Coming up now on 12 noon. And of course on November 3rd, minnesotans are going to be voting for governor today League of Women Voters debate is on the air featuring the three major party candidates who will be on your election ballot. Good afternoon. I'm Judy Duffy president of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota. Welcome to this gubernatorial debate live from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota and broadcast by kmsp-tv, Minnesota Public Radio and the Minnesota news network with us today are the candidates from the three major parties in Minnesota for who are candidates for Governor of Minnesota. They are skip Humphrey from the democratic-farmer-labor party Norm Coleman from the Republican party and Jesse Ventura from the Reform Party.A major initiative of the League of Women Voters is the Minnesota compact campaign reform initiative which encourages debate such as these the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization open to all citizens and does not support or oppose any candidates or political parties the views expressed today by the candidates are their own and not those of the League of Women Voters or the fun. They said this debate the funders are American Express financial advisors Incorporated the Dayton Hudson Corporation and Dayton Hudson foundation on behalf of Dayton's Mervyn's California and Target stores, and the blandin foundation are format today will focus some real issues and will include questions from our panel of reporters and questions for my studio audience.Drawing by lot has determine which candidate will answer first candidates will have one minute to respond to each question. And then we will have a short time of open rebuttal time between the candidates. We will begin with a question for my panel reporters. The panel are Robin Robinson of kmsp-tv ladyfinger of Minnesota Public Radio Bell Warner of the Minnesota News Network. And Jeff passolt of kmsp-tv. We will start with Jeff passolt. The order of the responses will be skip Humphrey Norm Coleman and Jesse Ventura Jeff about money. I'm going to ask you a three-prong question about money in the state of Minnesota. And I know that you have a minute to respond to the first part that I know it's a challenge but I think you can all rise to the occasion first off. I'd like to know how you would allocate the six billion dollars in a tobacco settlement in the state of Minnesota second. Assuming that there would be a budget surplus. What would you do with that money? Do you view that money as the individual taxpayers money or do you view it as the state's money and third are taxes going to go up and down if you are elected governor. hysterectomy with regard to the tobacco settlement there will be about nine hundred million dollars coming in the next biennium out of the six billion dollars some two hundred million dollars of that should be allocated directly to smoking cessation smoking prevention programs combined together with the other two hundred million dollars that is already set aside by the court that will give us the opportunity to develop a world-class program and initiative in that area so that we can prevent the Next Generation from even starting to smoke and that'll save us over a billion dollars a year in terms of total cost with regard to taxes. I think that we're going to see a tax cut I proposed a billion-dollar income tax cut permanent tax cut with more than 340 million dollars worth of permanent property taxes. We can make sure that that goes back to Working Families Target to Working Families and to make sure that we have the opportunity to to see that the Take place. Thank you. Mr. Coleman. Certainly. There's a clear fundamental difference between the end of myself on this issue. Yes, we have two hundred million dollars. That should be put aside for smoking cessation programs. Then the money goes back to the people paid for it. It was a whole basis of a suit. We were we were overpaid overcharged. So where you going to use in the comb Administration to cut taxes one of the taxes that we cut is one-half percent healthcare provider tax get rid of the sick tax attorney general said that was willy nilly to give that back to taxpayers. That's crazy. It's not government money to your muddy condition to the Coleman plan if we have surpluses, I have a kicker in their trigger money automatically goes back. We spend 23 billion dollars biannually will give back the Surplus to you. I believe in you to give you the freedom to spend your money the way that way that you see fit. That's how you generate. Hope that to generate opportunity. That's how you generate jobs a very clear difference. It's your money give it back to you in a comment Administration taxes will be cut and administration. He is going to spend spend spend the night with his dfl. Phone it said taxes will be raised. Thank you. Mr. Ventura in the first place who's really paying right now. The very addicted smokers that it was supposed to help out, you know, because that the tobacco industry was forced to raise two and a half cents a pack. They got the Razor the nickel so it's the tobacco industry is actually now more profitable because of it and it's right on the backs of the very addicted smokers. It was supposed to help out. So I had a problem with the monetary end of the whole thing. Anyway, I thought tobacco should be brought aboveboard. But the money end of it was kind of ridiculous second of all, I would put it back into the healthcare industry to where we we need the money to go that that's cost us tremendous amounts of money and tobacco final next to a budget surplus. I'm the only candidate who stood on the steps of the Capitol and said give the Surplus back and I appreciate that the mayor of st. Paul but three weeks earlier. I came up with the trigger mechanism. Star Tribune and I appreciate it that he appreciates what I came up with on that I would give the Surplus back to the people absolutely because it's above the budget of a response to each other on this question but I just want to say that I obviously this is the people's money and the people's representatives are going to be making the decisions as to how to allocate those resources but I want to make sure that we keep our Minnesota commitments to our families I want to make certain that we help families that are struggling to meet there in it to have their ends meet when it comes to child care payments on I want to make sure that we have the opportunity to see the kids go on to Colleges and Schools such as we're in today, those are the kind of things that you have to be able to do if you're going to have a balanced budget what do you say to the way that you keep commitments to families that you keep a lid on their taxes you believe in them you give them back their money you let them make choices with it rather than the Humphrey approach was his grade Morgan Programs with create more spending which will raise taxes. I'm the only person in this race who was actually cut taxes every year that I have been in office. I have cut the city portion of the property tax. It's hard to do but what it does is it generates a sense of hope and confidence new investment new jobs. We don't need more programs. What we need to do is have a belief in you what you want to do with it I of the end of come out in the end and have said straightforward that I will be till the raising of any new taxes in Minnesota after the four billion dollar Surplus. There is no reason to raise taxes at all, but both Democrats and Republicans saw fit to jump in and spend that Surplus bipartisanship when they spent the whole thing and