Nike Eric 6 minutes now past 11 and good morning. Welcome to mid-day are on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary. I can glad you could join us what the primary election coming up on Tuesday. We're going to spend this first hour of midday focused. Once again on the major issue in the election ballot namely the dfl contest for governor, or she heard from all the candidates individually here on midday coming up this Sunday night. All the candidates will get together at the Fitzgerald theater for one last debate before the election will be broadcasting that debate live starting at 7. And then re broadcasting the debate here on midday on Monday today yet another opportunity to hear from the candidates last night the Minnesota news network broadcaster debate among the dfl candidates and this hour at mid-day. We're going to rebroadcast that debate. I commit to ensure everyone of Minnesota by the year 2002. If you want to be the North Star, I can't think of a better rocket boosters. They change their philosophy. They saw the old way was They got top the new health-care bureaucracy is standing in their way. I would advise minnesotans to buy stock in each in our block. Welcome to a debate between the dfl candidates for Minnesota Governor. Good evening. I'm Bill Werner from Minnesota news network. There are four people challenging the candidate. That is the dfl party endorsed candidate in June and that is a highly unusual. If not unprecedented situation here in Minnesota one week from today. Minnesota voters will decide which one of these five contenders in rstudio tonight will face Republican candidate Norm Coleman and Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura in the November general election. The first the ground rules of this debate, we have 90 minutes for this program and a good number of questions and sold with the five candidates around the table this evening. We are limiting each candidate's initial response to 30 seconds per question, but we will also have a rebuttal. Where the candidates can jump in at will and the candidates have also all agreed not to refer to their Republican opponent during this debate tonight as moderator intent to strictly enforce that rule minnesotans will be choosing among Democrats in the primary. Next Tuesday the battle with Republicans and reformers comes in November and now with the dfl contenders for the governor of state of state of Minnesota in alphabetical order. First of all, mr. Mark Dayton weather for Minnesota state auditor. Mr. Dayton, Mike Freeman Hennepin County attorney and also the dfl party endorsed candidates for Minnesota Governor. Mr. Freeman. Thanks Bill looking forward to it. Skip Humphrey Minnesota's attorney general is with us this evening delighted to be here. Johnson the state senator from Tower Minnesota also in contention here. Mr. Johnson. Thank you for inviting me and I'm looking forward to the last certainly not least Mister Ted Mondale former state senator from St. Louis Park. Also a contender for governor Bill. Thanks. What if Coleman runs an ad during this program then we talked about guarantee that he won't. Okay? Thank you. But are we have the five candidates for Minnesota Governor the first question for our candidates for Minnesota. Governor. Do you believe Northwest Airlines has a monopoly on air travel in the Minnesota market, and if so, What would you ask governor do about it first on our list? Mr. Freeman bill, I think you've Northwest doesn't have a monopoly. It's a near-monopoly particularly here at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. I think two things to do there. They are building additional gates at MSP and I think those have got to be made available to other Airlines and I think they frankly out to be made available to other Airlines first, if you look at communities, like he being Duluth International Falls and elsewhere, I'll between Northwest and it's are linked that he's a virtual monopoly and that's simply it's got to be expanded to additional competition because it's not fair to Minnesota Travelers. What's happening today as well? I think it's a if it's not a virtual monopoly it's a near-monopoly that's what I and several other Attorneys General forwarded a letter to the Secretary of Transportation asking that they look at this whole Hub and spoke system. We need to break that up with this Airline needs is a healthy dose of competition. And if we have that, I think we'd see people back at the bargaining table. We need people. Get to that negotiating table. We need people to get back to work and frankly for customers. We need to be able to fly. Mr. Johnson. First of all, I think it's very important that Minnesota have ehub operation Interstate. It's important for the employees. It's important to the traveling public and I think that there's a tendency now on this political season to make attacks. And so I'm going to choose my words very carefully. I want the employees and employer to reach an agreement and put people back to work having said that yes, I think that that we do need more competition both in the rural areas and in the metropolitan area for airline service yesterday control 85% of the gates at the airport and their carrier masaba has a Stranglehold over all of Greater Minnesota's Regional airports. So I would say that the governor should be involved in bringing other major. Airlines and regional carriers in for competition also making appointments to the Metropolitan airports commission. We're going to look out for the public interest who are going to hold the airline accountable for some of the equipment they made with noise reduction and other services that haven't come through. Mister Mondale, well, we are obviously over-reliance on one Airline for a region one of the problems of studying whether to make a new airport was we didn't make any new investments in that airport for 10 years. I carry the bill to stop building a new airport. Not only because we couldn't afford it and didn't need it but also because the best way to bring in competition would be to build as many gates as possible as cheaply as possible and in the bill that we passed we have put in place and the Mac followed through thank goodness the other day that in a few years we're going to have the gace together and they're going to be cheap and I think in the future we will have the market fundamentals to be able to deal with are over dominance problem. Sounds like the candidates here pretty much agree that they want to look more closely into the dominance of Northwest Airlines, but I wanted I wanted to ask you on a follow-up and very quickly. Let's give each of you just a sentence or two on this under what circumstances would you as Governor urge the president of the United States to order striking? Was pilate back to work in other words if you were in that chair right today, let's start with mr. Humphrey, but I don't think we