Gubernatorial candidates talk state's finances

The three men running for governor of Minnesota shared a stage and some anxiety on Wednesday night when a debate question forced them to address their chief vulnerabilities.

How, Independence Party candidate Tom Horner was asked, could he expect to start public service at the "top of the heap" with "no direct experience and no party machine?"

"So this is the softball question?" Horner asked with a laugh, quickly adding that his record of community involvement and business experience is "exactly the combination of leadership that is needed."

Republican candidate Tom Emmer was asked how, after a career trajectory "at the outer rim" of the right, he could bring people together. "I don't know when it became extreme to believe there's a right and a wrong," Emmer said. "This is about representing a certain set of principles."

For DFLer Mark Dayton, would the pressure cooker of governance reignite past struggles with depression and alcoholism? "I think those experiences have made me a better leader because I understand the human condition," Dayton said. "I slipped once in the U.S. Senate. I'm not perfect." Dayton said he has dealt with stress all his life and "I know that I'm ready for this job."

With just 48 days till the election, the hourlong debate at Minneapolis' Pantages Theatre was billed as a high-tech "candidate conversation" with questions coming in via Facebook and Twitter and former TV news anchor Rick Kupchella posing the queries. The debate was sponsored by the Citizens League and Kupchella's new multimedia news venture, Bring Me the News.

The debate was spirited and tense at times, as when Dayton and Horner ignored the format to argue over their budget proposals.

The candidates needled one another over taxes and spending, each painting a grim, business-choking picture should either of their rivals win.

Dayton said Emmer's budget proposal to cut local government aids would trigger punishing property tax increases for middle-class homeowners.

Emmer turned his gaze on his rivals, smiling. "You are proposing business as usual," he said. "You are spending more than we have."

Horner accused Dayton of finding salvation in a new income tax proposal for high earners that the Legislature will never approve.

"I would defy you, Senator, to name eight legislators who are going to support you," Horner said. "I will spot you John Marty," he said of the liberal state senator from Roseville.

Dayton acknowledged that he might have to delay repaying the $1.4 billion the state withheld from K-12 schools to balance the budget. "It might happen, but I am trying to avoid it," he said.

Horner started to talk about his "redesign" of state government but was quickly interrupted by Kupchella. "Redesign isn't painful," Kupchella said.

Horner paused, then said he might have to make cuts to services for the elderly. "That will be painful to people," Horner said.

Emmer refused to pinpoint his most painful cut. "Every one of those things will be painful," he said. Emmer's budget holds the line or cuts spending to most parts of state government.

Horner is trying to portray Emmer and Dayton as extremists and secure a rare gubernatorial win for an independent candidate.

Emmer stirred in his seat, and gestured to the crowd as if his eyes moved in opposite directions. Horner's first ad featured an image of a man with a blue eye looking to the left and a red eye looking to the right.

"That was kind of creepy," Emmer said with a smirk.

With the budget proposals from the three rivals in full display -- warts and all -- each campaign was scrapping to prove to voters that its budget will work in the real world.

Hours before the debate, Minnesota Republican Party chairman Tony Sutton demanded Horner have state finance experts analyze his budget proposal.

"Tom Horner hasn't had the guts to submit his plan for a nonpartisan review," Sutton said. "I suspect the math doesn't add up."

"We have asked the Department of Revenue to confirm that those estimates are accurate," said Matt Lewis, a Horner spokesman.