.

“With people needing so much money to pay for gas and heat, I would like to think they would use their money more wisely than to spend it at a casino, but again, it’s an issue I need to learn more about,” she said.

Sanborn said school consolidation is a good move that will save Maine a lot of money.

“I think the state is trying to do the right thing,” she said. “There could be a lot of administrative costs that could save the state money. The state has tried to do it in a wise way that will allow local governments to decide what is best for them.”

Mainers are feeling a heavy tax burden, she said, and if elected she would work to reduce that burden.

“It’s so hard to make a living,” she said. “We have fairly low incomes as a whole in the state and we still have a fairly high cost of living.”