need to do that right today. In fact, what we need to do is keep the pressure on both parties both the union and the company representatives to get back to the table. You ask the president to intervene. You're just taking the pressure off keep it on. I'll tell you what I do is Governor though. I get in touch with my friend the governor of Tennessee and the governor of Michigan where the hubs are and we ought to start working not only for ourselves in this Airline, but with other states and make sure that we have more of that competition Senator Johnson. Skip it would be premature for a governor to ask for presidential intervention is Governor. I would be actively insisting that I get to talk to the to the parties. I have been in Chicago Saturday. I'd be at their their meetings this week. If they wouldn't let me in the room might be I'd be in the area and and trying to give my input of the Gorton's of the people of this state employees in those that fly I would be a real Actavis Governor. Mr. Dayton wants to go out. I wouldn't speculate I wouldn't posture in public at work behind the scenes but I think to say what you're going to do or not do at this stage would be inappropriate. Okay. Well if there's going to be a resolution to this matter is going to be going to be right now between the pilots and the company and I think the Governor's job should be to put all pressure possible in a private way to get both of them at the bargaining table as quickly as possible. Mr. Freeman Finance Governor. I would have had both Northwest in the pilots in the governor's reception room 3 weeks before the strike was scheduled to talk to him about the impact upon minnesotans of this strike came about and I wanted them to hear from some real minnesotans how it would impact her businesses and they are Travelers on negatively and I would try to put the heat on before the strike was called. OK question number two on our debate. What tax cuts would you push as governor? And why is that particular tax the best one to cut will start with Senator Johnson and number one? My first budget decision is Governor will be to determine the size of the tax cut before any spending decisions are made and the best tax to Cut Is the personal income tax will guarantee that workers will have more take-home pay so I would cut that first. My second priority would be a property tax cut having the state assume a greater share the cost of K through 12 education and I would hope my my Democratic opponents with join me in supporting putting a cap on market value. That's where homeowners are hurt so bad and I think it would really help yesterday. And what would you do about taxes property taxes are the most unfair archaic incomprehensible and to high tax in Minnesota and I would reduce property taxes across the state by a my goal would be 40% by Taking the K-12 education funding off of the property tax so that now I would you have tax reduction but you have real tax reform and you'd have that reduction carrying forward in the years ahead and you would have put the funding for schools on a much more progressive tax putting. Mr. Mondale. Well, I would return a billion dollars back into the economy over four years by reducing the sales tax tax the legislature increase that I voted against it when I was there trying to saying they would lower property taxes. I think we need to be careful 7 days out of candidates who says they're going to promise tax cuts and new initiatives. It doesn't add up. The only way to have tax cuts and new spending initiatives. It's a cutting invest I have led the field by laying out in my book with Tim Penny my coach are being the budget analyst and others we work with how you can cut an investor who can do both, but you have to be able to cut government spending at the same time. Thank you. Mr. Freeman. Free tax for all homeowners renters and Farmers insensitive follows me skip a couple of other forms we've had I'd ask the question. How are you going to protect property taxpayers from an increase in the future when we reviewed your combination of income tax breaks and renewed spending. It seems to me that you're going to have increases and property taxes for all homeowners renters in farmers and maybe you could take this time to explain to us. How are you going to avoid that? Mr. Humphrey or you'll have a chance to rebut later if you want. I think I got to answer the question right and raised a bill in that is so I plan to cut taxes permanently by more than 1 billion dollars over four years. That's 1 billion dollars a permanent income tax cuts / 320 million dollars worth of property tax relief in the way we're going to do this is by helping us Working Families targeting those right to Working Families afford child care for kids going to college in for the help of elderly parents that Working Families are struggling to keep out of nursing homes with the income tax credits. I think that's the best way to do it. You fired the vale here. I'll file we file it. If you look at the amount of income tax breaks, you're talking about skipping the increase spending there simply isn't money there to continue the temporary rebates. If you don't containers rebates, everybody's property tax goes up. That's simple economics. Now, you can't have it both ways. Skip how does it work? Go ahead. Mr. I think the point is this that if you do just the property taxes that mr. Freeman is talking about you can't deal with any of the other issues. If you take a look at the many of the concerns have been raised by the people in Minnesota. It's it's really the working family concerns and working family agenda. That is so important. I firmly believe that we can continue permanent property tax cuts and at the same time return more than a billion dollars and they way we do that it by the way is making sure that we use some of the dollars that are coming in from tobacco be the best way. Well, I think it's the most regressive and it's clear and it's permanent the problem with our property tax system is it's based on a flawed philosophy that you can spend more money and get lower taxes. It simply doesn't work anymore. And we need a new philosophy that frankly isn't uncomplicated that if you actually lower spending that's the only way you're going to lower taxes and we need to put a mechanism on that. Types of government and start driving down the cost of local government spending. That is the only way we're going to lower property taxes and taking more State money and piling it into buying down. The race just won't work. No dig a bigger hole for us to being mr. Johnson share the philosophy that you have to cut spending to control a taxes. I've called for a freeze on state to agency as spending. It's the best way you can control our taxes the weight and not have a surplus in the future is what I proposed and that would be to have an automatic blinker so that when the state collects these excessive