not only that what did they follow it up with? They spent a record bonding 1 billion dollars both Democrats and Republicans. They talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk. Gentleman, my question is about to be at For Better or Worse what many minnesotans first Contact is with your campaign for governor in specifically that is television and radio ads number of people that I have talked to have had comments about chubby say the caliber of campaign advertising this campaign season one that has specifically drawn a lot of comments and a lot of media play is mr. Colman's commented Farm fast relative the Family Farms that I want to read that comment verbatim and then ask each of you three to talk about the caliber of campaign as the minnesotans can expect as the same as the season progresses and if you want to talk about the farmfest, in the Family Farm, I think a lot of people like to hear that to mr. Coleman's comment was quote Family Farms really in the end become what you define it. What do you need to support you and your family and it's not just about this image of what the family farm was and it we're going to save it defies economic reality we can pay In a World Market Place on quotes the last the last sentence of the quote. I read it we compete in a World Market to respond to this question in the last sentence of that quote says we need to give Farm families the tools that they need in order to compete in that Global Marketplace. Let him give me out to to sell their product fair and free trade. I support that the Attorney General poses. It don't have moratoriums on lies. Don't kill the livestock industry. I oppose moratoriums. He supports it. I don't raise workers comp is going to kill Main Street. I support workers comp reform the Attorney General will roll it back. The trying to channel came out with a quote press release with a quote saying something I never said we're going to kill the Family Farm 10 years ago when he ran against Dave durenberger. You said Dave durenberger was going to pull the plug on old people know. I'm not pulling the plug on fam. I supported and the policies that I'm that emphasized including putting a hundred and fifty million dollars into my budget to pay the first half of 1899 Farm taxes property that supports Family Farms. We need to support Family Farms by giving Farm families the tools that they need as I said before fair and free trade opportunity for value-added production will putting an ethanol plant. St. Paul. I have been there with the family fun. This issue has been demagogue and attorney general should really apologize about that likewise support the family farm. I think it's a tradition in the state of Minnesota. My wife's family comes from Vernon Center, Minnesota. So rest assured when it comes time for those family get-togethers. Jesse Ventura will hear about the Family Farm. I think that's what we need to do is is deregulate definitely the Family Farm take the handcuffs off them out there so that they can go out and compete and we need to quit giving breaks to the absentee landowner. If we're going to give breaks. Let's give it to the family farmer who is out there working on that farm getting dirty and producing those crops. Instead of absentee landowners who are reaping the most benefit right now. And by the way, I'm income tax cut right now is not going to affect the family Farmer at all, which both of my opponents have advocated because the Family Farm is not going to show any income this year. So, how is an income tax got going to benefit the Family Farm you need to reduce their property taxes out there. You need to reduce property taxes across the board in the state of Minnesota to the public all across our state on television and I can tell you you want to know who's been hit hardest with the negative ads that have come from Norm Coleman campaign. It's skip Humphrey just going to ask to Citizens. They come up to me every single day and say my goodness listen to that kind of crowd that's on television. I want to see has talked specifically and expressly about the truth. I didn't say those words. Those were the words quoted in newspapers. The reality is that the Family Farm is the most basic fundamental. A farming Agriculture, and we need to save it. We need to increase the opportunities for family Farmers. We got a crisis on the Family Farm. We need to make sure that that November payment of property taxes artist is put aside and so that we can delay that we can go then and have the 340 million dollars worth of property tax relief that I provided and we need to have a governor go to Washington and change the whole structure of farming so that we can then have the foundation for a much stronger diverse agricultural economy and Rural economy in Minnesota. Thank you wouldn't by any chance find each other. I messed up in first this campaign should be on on the recoton what we've done and our capacity to liver on what we're going to do. That's very fair. We have records that my res I've cut taxes every all deliver on that skiff as a record of spending he's going to deliver on that but the fact is Skip you didn't quote. What was in the paper. You got up there on TV and said I heard Norm Coleman say and you didn't hear me say And the fact is if we're going to do this, let's be fair. Let's be straight for let's be honest. Let's look at the record. Let's fight about our different views on the Family Farm. I have quoted exactly what is in the paper? But the reality here, it's not about what we say. It's what are we going to do for family Farmers? That's the bottom line and frankly Norm if you don't understand what the Family Farms all about, you ought to admit it and go find out about it. I can tell you this or not cash flowing anything today. They're going down the tubes and said we need to make those kinds of changes in Governor's ought to be involved directly in that effort. They want to oppose. They don't want more terms and livestock and they don't want you to roll back workers comp reform. They want to kill us a chance to get in on this match who's above all of this. And I fixed it right now. If you want to look at fair and good campaigning. I will just State this I'm embarrassed as the United States citizen and as a veteran to what both of these two premiere parties the Democrats and Republicans are sinking to today from Washington right on down here locally. I noticed the cartoon the other day and Star Tribune newspaper where it kind of took a shot and said amazing the only candidate that suck campaigning on the issues and not slinging mud is the former pro wrestler actor and talk show host audience. Mr. Roy Miller who is editor of the Brainerd Dispatch. What's secret? Formula. Do you have for pushing your programs through the Minnesota Legislature very good question, and I'll tell you why because I truthfully represent the 3-prong system of checking balance Ledger. Weight of judicial executive if you elect a Democrat or Republican you're already in an adversarial position with the other party there adversarial. You're seeing it right here today where I can sit there and when a bill comes to my desk if it's good for Minnesota, I'll sign it if it's bad for Minnesota albeto it and it will not matter which party originated it part. Partisan Party politics will go out the window. Jesse Ventura will do what's best for the state of Minnesota. And I think I can bring the two parties together much better so that we can get a Cooperative effort so that that happens and then rest assured. I miss I am not controlled by special interest money. I do not accept Pac money. So when you look behind