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Social issues kick off gubernatorial debate
Hunger, poverty and health care were topics debated by 11 gubernatorial candidates.
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In the first bipartisan candidates' forum, 11 folks who want to be governor in 2011 agreed Wednesday that no one should suffer from hunger in Minnesota, but their solutions spanned an ideological chasm ranging from new taxes to smaller government.
With so many candidates on the stage, none could go too deeply into the complex problems of hunger, poverty, the state's budget or health care, but they did offer contrasting views of the problems and how state government should respond.
"We have got to deal with horrendous income inequality in our state and nation that continues to get worse," said U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, one of seven Democratic candidates at the Hunger Solutions Minnesota forum in St. Paul.
"You must first reduce the size of our state government and ... you must reduce the cost of doing business in this state," said Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, one of four Republicans who attended.
Rep. Marty Seifert also talked of shrinking government and changing what he called the state's anti-job, anti-business attitude.
"My plan is to look at everything through the lens of common sense and job creation," said Seifert, R-Marshall.
The Democrats were asked what taxes they'd raise if they became governor.
"I will raise taxes on the wealthiest 10 percent of the people in Minnesota," Dayton said. "I will not raise taxes on the other 90 percent."
Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, told the audience that he'd raise all of their taxes and his own through an income tax surcharge.
DFL Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner said the time allotted was too short to give more than a political answer but added: "All the taxes should be on the table."
Most candidates stressed the need to improve the state's social service safety net.
"The safety net now looks like a basketball net," House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said.
Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, envisions changing the safety net so all Minnesotans have a right to health care.
Despite agreement on some of the problems, the candidates weren't always in accord.
Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said the Democratic discussion of health insurance changes must evolve from how to cover everyone to include how to help those who have coverage.
But Rep. Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said Bakk had missed the complications of the Democratic debate on health care and dinged Kelliher, who spoke of the need to set aggressive goals.
"We need a governor who is going to do much more than set goals, [but who is] actually going to come in and put in place some plans that gets us to meet those goals," Thissen said.
The Republicans mixed it up a little less. When each was asked why he was better than his rival for the Republican party endorsement to succeed Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Emmer and Seifert both responded that they were alike in many ways. Seifert said the differences come down to style; Emmer said the differences come down to background.
Also attending the forum were Republicans Leslie Davis and state Sen. Mike Jungbauer.
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger • 651-292-0164
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Current state office holders
Governor: Tim Pawlenty
One of only a few prominent Republicans to win a competitive re-election contest in the Democratic sweep of 2006, Tim Pawlenty is widely seen as politically shrewd and naturally likable.
- Lt. Governor: Carol Molnau
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- State Auditor: Rebecca Otto
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