surpluses workers withholding rates are automatically adjusted. So we never get the money in the first place the workers keep the money. That's the best way question number 3 for our candidates. would you expand maintain scale back or scale back rather the education tax credits and deductions pushed through the legislature 1997 by Governor Arne Carlson Mark Dayton you first I think that when these were put into a place initially with Wendy Anderson, it was in the context of sufficiency for funding for education and that allowed the education Community to work together. This Governor has been hitting public education against private education and has been putting educational groups against one another I would keep the credits and deductions, but I would limit them to non tuition expenses and I would do so in the era of increased real State support for public education so that again we're talking about expanding the pie for everybody. Okay, mister Mondale. Well, I would keep the existing tax credits. I would expand them out. So that families could use the credits to purchase laptop technology for the school that doesn't make sense for the schools to put these investments in place then have them Obsolete and I think access to information access to computers are or Have and Have Nots I think in the future we need to pay for results. That's why Two weeks ago I called for paying school districts that make sure that every child raised by the end of 3rd grade and performance funds. So the schools can reach higher standards, but we should pay for results in the future, but we can expand out the tax credits to give children the computers they need. Mr. Freeman. I supported the original Wendy Anderson deductions. It state law for long. Of time. I do not support the ones with rust down the tax person votes in the last session by Arne Carlson. What I want to do is Target dollars and education to programs that really work all day kindergarten class size no bigger than 20K through three additional resources in early childhood and provide an opportunity for every student who graduates from high school to go on at least to the first year of college. That's where I think we ought to be spending our public tax dollars. Yeah, I'd keep those credits in place, but let's understand what the first priority are is and that is the best public education system in the world and frankly. We have to start very early with start literally when that What is born that's why I have proposed to an income tax credits a part of that permanent tax cut to help a child care to make sure that we have the opportunity for accountability to meet those standards also for the opportunity to move Beyond just the basics and also choice within the framework of Independent School District about to make sure that it is the best quality the possible. Mr. I think a governor has to lead and I was a part of the compromise for the tax credits and and the deductions I voted for it. When you're a governor. You have to work on a bipartisan basis with members of the legislature. That's what happened with that program and a deal is a deal. It was an agreement with parents and I would not undo what was done by that the legislature. The other thing that I get concerned about Democrats is sometimes are too harsh on parents would send their children to private schools. Homeschool their children because Democrats sometimes that hurts us and I would caution my fellow Democrats be very careful about that yesterday and raised here in half an hour. I just think Minnesota would be appalled if they saw how the conditions in a lot of these schools in that lack of the kind of Technology computers in the like that all the experts say is going to be crucial to giving every child a chance to be successful in the future. And that's one of the reasons that these Financial burdens have been place. I think off and on Fairly Odd Parents because their kids can't have access to sufficient opportunity in the schools to develop these are skills. So if they can't afford it at home, those kids are set back fill out here. I agree with skip that one of the things we have to do for our schools is to make the type of Investments so that children are ready to learn when they get to school and we simply have not made them in recent years despite large surpluses, and we've got to make that investment. We can do it. If I cutting government to be able to make those Investments. I think also we've gotten into a mindset. We're somehow the bureaucrats and st. Paul no better than our parents and teachers how to teach our kids and Franklin is a paradigm someone offended by that. I think if we clearly asked for what the results are and give the resources and take away. The regulations are schools in our parents are going to come through bills are following a bob Terry. My wife is a Richfield School Board member and we send the most three most important people in our life Katie Beth and Matthew are children to public school. When you look at the class sizes, will you look at the lack of equipment available in schools? When you look at the over-dependence on the property tax to fund education, it's clear. We need a governor who cares about education who recognizes education is the first priority of state government and who goes around and goes to schools works with students works with parents who really cares and positively support public education. We haven't had that in the last eight years. We need a Democratic governor to do that. The candidates around the table are are lukewarm it best to the idea of education tax-credit, but I just want to go around the table and ask each one of you Justin in a sentence at the most. What's the most important thing that you could do as governor to improve public education in Minnesota. Let's start by cutting existing government programs and investing in the skills of our people. That is what I want to do. Mr. Johnson. I was an educator for 30 years. The most important thing we could do is get more parents involved in their children's education. That'll do more than anything else Mister date put our money where our ideals are and support education across the state and have a governor whose an ally rather than a bachelor of teachers and Educators and figure out how all together we can do the best possible job. Mr. Humphrey given all the funding all the support for public education. There is nothing more important than getting it right in the first four years of a child's life. We must start there and it's Freeman we must positively in a Leesport our schools with our comments or thoughts and our dollars. Now, let's talk about an issue that is of concern to a lot of minnesotans. There is a lot of gnashing of teeth and justifiably self in Greater Minnesota, as many farmers are faced with financially very hard times low prices crop failures and a number of other problems have conspired against Minnesota's