Jesse Ventura, you won't see any strings attached to me or as I said and Predator it won't be payback time. Mr. Humphrey Well, I can tell you first and foremost one of the reasons that I chose my running mate Rodger MO is because he knows and understands exactly how to work closely with the legislature in to get things done. So the partnership of Humphrey and mo will make sure that the legislature response very directly to Minnesota's commitments and what are those commitments there to a world-class public education system there to making sure that we have a affordable and Quality Healthcare everywhere in this state. They're there a commitment to the sea that we Crackdown on crime and stop the kind of violence that is in our life and they are most important a commitment for Working Families to see that we return the billion dollars plus a permanent income tax cuts and property tax cuts that I have talked about. Those are the kind of things that we need to do that. If you go the other direction your goal Coleman Amex you're going to have a heck of a time no matter who's doing it because I guarantee it. We have a balanced budget. We've already proposed. I don't know what we're going to stay with. Mr. Coleman and his proposal. Thank you. Mr. Coleman earned it on the Promises of government and work with a city council that six of seven were of a different party or different persuasion that I am they said we cut taxes each and every year that I've been in office with mean thousands of new jobs come to the capital city. It is about getting things. It is about working hand-in-hand with folks on both sides of the aisle. I think the police got to be real concerned. If you got a Democrat sit-in there in the governor's chair and you got a Democrat legislature. Just the fact is you're going to see spending go up you're going to see taxes go up. There's going to be no checking no balance. But in the end you figure out ways to pull people together you get hurt you get away from that us vs them divisive politics. And you say we got to get it done. We're going to cut taxes for minnesotans. We did that in Saint Paul will do it for the state. We're going to create jobs by getting rid of unnecessary regulation trading environment. People want to be hero families here. We've done that and Saint Paul we can do that for, Minnesota. Thank you. Would you care to respond to each other? First of all, I'd like to say you're right and you have been on both sides of the aisle. I'm not sure if you're a Republican or Democrat because that's mayor of st. Paul. You've been both second of all, I want to warn everybody to that. If you elect a Democratic governor with a democratic legislature then hand over your wallet because in my opinion you will be living on an allowance governed every year by cutting taxes as a conservative by the way beating the endorsed candidate the Democratic party. I have kept a lid on spending on like by the way, the Attorney General spending his own office I think is increased threefold in Saint Paul spending is increased less than the rate of inflation and I've worked with a city council the different political persuasion and got him to do what you needed to do which is to cut taxes and help us grow jobs. That's the kind of best kind of governing you need. That's what I have done. I think that Separates Me from anybody in this race. Really the people of Minnesota deserve to see how we're going to allocate those resources certainly back and giving back that money to the people where it belongs so that we can have our families be the driving engines for tomorrow, but I have to tell you yes, people can give you a tax cut but they also do some other things interesting in St. Paul when you see the kind of debt load that's their indebting and mortgaging the future of the city of Saint Paul. That's another part of the whole story of mr. Coleman, nomics. Thank you. We need to move on to our next question which will come from Life Anger from Minnesota Public Radio. All three talked about the need to cut taxes or at least not sign new ones into law, but I'd like to know if there's an economic downturn and the budget surplus Goes Up in Smoke. Would you back off that that tax pledge? Mr. Humphrey you go for let me just say in our proposed budget. We have a reserve that is established that even greater than the Carlson administration's and I think it is sufficient to take the and absorbed the ups and downs of our economy. That is how we prudently and wisely provide for that. Early tax cut permanent as well as the income tax cut. By the way, this, doesn't propose any property tax cut. That means your property taxes are going to go up folks. So I'd say that indeed we have the we've taken the responsible position and I on the basis of all the current projections by the Carlson Administration. The Surplus is going to be there and then on top of that I'm the only guy that sitting here that's brought six billion dollars in his bringing six billion dollars in to this estate through the tobacco settlement so I can tell you the resources are there the real issue is how are you going to allocate those resources? And are you just going to play in to election gimmicks of this kind of tax cut? That text but we're all going to cut taxes. It's how are you going to allocate the resources to meet our Minnesota commitments? Thank you. Mr. Coleman and you've got spending programs and you going to raise taxes. That's the Rally's on the back of money. That's brought in you've spent your spent. What I've done in my budget is calculated AAA rate rate of inflation in the Attorney General in his in his budget calculates 3/4 of percentage flation. If it goes up more than that, you're all in big trouble Ted Mondale said got a billion dollar hole in his budget. We calculate a 2% raise inflation. We put an extra three hundred million dollars in Indian to reserve fund. Are we are we are budget is there and we'll deal with it down turn but more important. I took over mayor of a city that didn't have a surplus and I've learned to govern we spend 3 million less and property taxes in St. Paul than when I took office and said the key to success here is to keep a lid on spending to bring to cut taxes generated economic. And you can deal with that but if you spend spend spend you will raise taxes, you will accelerate accelerate any deterioration of the economy. Thank you. Mr. Ventura only stated. I will stop any new taxes and won't allow any any new taxes. I will be told them all because I'm a realist and I'm not going to make false promises here to get elected because to me making budgets on expected surpluses. Well, if that expected Surplus doesn't show up then both of their budgets me nothing and they're just simply being used in an attempt to get elected. And so I also believe that you know, before you walk you take baby steps before you run out and you know in before you run all of those things, so I will stop the growth of any government and I'd like to State why I will do that and you can believe me to do it. I've earned my entire living basically in the private sector my two opponents have been cashing government checks their entire life. They are career politicians. Imperative for them to make government bigger better and stronger because that's where they've been working. Their entire lives is in the government. I've been out working in the private sector paying those taxes and frankly. I've had enough thank you it would you care to respond to each other, They are Brooklyn Park taxes went up spending went through the roof. The fact is it's not easy to cut taxes. You got you got to you got to convince people by the way, perhaps another political party that this is the right thing to do and it is the right thing to do to give people more free. It's the fact is you've been in the arena that we're in and when you're in that already have found it very difficult to do what you promising to do now and that is keep a lid on taxes. It's not easy. Yes. I would like to respond. I voted against every raising of taxes in Brooklyn Park. I took on a 20-year network of good old boy career politicians like I have sitting next to me over here and we Considered a weak-mayor. I did not have the power of veto. I was strictly one vote. And so, you know be the judge let the people judge whether Jesse Ventura produced in the city of Brooklyn Park go find out what kind of trouble that city was in before. I took over I did my job the city was turned in the right direction and then like a true citizen who believes in this country that you come from the private sector and serve and go back to the cabin when I did I don't know how we're going to be able to keep our commitments to Minnesota families. If we are not in are we going to be able if we're not expanding some additional dollars where we need it in order to have our accountability standards in Minnesota schools raised up. I don't know how we're going to achieve the goals that we set forth. I don't know how we're going to have smaller class sizes. I think that we if we're going to have more teachers in the classroom, which is what every in public schools which every citizen life. Talk to it said we need to have we're going to have to have not only the tax cuts that we're all talking about. But we need the prudent and directed Investments their next question. Next question guns from Robin Robinson of kmsp-tv. Thank you. Let's continue to talk about Minnesota schools education is important all across the state especially as we see a growing number of immigrants emotionally and educationally dysfunctional children Working Poor as well as minority student. I'd like to know from all three of you if you support the mediation of the naacp's education lawsuits which focuses on ending economic segregation, but also affects the group's I mentioned as well. I thank you. Mr. Call me when you go first. We need to produce kids who are a world-class citizens have the opportunity to get the jobs that are needed. In order to do that. One of the things Robin you got to do is you got to get moms and dads involved in the kids education. We do that one economically by supportive things, like education credits tax deductions Choice give Parents Choice. I support that my opponent is suppose that but the issue of getting parents involved also ties into that suit, one of the problems what we need to do is we need to end the economic disparity you do that right rebuilding core cities. That's what I've done in St. Paul. That's what eight to ten thousand more jobs means but the problem with that suit is that suit for there's a whole concept of busing which moves kids away from from neighborhood schools, and I got to tell you in st. Paul. I see hundreds of kids lining up for a bus taking to a school monkey Southeast. They take him to school miles away and Mom and Dad's can't be involved so you She got it and the economic disparity, but I do not think promoting more busing is the answer. Thank you mister Ventura. I don't like the idea of suing because that brings lawyers in the play as you know, I'm the only candidate for governor. Who's not a lawyer. And I think that's a very positive thing to do. I would like to reiterate again to that that I grew up in the Minneapolis school system. And when I went to school you went to a neighborhood School you went I went to Cooper Grade School Sanford Junior High School Roosevelt High School. And I too agree that school busing is wrong. I spoke to that in North Minneapolis and got nothing but Applause when the people at the North Minneapolis. Mr. Humphrey was there that night and because busing does nothing to make the school the focal point of the neighborhood. That's what we've got to have happened because that will get the parents involved. It's a three-prong approach. You need good teachers good students and parental involvement. You can't do that when you're busting kids all over during open enrollment. Thank you. Mr. Humphrey question was do we support mediation? Absolutely the last place we need to be as in a courtroom. We oughta with mediated this evening before we started the litigation Frankie this Administration wants to go to court all the time. I have preferred that we move through the mediation process and then supported it and I'm glad to see that we're doing that. We need to resolve these differences in the community not in the courtroom, but I can absolutely assure you that we need to make sure we have the strongest world-class public schools. That is what we need. If we're going to have the kind of Workforce that is highly talented in trained and educated the way we get there is to Target our tax cuts to the early stages of Life helping parents. Make sure that they have quality Child Care make sure that kids are able to go to colleges and to the technical school. That's like that's the way in which we need to approach it. But we also need to be able to make sure that we have the resources and availability for the smaller class sizes and for the other kinds of thing. It will change our Public School. You won't get that if you siphon off the dollars and a private voucher systems and we're going to sink will sink Mar our public school system faster than the Titanic do what Coleman what time is up? Would you care to respond to each other private school? You went to the same choice you had for your kid and why shouldn't portrait parents have the same right that you and your family had please use some of that tax money to support that and that's not taking away from public education full funding for public education my budget one of the observation about Skip star get a tax cut in his tax guy. He targets tax relief to leave to the one category the bodice those who pay in the 6% bracket those make $24,000 or under if you're in if you're not if you're beyond that skip no longer Defoe to find who is working families. So the only one getting targeted income tax refund people making $24,000 are tax cut act goes across the void the rest of what Are spending programs last time I saw it was $120,000 per family. It's graduated. There's no doubt about that. But you see again, you can look at my budget because I've proposed it. We don't have anything from mr. Call me Norm, where's the budget? Let's see what the real numbers are that you're talkin about. The reality is that we want to have Choice education comes down to ABC accountability the basics and a choice in the public education system. That is exactly what I missed your venturing. Would you like to get in here a lot of talk about lowering class sizes in the career politicians have been found out that a law in Minnesota already States. The class sizes are supposed to be lowered to one student for what's 17 student for one teacher. There's been 280 1 billion dollars allocated to do such that has been sent out to the local school boards, but there's loopholes so it's not being done. It's not being implemented mechant who's a career school teacher Is my lieutenant governor candidate? She will handle education because she's been down in where the kids are learning right now. She is not a bureaucrat since Mister Liam Clark who is a program officer of the blandin foundation Minnesota. However today the states World economy depends on a number of key