Farmers. Saw this question of R5 dfl candidates for Governor. If you were Governor right now at this very moment. Would you call a special legislative session to deal with Minnesota's Farm Christ? Mr. Mondale? Yes, I would but we need to understand in the current crisis the state can help but the big problem is the broken Federal Farm policy and the governor needs to lobby for that. But I think there are changes both in the short-term and long-term and short-term. We can delay tax payments and we can expand out loans as what's happened in the last session. I think in the long-term we can lower cost by lowering taxes by spreading out the homestead tax credit and by reducing regular And I think we can increase the price of agricultural by investing and value-added by pushing International markets and I can protect against the up and downs of the market by getting better crop insurance. Okay? Mr. Freeman. Well, I think you the answer to your question is yes. We all have a special session. The federal government does has the most to say about sending Farm prices in the so-called Republican freedom to fail actors really heard our Farmers. The governor of Minnesota can do right now and I proposed several weeks ago along with senator Paul wellstone that the that I would sit down the day after I was elected with Farmers egg lenders and farm organizations to figure out how we can ensure our Farmers won't lose their land in the next year or two until prices come up. It's not enough to say it's a federal problem. It's a state problem to in the governor needs to do something now. Mr. Humphrey while I tell you I've got an agenda for that special session that I'll take place in that is we certainly ought to have it as soon as possible and we ought to have a six month postponement a property tax payments if that would be duel. This fall and hold that off before those of farm families in crisis. What we need is money on the farm. And so that would help and that would give us a time to go down there and to work in washing to take on washing make a change. We need a fair price a decent loan rate and we need to make sure that we change that freedom to farm, which is really freedom to fail act and make it much better for Farmers Senator Johnson. Of course, I was the first Democratic candidate for governor that called for a special session. I'm the only candidate to four from real Minnesota and I know that real crisis that's going out there in the farm the agricultural communities what's kind of troubling to me is that you're looking a governor candidate? Mr. Humphrey Rodger Moore. Where is he been on this? I've written him. I've asked for his assistance in getting the governor to call a special session. No one Rodger and the governor wanted a special session on a baseball stadium. It didn't take very long. So I suggest you call your dinner Governor Rodger most skipping. And I get him to use some leadership like you did with a baseball stadium and get a special session for the farmers and agricultural communities of the state that are really hurting. Okay, we're going to give mr. Dating. You're going to give your time or part of your time to mr. Humphrey. Go ahead while all I can say is that I don't know Doug where you been but I guarantee you that Rodger mole has been out visiting with Farmers has been saying the right things has developed with along with me a very strong economic growth program for Rural Minnesota and it includes all of the things that we're talkin for. We're fully prepared to go forward whenever the governor McCall's at session. Skip I don't think you've answered my question while I think I've been where has he been needed. We got the special session on baseball. Where is he? I think the question needs to be asked to the governor. The governor calls a special session will be idea of just deferring some property taxes is much too little too late we need to do is people aren't going to be able to make their payments on the mortgage is my brother-in-law farms near Canby Minnesota for 18 years. He's made his mortgage payment. He's a good and smart farm and earned income off the off the farm as well. He's going to have a heck of a time doing it. We need something now and postponing a little income tax or property taxes in the not. Okay Mark Dayton, you're going to have the final word on this one by Doug was the first goal for the special session. I joined him a few weeks ago and I think they are looking it up to a hundred million dollars to help out and then I have our governor I'd get on the next plane or I guess maybe I should I take a bus and I get the ones from North Dakota South Dakota Iowa and I sit down in that sentence for indict filibuster until they get some relaxing out there, you know, if this were tobacco prices, you know, Jesse Helms will be out on that send it for Philip. Bring so I think the we need our Congressional Delegation to be in there and say no more business as usual till we get some action. Okay candidates. Let's continue a little bit on the farm crisis situation and I want to go real quickly around the circle on this one. Do you support a moratorium on construction or expansion of large animal feedlots, Mike Freeman the largest animal feedlots at Blue terrarium Pluto water. We've got to go slow in those. We need a generic He Is We need to inventory. We frankly have to hold the line on the largest of these there. They hurt the family Farmer. They hurt the environment. We simply have to go slow. I don't want us to be another Oklahoma or North Carolina. Okay. So are you support a moratorium in some way shape or form? What about you? I've called for a temporary halt of the largest feedlots. I think it's terribly important. We get it, right. That's how I'm glad to see the governor and the legislature went along with a GE is we've got to get right now for the environment. But literally for the lifestyle in preserving Family Farms in a global market, we barely got to see that happen. Johnson. I didn't support having a Statewide moratorium. I thought that was a mistake. I think that was being advocated by Folks I didn't understand the needs of most of the people in rural Minnesota the compromise reached to ban the large open lagoons was appropriate the environmental impact statements were appropriate the financial help for Farmers was appropriate when I'm the governor. I'm going to help real Minnesota and farmers and Agriculture and Miners and lagers not put barriers in the way and Saint Paul bureaucrats cannot solve all the problems like someone with my folks would be offended. If you said that this was originating from St.Paul cuz they've been fighting out there in Greater Minnesota for years now and I'm support the moratorium on the large when starting from day one and Elsa's for canning the MPC a board and revamping that agency and restoring it to other than the pollution cooperation agency the pollution control agency