Industries. What's your vision for the future of real Minnesota? Is it a declining Rural and expanding metropolitan area or does it balance? If so, how are you achieve it who is responsible and how will you measure this? Let me State this high taxes and being overtaxed. Is that way whether you live on the Iron Range weather you live in urban Minneapolis-Saint Paul or whether you live in urban, Minnesota rural Minnesota, excuse me, if we need to cut down the size of We need to cut down governments infiltration into our lives. We are becoming so dependent upon government and everything about government and if we do that if you put more money back in your pockets, that's what Spurs the economy. Let's remember something when the government give someone a dollar. They took that dollar from somewhere else because all they do is redistribute money and the chances are they took $2 from somewhere else because they kept a buck for themselves and then pass the other Dollar on at that point in time. So lowering taxes across the board and diminishing the size and scope of government is the answer for all personal responsibility. That's what I stand for the centerpiece and the foundation block of Greater. Minnesota is the Family Farm And we need to make sure that that succeeds and expand but beyond that we have a wonderfully diverse economy and the way We encourage that to expand is to provide a revolving fund of more than five million dollars to encourage Metropolitan businesses to grow in Greater Minnesota. We think that with leverage amounts, we can expand that it will use the blandin foundation and others to see that we provide a greater and more diverse economy throughout the Greater Minnesota. That's what ski, it should be balanced. There is no reason on Earth why everything should happen in the metropolitan area, but we need to make sure that we have all of the ingredients of a quality of life which includes Quality Healthcare good public education. We got to make sure that all of those key elements of a good Society are in Greater, Minnesota as well as in Metropolitan, Minnesota. Thank you. Mr. Coleman the root of all those quality-of-life issues are or where the mom and dad has a job. And if you roll back workers comp reform you will drive Josh particular out of rural Minnesota. It is the balance by the way, we Minnesota we need the character. We need the spirit of real Minnesota, but he gets back and Jesse a ride gets back to cutting taxes gets back to cutting regulation gets back to making sure that we can we get rid of violence, which is an issue as much in Grand Rapids. And Jackson is it isn't Saint Paul it gets back to being for Innovation education. So it's not a special thing. And did you look at those special resources the same boat was the river in northern Minnesota and maybe the lakes in southwest Minnesota and maybe the Farmland but you do things that build on your with the base of it as Mom and Dad working and if your tax him to death and regulate them to death if the streets aren't safe and if I kids don't go to Quality school that none of us are going to survive. I stand for those things like I have produced on those things in St. Paul and I will produce the Greater, Minnesota. Thank you. Would you care to respond to each other on this issue? Okay, thank you. Then. We'll move on to our next question which is from Jeff passolt of KMSP today about the industry that is mandated on the federal basis. But which really has a dramatic impact in Minnesota. That's Northwest Airlines and we see what it can happen firsthand after someone with Northwest Airlines has gone through in the last several months. We're talking about tens of thousands of employees hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the airline as passengers. Also the industries that are adjoining it in 1992 the state provide a 315 million dollar loan to the corporation of Northwest Airlines to their end of the deal Northwest agree to employ 1,000 people to Duluth build a facility in Hibbing Minnesota and employ 500 people now, it seems that they fall in short on that and that was supposed to be done within 3 years. Meaning that it should be up and running by 1996 here. We are two years past and I'm wondering as Governor what you would do to get Northwest to come through on their end of the deal and at the same time help Northwest ease some of their labor pains not just for the airline, but for their employees with regard to air transportation, we've got to break the Stranglehold that we have just by Northwest and others in these kinds of centers that we have. I want to work with other governors in Tennessee in Michigan to see that we open up the competition. I think that's very important. We have a good company. We have good people that work with this company, but we want to make sure that the customers are you and I The Travelers have the full opportunity of the kind of choices necessary. That's that also opens up the whole issue though of Transportation throughout Minnesota. I want to make sure that we have the kind of roads that are necessary. I want to make sure that we have the kind of ability of Knology so that people all throughout our state have the opportunity to get their products and their ideas to the marketplace and themselves to the marketplace. That's what's critical. Thank you. Mr. Coleman competition really does Drive quality. You got to believe in competition. I certainly believe in competition and I'm glad to hear the Attorney General leaving now in competition. I wish you would join me and believing in competition and education but the NBA will say no you won't do that. I wish you would join me with believing in competition in the delivery of government services. But but the public employees union won't let you do that and even though the issue of competition with Northwest Airlines, it was litigation the number of states joining we didn't join in that but the bottom line is you got to have a real commitment to competition. I believe across-the-board competition drives quality. And so we need to figure out ways to generate the competition which will then drive the quality keep they serve an important service being a hub but competition is what we needed. I believe in that across-the-board. I would hope the attorney Would be more open about competition not just in this area, but many others. Thank you mister Venture. Well, first of all, I'd like to State about the Northwest Airlines strike and all that. I'm the only best of Union member sitting up here who is the best of Union member into unions and I believe in collective bargaining. I firmly believe in that that it should take place in that bargaining should take always be out there to be done and keep them at the table. That's what needs to happen. I also believe in opening up to towards competition. But when you if you want to expand them competition my two opponents over here are going to raise welfare get ready for it to happen social welfare on the far end and corporate welfare next to me. And the reason for that is this I do not accept Pac money. Nobody owns me they do so they will have agendas to carry forward both in the social welfare system and in the corporate welfare system because that's what it'll all come down to in the end. I've said it many times follow the money and it's whoever finances your campaign. That's where your loyalty will lie in the end. They respond to each other on this little something about competition. I believe in competition. I believe we need to have Partnerships between the public and private sector as well competition in the marketplace is fine competition on the