and your citizens out there one after another hard-working tax-paying citizens who couldn't get a phone call returned. That agency and couldn't get them to come out and look to see what the real problem was. I think is a disgrace to government Ted Mondale. I think I'm moratorium would be a mistake. The moratoriums not a policy of moratorium says we're going to sit around and wait and figure out what we're going to do over a year ago. I came out with an environmental policy. A lot of that was picked up by the legislature. And so I think we have to have clear State environmental standards. And then I think we need to get the dollars out to the local government so that they can do the job. I mean I've seen counties like Martin County that's done a good job with at Redwood County. Now, there's like Renville County that haven't and I think we don't want to get the state in the local land-use decisions. And I think also the idea of having a moratorium at this time on agriculture for the first economic moratorium in a long time doesn't make any sense. Well, I just want it. Let's get back to the reality of what the situation is. We're talkin about whether to have more friends. We have moratoriums there on county level Theron Township level there a hodgepodge. There's no overall common denominator of what the stand. Go to be that's what we're waiting. The GE is we have a temporary opportunity. Frankly. The market is flooded with product. So the prices are down is to be the perfect time to get it right and then grow grow that the economy that industry responsibly greeted. But the reality is today we have about fifty thousand of these lagoons and we don't know how many of them are violating existing state air quality and water quality standard. That's the frightening part The Times They do tests. They find them blowing the meters off the ramp. So the problem is that these are in operation and no one's been protected. So up Senator Johnson, why not have some sort of a moratorium townships and counties can Institute the moratoriums I think up. I think this is clearly a clear distinction between Doug Johnson and Skip Humphrey, I believe and local governments and people at the local level are capable of making Asian skip I think that people in real Minnesota are as intelligent and making decisions as some bureaucrats and Saint Paul or in the Department of Natural Resources. I think that your idea of having all this state oversight and and new laws new rules and regulations is very contrary to I would a lot of people in rural Minnesota want and also in the metropolitan areas of the state and I think I think if this issue is clearly shows your lack of understand that your job done. We're going to have to leave it there. We were listening to the 1998 dfl primary face off on Eminem you're listening to a rebroadcast of last night's dfl gubernatorial debate held at the Minneapolis studios are the Minnesota news network will have more from that debate in just a moment. But a reminder that programming a Minnesota Public Radio is supported by standard heating and air conditioning the Twin Cities Home Comfort Experts for 69 years featuring York Heating and Cooling products weather forecast pretty simple sunny today with eyes upper sixties in the northeast of the upper 70s in the West. Twin City forecast sunny through the afternoon with a high in the mid-70s. This is midday coming to you on Minnesota Public Radio. The last night's dfl gubernatorial debate broadcast on Minnesota news network listeners were invited to call in with her questions and we're going to hear that segment in a few minutes, but first to conclude the first hour of last night's debate. Each candidate was given time for a closing statement here again is Eminem's Bill Werner time for closing statements gentleman, and we will go in reverse order of which candidate started out this debate. So that means first with a closing statement you have one minute. Mr. 10, thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight. I've been running a different kind of campaign that is about telling the truth and restoring people's trust in government. I was recently endorsed by the Pioneer Press that said I was the one man truth Squad in the Democrat most likely to cut taxes and control spending. I have written a book that have laid out clearly to everyone how I will cut government spending where I am. Vest and where I will give permanent tax cuts, it is an accountability document and I think it is something that all the candidates should do. I'm offering new approaches and alternative to the tired old ideas of the past. My campaign is about a future that includes good childcare schools that work scholarship for any Minnesota student who makes a grade and better more affordable healthcare, especially for a senior citizens and I'm offering a new approach that will control government spending so that we can permanently cut taxes if you think we need a new approach that makes government work better for people and if you think the status quo is not good enough and if you want a governor that is committed to to a better Minnesota with aggressive leadership and a vision for the opportunity for Everman Minnesotan than vote for me. Thank you. Mr. Mondeo now Mark Dayton with your closing statement. I perceive the years ahead set of conditions in this country where we're going to have to work together to earn Minnesota's greatness back. It'll be no more opportunity to Coast on the national economy. And if you keep on posting it means we're just going to be going downhill how we talked about education some of the other areas that I think are important Minnesota highways and Transit. We are roads are just sitting here eating all over the state. And when I was Commissioner of economic development in the seventies and eighties, I learned how important good highways are two Economic Development decisions. We I propose that you shouldn't Highway construction Bond so we can double eyelid like to see a strip of the number of Highway reconstruction projects and expansion all over the state health insurance for all and working minnesotans HMO accountability and then finally having worked for the greatest jobs. Governor in Minnesota is history Rudy perpich. I know the importance of a governor going to work day after day night after night fried jobs find jobs attract jobs to Minnesota. That's my commitment. Thank you, Mark Dayton. Johnson your closing statement the candidates in this race. I have more experience and education and public service. I'm going to make government have common sense again and example the ridiculous silly auto emission test in the Twin Cities should go there discriminatory. We have a new system of state and federal system that denies senior citizens from having bed rails in nursing homes, ridiculous many seniors many disabled people on need those bed rails. This is another example of bureaucratic