Gridiron when the Vikings beat the Packers next time is just great but competition in education. We're not going to have you know, in competition to get winners and losers. We're not going to have winners and losers when it comes to education. We need winners and winners and I disagree strongly with. Mr. Coleman his way is the wrong way. We will see winners and losers in education. We can't afford that. I speak to that actually with wheat we see winter is in Winter. Skip we fought this this guy Veronica Carlson 4th for Innovation education in the folks by the way, who go back skip for the same folks with for charter schools in for post-secondary options, and now for to a tax credits and deductions, I really believe and I say this by was a firm commitment to funding for public education, but these are additional resources aren't losses if parents of kids to private schools can buy a computer for their kid parents against the public school should be able to do the same. My tax man gives people that opportunity. It's a winner winner. Let's be better tomorrow than we are today not it should clear up. When is the New Black stick to this? I think the question dealt with Northwest Airlines Yeah, I know. I would like to see there's a prime example, I would say probably of corporate welfare of what I talked about earlier where promises were made money was given to Northwest Airlines the major corporation and now they're not following through on probably the deal they made through the campaign finances and their support to the candidates, There is quite a tradition of hunting and angling in this state. There are a lot of business people in this particular area of Minnesota who make their living that way my question of you is what do you feel about proposed concealed carry legislation? How would you balance that against the need to keep people safe in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and please explain your position is very clearly on how you feel about concealed. Carry Mister, you go first questions raised one about hunting and fishing and I have a deep deep deep commitment. Everybody needs to support both constitutional amendment is the right to hunt and fish. And the expansion of of the environmental trust fund in regard to people protecting themselves first. The issue is Public Safety. We need to start with a clear commitment to get guns out of the hands of bad guys. That's what the problem is and we've done that and Saint Paul Target in gang member is targeting drug dealers. That's where the problem is. The problem isn't rat confident Minnesotan to have a reasonable concern for their safety without of the family 31 states have laws like that in Prime has gone down in those of the Attorney General has demagogue this issue and demagogue this issue. Let's focus on what are we doing to get guns out of the hands of bad guys out of drug facts that criminals and not put the onus on law-abiding citizens who may have a legitimate concern for their safety the safety of their family. They're not the problem. They haven't been if we did more with the criminals. We be all feel safe in this issue was raised because people don't feel safe in St. Paul by the way. Violent crime is going down. Skip under your watch and Minnesota violent crime is double. Let's get the bad guys. Thank you, mr. Ventura. First of all, I think the specific question dealt with concealed and carry and I don't think I heard an answer on it whether it was being supported or not. I believe the conceal and carry law you can make it as stringent as you want to make it we have that ability. But what I want to do is take the subjectivity out of it and make it objektiv and what I mean by that is yes, if you qualify you should be able to do it and it should not be left up to a police chief or a county sheriff. I'll give you an example when I was mayor of Brooklyn Park. I attempted to get it and was turned down and I was the man. Because it's left up to one person to make that decision where one person can carry a biased for whatever reason or not. So, I think you make it stringent tough gun safety course, you have to pass a shooting course of Marksmanship pre-qualifying, of course, nobody with any mental disorders nobody with any criminal background, but I will support it because I want it up jective rather than subjective. Mr. Humphrey. I want to make sure that you understand I support and I would ask people to vote Yes on the two Constitutional Amendments, they're very important. If you enjoy hunting like I do with my family with my son then you better support those amendments. They are very very important but hunting animals is one thing hunting people is quite another and I am absolutely opposed to having any additional opportunities for concealed weapons loaded concealed weapons. The laws we have on the books today work. We don't need any changes on those lost but I can tell you this the reason that I'm endorsed by Police law enforcement they know who's going to get the job done folks. They know who's going to be there partner in stopping and eliminating this kind of crime. I want to make sure that we don't have individuals walking down the halls of the mall or anywhere else that you are with a loaded concealed weapon and frankly. I think it's outrageous that you would be for that kind of a thing. Thank you. This is your opportunity to respond to each other. What do you have to stay by the police officers the same group that interests and Winnie override grams and John Marti over over on E Carlson and that's about Union politics. That's what's that about Jesse. It is about making sure there's uniformity just want they no doubt about that right now. We have subjectivity and then that's not fare. So what I'm looking for is uniformity uniformity, which there are safeguards in which there is training and which all the laws around the country show when you have that you don't have the Litany of nightmares at the Attorney General's trying to portray. Mr. Humphrey. I'd like to address this to you if we go if I'm assaulted or my wife is assaulted today. We cannot sue the state of Minnesota nor can we sue the police department in the courts? They have said very clearly government is not there to protect you. So there for you you want to not allow people to have the ability to protect themselves. These are law-abiding citizens. These are not criminals. These are people who are law-abiding anytime. You need it if you show your need this is local control folks. This is exactly where it belongs. It belongs in the hands of local individuals that are locally elected and appointed so that you have the opportunity to measure whether or not as being used if you want Saint Paul to signing all these questions you want to figure out when and where somebody has got a concealed weapon. That's just it's just defies Common Sense. We don't need that kind of a law on the books. We have good lost. They work fine. We have a we have a good and safe state. Okay, thank you. It's time to move on to her next question and it's from a member of the audience Christopher Comstock who is a fifth grade student from Harrison Elementary School in Brainerd. And he's also a member of kids voting Christopher. What would you do to make our schools even better? And how would you do it? Mr. Ventura. Well, first of all Christopher, thank you. First of all what I have what I've already done. I've brought on as a lieutenant governor a 36-year teacher. This is someone who's been in the trenches teaching children just like you not a bureaucrat not a professional politician and I've told me shonk that she will be in charge of Education. We want to reduce class sizes 1 to 17. As I said, the money is already being appropriated for it, but it's being lost somewhere. They're not using it for that and I want to get parents back involved in schools. And I want to make the public school system is strong as I possibly can because I am a product of public schools and so are my children they both went to Public Schools. Maybe the other candidates would like to State whether their children went to public school or not. But my kids did I believe in public schools and it comes down to trust who do you believe a public school person a teacher who teaches you that you will get the job done for? Thank you. Mr. Humphrey Crewe is a very good question. I think though that we can't just wait until we start at the school. We have to start earlier than that. We literally have to start when children are born. We need to have good parenting skills talk to parents. We need to help support the effort through an income tax cut and and a credit that will provide for learning-based a child care. We need to start right at those stages cuz that's terribly important. But once we get to school we are to have smaller class sizes. We ought to have more teachers in the class in the classroom be able to be there. We need to make sure that we hold ourselves accountable so that the standards in the performance goes up. We need to make sure we teach the basics reading and writing and arithmetic but also how to work together how to make sure we use could good communication skills and to know that technology and then we need to be ready to go right on into that higher education learning. Those are the key areas along with full choice of what is needed best for you. Okay, thank you. Mr. Coleman recognizing the importance of this issue my running me to bring the lawn background Education Ph.D. University of Minnesota teacher administrative side of this is a very critical issue. What do we need to do? If I first we need to make sure that we get moms and dads involved in your education is critically important. I wouldn't at same time. We want to have high high high standards, but don't let the bureaucrats in st. Paul tell you what the local metal how you meet those standards? Skip it is about Basics about reading and writing an English but the other stuff you throw in his The Godly gook and that's what's being dictated Now by Saint Paul about how you have to work in a group process. Let's get Basics done. Let's get parents involved. Let's make sure that teachers can have discipline in the classroom. Let's reward Excellence Merit pay that's competition. Let's support give you the best teachers rewards for doing what they're doing and let's not be afraid to innovate charter schools for Innovation post-secondary options Innovation tax credits deductions or innovation. I support that that means your mom. Her tax money on a computer for you or on ebooks for you or on mentry tutoring few. That's what we need to do Innovation discipline rewarding teachers getting moms and dads involved in focusing on the basics. Thank you. I would you care respond to each other? Mr. Venture. Maybe I'll reiterate my question again Chris both of my children attend public schools. I'll ask the other two candidates. Once again, where do their kids go to school and it's not division between public school kids in private school kids and I didn't wear to a whole village. It takes to raise a child. Let's play. Let's raise the whole village. That's by the way what credits and deductions do don't throw out part of the village maintain a firm commitment to public education, but don't throw out any kids there a lot of parents who home-school their kids. They have that right? We should support that right? It's about giving kids the best. Baby in public schools and maybe charter schools with your part of public schools. It may be in private schools and maybe homeschooling staring don't card any card and I really think that this is also all about choices choices within the public education system. That means if it's a good Community School that you want to send your children to act like I have if you want to send your children to a charter school or a magnet school. Those are the options that ought to be there for parents and for students, but we're not going to be able to do that. If we have this fancy economics that I keep hearing about from mr. Coleman. It just can't be done. You got to look at what the budget says and where those dollars are going if they're all going off into siphoning off into a voucher scheme or if they're going off and into the other kinds of things he's talking about. There's not going to be the resources to do the things that we've talked about it if there's no couches ski, we need to move on to the next question, which is from Les finger of Minnesota Public Radio. Thank you a simple question. Is there any scenario any of you can Envision where any public money would be used to construct a new baseball stadium in, Minnesota? Who's better? Hope I don't see any public dollars going to a baseball stadium that'll going to line the pockets of wealthy sports team owners. I don't see it. The public won't stand for it and I won't stand for it. If we if they want to work together and they're in the with the private sector and with the industry. That's fine. But I got to tell you we've got a problem not only here. We've got it across the country. That's why I've taken the action legal action to see that we open this business up and take a look at what's going on. Thank you. Mr. Coleman. This is one we got to look at the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk. Skip you supported tax dollars for the Metrodome. You're running mate. Rajyam always been the guy behind Public Funding. You got the mo Humphrey budget got the Mojave World plan for Minnesota. But now you're saying you don't have the Humphrey Mo plan to deal with the stadium. This is an issue that needs leadership. And what you need to do is say how we can figure out a way to keep a Community Asset here and if it takes user fees, which all by the way public dollars, we collect them but it's by the people who enjoy the product if it takes tax dollars at come from those restaurants in the area that again either going to benefit from it. We should have the courage to figure out a way to keep a community. I said here we did that with hockey and in st. Paul in my tax base supported it and then not using that property tax dollars and I got a new business is going to bring between 3 and 8 million dollars. You have new Revenue 1.4 million more visitors part of a whole economic Revival, but goodness gracious on this one. Skip don't hold your finger to the Wynn Rodger Moore was Behind the stadium issue you supported Public Funding in the past. Let's figure out a way to get this thing done with taxpayers sayings for doing the right thing. Mr. Venture. First of all, I'll be very clear. No, there will be no public tax dollars with Jesse Ventura going for a nude Stadium of any manner. I do support if they want to put Slots of Canterbury out there and put a big sign that says help about for Carl if you want to volunteer and help him. That's fine if it goes on a volunteer message, but I cannot support it when you have I'll take just move on for example Boston you just turn down 34 million dollars for four years wasn't enough and not only that you have a Jacobs Field in Cleveland now sold out every game. You can't buy a ticket had to come back this year for public subsidy. They can't make ends meet. So until professional sports gets its labor and some type of order. I am not going to look into