bungling another example where 49 or 50 from the country and incarceration. That's not a good policy prevention education are good. But if people are committing violent crimes, they should go to jail or prison when Doug Johnson's the governor will return common sense to the government will return the government back to the people the common ordinary minnesotans. Once had control over this government and bring Common Sense back in again. Thank you. Doug Johnson. Skip Humphrey. Thank you Bill and think of your listeners. I want to be Governor because I believe that Minnesota can be the best place on Earth in which to live and raise a family to go to work. I think we can achieve that goal by building on the success that we've already enjoy and I believe I have a clear vision and Leadership and an agenda that will meet that goal. I taken on the tough fights for the people of Minnesota and I've won those two fights now that agenda includes world-class public education making sure that we have a fordable accessible Healthcare making absolutely certain that we continue our efforts and succeed in reducing an ending the violence in our lives and returning to permanent tax cuts to Working Families making sure that we have the opportunity to see that child care is available for all that. We have the opportunity to have kids go to on to college and to take care of our own. Early parents. That's what it's all about. When we achieve those goals. We are going to make sure that are working families are the driving engines for the success in the future of Minnesota. Skip Humphrey. Thank you and your closing statement. Mike Freeman. Will thank you Bill. I'm honored to be the dfl endorsed candidate for governor the AFL-CIO labor endorsed candidate for governor and bend endorse by Farm leaders such as Farmers Union president David Fredericks there for reasons. Why running for governor? It's Katie Beth and Matthew Freeman my children and for all the kids in Minnesota. I want to improve already good education system and make it better. I want to make our streets safer. I want to have an opportunity to implement our clear plan for economic development of rural Minnesota and I went ahead and meaningful tax relief. That's why I've called for 20% permanent property tax relief for all homeowners renters and Farmers frankly. Skip I asked you twice tonight. I've asked a half a dozen times in the last month the problem with your tax program. Is that by the time you do your income tax? Watching your new spending. You simply don't have the dollars to ensure the people's property taxes. Don't go up. My plan covers those property tax increases. I think the property taxes the most owners tax, and I think you need to explain the Minnesota voters why your plan won't raise property taxes, cuz we believe it will thank you. Mike Freeman for your closing statement. And that's a did in fact conclude the closing statements by the candidates in the host of the program. Minnesota news Network's Bill Werner the debate broadcast last night featuring the dfl candidates for Governor. Midday were rebroadcasting that debate. So you get another chance to find out just where the candidates stand on the issues. The last night's Eminem program concluded with a call in segments here again is host Bill Werner. Let's begin. First of all with Tommy's on the line that I may have a question about workers comp. Yeah, right. Now I'm in the process of trying to deal with workman's comp. I had an injury and and it seems to me you something needs to be done with the process workman's comp. The only thing I could do is hopefully that. They decided not to it seems to me that this process almost forces units or hire a lawyer to have to deal with him. And to me that doesn't make no sense know what the candidates were do maybe to make this process more user-friendly should we say? Okay, tell him we'll go around this time. I think that's a great question. The it does need to be more user-friendly frankly add to the extent that we can get both Labor and Industry to join together and agree on the ways to reduce the cost of the administration and that yet protect truly Injured Workers and provide for their recovery and to get back to work. That's the best possible thing we can do but you got to do it with both sides one can take advantage of the other I do agree with you that we ought to find a means other than ending. Open court than having to hire all the attorneys that got a very good question. I think Skip handled it very well. We have to make it work better. I administrative late. Are you have to have Labor and management sit down and work this out as Governor. I'd be an activist and a Gentleman called me from Two Harbors the other day told about his struggles with the workers comp system. There's no winners and losers in Lesotho a governor gets labor and management to sit down and work something out through the advisory committee and I'm certainly open to that, I want to work things out but I would remind business that the spirit of workers comp is just what you said to him. You don't go out and hire a lawyer and sue for a multi-million dollars. And in this area today, that's the best deal that the business Community could possibly ask for the trade-off is then that you're supposed to get your benefits right away. You're not supposed to be hassled and haggled and I think the deck is stacked against worker Injured Workers just as stacked against Patience by these large operations and I think government needs to get back on the side of the people or the old workers comp system was driving small business out of the state and we have to have a state with a strong business Community. We made reforms in 1992 without business and then again in 1995 without labor and that that was unfortunate that all you had to do was go to Moorhead area or Grand Forks area and you see that huge impact was having on our economy the old system has some of the highest litigation in the nation at 60% of the money didn't even go to Injured Workers just for the system. We made some changes we need to look at the data and hopefully carefully we can sit down with labor and management and make the system a lot better than it is today. My Freeman Bill work comp is not supposed to be an adversarial system. It is today. I disagree with my good friend Ted Mondale. I would not have voted for that bill work comp bill that cut workers benefits without cutting administrative costs. I think we can restore most of those benefit lost his butt and still save money for the for the businesses by cutting administrative costs. And we need to streamline that it's not that hard to do. We need to determine Governor will sit down with business and labor and me can restore some of the cuts and cut administrative costs. Okay. Thank you. Mike Freeman and thank you Tom for that question about workers comp hope that we are able to answer it for you there. Let's go to the phone line. Sue you I have a question as I understand about tobacco funds for funds from the tobacco settlement to be received by your office one week before the primary election. No, that's what the court ordered. And that's the way the process works. We actually received some 10 million dollars back in June. We're going to receive another hundred million dollars in December and then they are going to be payments throughout the next biennium that'll load cumia light to us some nine hundred million dollars. So that's the process. I frankly I'm very pleased that we now have direct funds here where the first state to get money in the bank in the country. All the rest have gone to Escrow accounts and lawyers are fighting over things. But the reality is here. It is in Minnesota. Now we're able to do the right kind of things do I protect and to provide for Better Health of people to Minnesota? I think we should congratulate skip on the work he's done, but I think now we need to look at how we invest those funds and I believe that we should invest the funds in Minnesota has highest unmet health need and that is senior citizen for prescription drugs. Excuse me, and that's why I've called for putting 60% of the tobacco. Van into a pool that will pay for the prescription drugs of people 65 and older. They're literally people out there that are choosing between eating and taking the drugs. They want or are taking a pill every other day that is wrong and we ought to take this time and these resources to invest in our senior citizens to give them the dignity that they need. I want to go around the circle real quickly here with the remaining candidates. What do you believe would be the best use of the tobacco money that's coming to to Minnesota Doug Johnson. First of all, I'd get rid of the healthcare sick tax the provider tax that funds mncare we should look at it as Democrats. Let's get rid of a tax number to I would use it for a medical research at the University of Minnesota Minneapolis and Duluth and and mail I'm not for some Foundation Audi's that keep the money in Minnesota and and then third eye would expand. Minncare. Those would be the best use of the money said, you're right. I think we should go to car. Bristol and get the Congress to change the Medicare reimbursements to get the senior citizens and their prescription. Drugs that cover. Okay, Mark date and best use of that. Tobacco might be so far which is to use the money to buy down the cost of prescription medicine for seniors and four children, and I as far as I go for all of our citizens the reality is there till January 1st, so I do not know what 202 proposal but I think that targeting it toward health related issues and and not using it to replace money that's going into the health system now, but use it as additional benefits is where I go to the best place now and answer your questions that I think that's a question to decision needs to be made by the next legislature governor. And I plan to be that governor and we need some money and stop smoking programs. We need to make sure their basic education to our children particularly child is funded and I think we need to do away with a sick tax which is the provider tax. Which funds are men. Medicare was not a smart tax in the first place. It was the only way we could find that system and I think that would help most the health of our people. Okay, we have another caller on the line here. Let's switch to a head quickly Center. I mean Doug we sat in the legislature and watch the federal government debate issue after debate issue. And I think that while I want to give us a fair Shake on Medicare, I think the the job of the next governor governor is a step forward and make Healthcare delivery, especially for a senior citizens better. And I think we owe it to them to pay for their prescription. Drugs that something Medicare should do in a lot of other areas with the reimbursement it allow that to happen and I think we ought to Target those dollars at the largest unmet healthy than those are our senior citizens in general. It should be provided for it to make sure we have the strongest most effective anti-smoking and smoking cessation programs in the world. We will be the world class leader. This will save us more money than any other. Kind of a of a cost reduction tax cuts or anyting else got remember there's more than a billion three hundred million dollars lost every year in Minnesota. Just because of smoking for a while. What is your question? What made you flip flop? I haven't slept at all. What I said was that I took a look at what was happening and I firmly believe that a woman and her doctor ought to make that decision. I've come to that conclusion after I looked at many years of not seeing any kind of change by the way. I'm the only candidate that is supported a pro-life and pro-choice a program that actually attempts to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancies and that's enabled education now on babies later. I think that's how that's the kind of thing that we need to do is remove that kind of incidence of unintended pregnancies and I feel very strongly about my position that is pro-choice. Skip that are Johnson flip-flopped on the abortion issue is really Ludacris. I served with you in the state senate die when you consistently voted the pro-life position and then sometime in the later 80's, you took a 360 degree turn and end up consistently supported the pro-choice of position and I think the four others in the race have been consistent. I've always been full of life of the three others have been always approach rice and they can speak for themselves. But this woman is certainly right. You totally flip flop on that issue and completely changed your position. And certainly did and I think that the reason for it is a sound understanding of what you have to do in order to make the proper decision. It ought to be not by A legislature and a and a and a woman ought to be between a doctor and a woman any other comments Mike what I just say that that I've been pro-choice since 1973. I believe that a woman has a right to choose that's a individual determination between she and her doctor and the clergy person abortion should be safe legal and rare and I think in a fundamental issue like this that when you look very carefully at the consistency of the candidates and where they been. Mr. Dayton, would you care to say anything on this? We all want to see unwanted pregnancies cease. So I think that you're the only one supporting a particular approach. We all want to see that we all want to help young people kids as a teenager's is a pair of teenage boys. I'm frightened to death by the kinds of consequences that kids are up against out there. So I think yes, we can all join hands in that but what you're not alone that Senator Mondale you haven't had a chance to talk on this one yet going from pro-life