the face of Money making 25 thousand a year and tell him we're going to take some of your money to build a stadium. Thank you. I do have a response to each other on this. I just make it clear. I'm not going to support public tax dollars for that kind of effort if Norma wants to put it into hockey arenas or anywhere else and you know, there was it was there. That's exactly what you went up to the state legislature in a Lobby for that's your fine business, but that's not where the people in Minnesota and that's not the way I'm going to approach it as governor. And I want the twins here. They were my twins before they even twins. They were Senators to come in and look at who walk the walk and who's stalking the truck over here. The fact is it twins are good in a way that the tax base filter right thing to pack is Jesse there some business and I make money on that deal in those customers want to contribute and maybe through tax dollars at maybe user fees and maybe taxes on on on liquor around the area that is benefiting. So the fact is we should have the courage to figure out a way to do that. We did that with hockey and we got a 65 million dollar loan from the state and we also have one point. Court downtown of the capital city of million interest-free loan. How many of you have gotten one of them lately from the state. Let me talk about hockey for a moment if Whitney Houston sings at that new Arena. Guess what the money goes to the hockey team doesn't go back to the people or to the government. It's called what is the deal about you can make any kind of deal that there but you got to look at that deal in that hockey deal is bad because the hockey team makes all the money again follow the money take a look through the contributors are to certain campaigns and you'll find out why the hockey deal happens in the hockey Don the hockey deal with six million dollars a year to the city or no property taxes involved. That's why the people supported on our next question is from Robin Robinson of kmsp-tv, please. Thank you. Rural AIDS and HIV education is especially important right now that we're seeing the first cases of patients resistant to strains of protease Inhibitors after what seemed to be a leveling off. And prolong life or Aids patient. What will you do to provide care and education when the next wave of AIDS deaths begin to happen more frequently in Minnesota and it also like to try that to find out whether or not you support the Human Rights Act which would include the right to these patients to have a home or job without discrimination. Thank you for stances. Mr. Coleman. We have an obligation to deal with those are suffering cross the border agent and then certainly cancer a mother or dying of cancer government needs to do with Cher and we've been there. We also by the way that Robin we do it in in partnership with the private sector with the community. We have a wonderful place in St. Paul call Dave a house privately privately-operated the city as a pond we work with them, but they provide care for kids with AIDS. So on all of these government has to play its role but can't do it by itself secondly in regard to it to it to discrimination. I strongly support human rights for all but I don't support special rights and I think you got a separate it out between special rights and equal rights, and then you can find ways to make sure people aren't discriminate against without having a special provision in there for whether it's for for folks who are on sexual orientation, whether it's a political party whatever it is, let's have equal rights for all and I have special rights for fuel Mr. Coleman Armistice kismi. We're at Mister Ventura absolutely support education. We certainly need to get it into the schools. We need to teach the children should also be taught at home. Absolutely because this is a disease you die from and this is not a disease that's limited to just the homosexual Community. This is a disease. Now that is spreading throughout the world to everyone had a role or homosexual and the way you defeated is through education and government should support that education every manner to ensure the people fully understand what the repercussions are. If you're going to have sexual contact or anything of that nature. So the key is education government supporting that education and doing whatever we can to limit age. It's a disaster and it will rear its head again. I want to see everything that we can possibly do to help AIDS patients, but we need to make sure that we have a 4 Accessible healthcare for everyone you realize that there's some 80,000 children that have no Health Care coverage at all. They wait until the emergency shows up and then they show up in the emergency room. That's not where we need. AIDS patients are children or any other kind of situation. We need to make sure we have quality affordable healthcare for all that is critical that's part of the effort where we joined together in partnership with the place is like Park House in Minneapolis and others. Those are all the kinds of things we need to do but I guarantee you this we are not moving back into the shadows of discrimination. We are going to move forward. I fully support the human rights act as it is presently amended. We're not discriminate against individuals and I will oppose any legislation that would turn back our efforts to move forward on human rights. Thank you very much. I'm sorry to say that is our last question. We don't have time for rebuttal. We have people waiting in the audience to ask Marquess. Let me just say Sally any to present of Central Lakes College Lisa Paxton from the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Shirley McConnell president of the Brainerd area League of Women Voters. I'm sorry, we don't have time for your question. But we do need to close on behalf of the League of Women Voters. I would like to thank the candidates the audience Central Lakes College. The Brainerd Lakes area League of Women Voters are funders are broadcasters for helping us with this debate and I urge each of you to get out and vote on November 3rd. Thank you all very much. Live coverage of a debate featuring the three major party candidates for Governor coming to you from Brainerd Minnesota today. That's it for our mid-day programmed. If you missed part of the debate Or would simply like to hear from the candidates again, we will be rebroadcasting this debate at 9 tonight rebroadcast at 9 tonight. You're on Minnesota Public Radio and needless to say we will be continuing our coverage of the campaign right on through election day on November 3rd matter fact ride past election day as well and not just the governor's race all of the major races here in the state of Minnesota. So we will be able to stay tuned to Minnesota public radio broadcast of today's debate at 9 tonight. Programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by the Pillsbury company Foundation caring for the community by giving kids a loving lift after the news Ray Suarez will be along with Talk of the Nation. Members of the Minnesota public radio programming staff want to hear from you come to our public comment meeting Thursday, October 8th that 7 at the Nokomis Community Center 24th and East Minnehaha Parkway in South Minneapolis. Will see you there. You're listening to Minnesota Public Radio. We have a sunny Sky. It's 54° at care W FM 91.1 Minneapolis. And Saint Paul should be sunny all afternoon with a high right around 55 54 55 degrees right where it is partly cloudy tonight with a low in the mid-30s 30% chance for an afternoon shower in the cities tomorrow the high in the upper 50s.