to pro-choice and not being a flip-flop is Going to take my breath away. And I mean it's a it's a firm philosophical belief in government and I have always been pro-choice. I think we need to continue to be pro-choice and I think we need to be straight with the public about where we are and where we're headed in and asked if you got to come up with a better answer than that. Well, you've been the target here are any closing comments? Mr. Humphrey, you know, I think we have to face realistic situations. It doesn't help us if we merely stand in one position and continue to see the level of abortions that take place. What we need to do is work to resolve the problem. I have worked with both sides leadership of both sides on this very sensitive, very important personal a decision that needs to be made and we are making progress and I have but had a strategic plan to go beyond that and to work to see even more efforts take place. I don't mind the people accusing me of making a change. I hope the guys that we can all learn. About how to make a change but let's see. Let's see if we can help resolve some of these very difficult issues and that's what I've been trying to do my cream. Skip the problem is even after you flip from pro-life to pro-choice and you support a pro-life Norm Coleman against the dfl endorsed candidate for mayor and there you were going back and forth both sides issue again, I think that racism real fundamental question about leadership including the issue of why you supported Norm Coleman and since most of the voters out there bill or wanting to know who can best beat Norm Coleman the fact that skipped endorsed Pro Stadium pro-life Norm Coleman against the dfl endorsed candidate. I think that's a question that that Skips got to answer the Democratic voters when I've been at the fair they wanted to know what who can best beat Norm Coleman and I think Skip you got popsicles around your neck and that's when we want to pull this one back to the topic at hand here and that is concrete position on abortion. There were some ground rules that were established here and you set the You're not going to disobey those but I'm real tired greed that we would not talk about that other person. That's what all of us agreed to if if mr. Freeman thinks he has to do that. Well, that's his decision. I think we oughta just follow the rules here and I keep it within that context. I'll have more than enough to say about that other gentleman when the time OK junk and we'll see where we are on Wednesday of next week. Okay gentlemen, that's that's fine. But I raised the other guy's name only because that's what Democrats want to talk about who can beat him and I think you have some flaws in that that's not talking about Norm. Let's talk about your ability to take him on in the front and the general election. And I think that's a serious gentleman word Divergent gentlemen, we're diverging table question that the call organic one thing clear. I think the public knows full. Well who can take on and who are the other gentleman has to be? Okay? Okay, let's let's let's move on. Using taxpayer dollars are gambling money for stadium. Okay. Thank you Chris. Let's start with you. Mike Freeman. I've lost track of who's going to go first or I've consistently opposed using state tax dollars for the construction stadiums. I think that it's a private Enterprise that we have a lot better uses of state tax dollars. And I think that we can support a professional sports without using state tax dollars. I've been consistent that approach and I'll be that as Governor. Skip Humphrey no public subsidies for professional sports team owners. We can keep the twins here, but they cannot build their own stadiums. The guns are number one. Absolutely. No public tax dollars. I have vocally on the floor of the Senate spoken out against it. I did introduce a bill to have one state-owned casino at the Mall of America didn't have enough votes to pass a committee. I'm not backing down from that bill. I think it may be a solution to the solve the problem with absolutely no direct tax dollars direct public tax dollars for the stadium. I also while back that I thought that the single stain on operated casino at the Mall of America would give Mystic Lake some much-needed competition generate that 250 million dollars a year according to the lottery director that can be used to finance bonds or Stadium, but more importantly for public school renovation throughout Minnesota K12, post-secondary colleges universities know Rudy perpich understood. You got to make things happen for Minnesota. That's what I would do is Governor. I would make things happen so we can improve the state that Mondale. What about any form of Public Funding for a for a Win Stadium or anything else? I think the stadium is a great example of why people mistrust government, they mistrust government because we can't control spending we can prioritize where a dollars go and we don't tell the truth. The truth is if you build new stadium taxes are going to go up the truth is if we can't prioritize where are dollars going you're spending money on stadiums and you can't spend dollars on early childhood education college scholarships and other things and the truth is last year the public told us no funding for stadiums in the legislature and the governor and that will what's his name in St. Paul came forward and push the money through that's why people distrust government's and if I'm Governor the answer is no and please don't vote for me. If you think that there going to be a new Stadium built. It won't happen on my watch. Okay. Hopefully you have an answer to your question. It looks like a resounding no from our dfl candidates for Governor. Thank you very much to Mark Dayton. Mike Freeman. Skip Humphrey Doug Johnson and Ted Mondale for all. Bring us here in studio tonight and thank you very much for your questions. Have a very good evening. You are listening to the 1998 dfl primary face off on internet. That was Bill Werner the host of last night's debate featuring the dfl candidates for Governor. The debate was held at the Minnesota News Network Studios in downtown, Minneapolis. Well I election day now just a couple of days away Tuesday borders and go to the polls and make their selections for the November general election. And we're going to have one more debate one more big debate here on Minnesota Public Radio Sunday night at the Fitzgerald theater. All the dfl candidates will get together on the stage. You're invited to stop by the debate begins at 7. Call the Fitzgerald box office for free tickets 7 Sunday night. If you can't make it to the debate, make sure you tune in Sunday night. We will also be rebroadcast in that program Monday on midday one last chance to hear from the account. It's going to break for station identification news headlines. And then it's off to the National Press Club for the head of Merrill Lynch.