6 minutes past 11 programming an NPR is supported by mathe Minnesota Association of professional employees State professionals committed to providing minnesotans with high-quality public service. Good morning, and welcome to mid-day on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm very active. Well the countdown to election day. Next Tuesday is underway. They admit they were going to kick off a whole series of special pre-election programs here on Minnesota Public Radio kind of a voters guide of the are designed to help you get ready for elections tonight at 7. We'll have live coverage of the last gubernatorial debate of the campaign tomorrow afternoon starting at 1 we'll have reports from the campaign Trail will rebroadcast to tonight's debate. For those of you can't listen this evening will profile some of the candidates on your ballot and take a look at the three constitutional amendments Sunday evening at 7. We'll be back with a focus on the race for congress in the legislature Monday. Of course, we'll have more and then Tuesday night will be on the air with complete election night coverage lots of things coming up. So let's get started this first hour of Arc. Election day we're going to take a look at where are the candidates for Governor stand on five major issues taxes education housing crime and the farm crisis over the noon hour. We'd like your reactions to what the counter it's been saying would like to find out who you plan to vote for and why or what you still need to hear before you make your decision, that's it noon right. Now. Let's hear from the candidates. All three of them are promising to cut your state taxes. The question is not whether the candidates will cut taxes. But which one's Minnesota public radio's Martin kosti reports. Minnesota voters have come to expect a tax cut. Of the selection billions of dollars and state budget surpluses have convinced people like Elizabeth that the time has come for the state to collect Less in taxes. They feel like I'm paying too much. I don't think that word necessarily need to be passed at the rate that we are if we have a surplus year after year. Been stuck in the minority since 1986 are hoping to ride the tax cut issue into majority this past legislative session Republican leader. Steve swiggum raise the issue on a nearly daily basis adding an element of righteous indignation along the way 1.9 billion. If we cannot provide a permanent tax cut at this point, when could we ever do it Republicans were upset because the dfl majority returned only half the budget surplus to taxpayers and most of that in the form of one-time rebates not tax cuts. And if that fight wasn't enough to whet the voters appetite for a tax cut the gubernatorial race should do the trick We Takin over 23 billion dollars by Android. And so what we need to do when money comes in over and above that 23 billion, you do need to give it back 1.4 billion dollars of taxes return permanently. I just one timers that should go back to the taxpayers. It's No different than if the power company overcharges you buy $400 you'd expect to get that money back money back. That's a hard question to answer than you might think Jesse Ventura has yet to provide any firm dollar amounts and the plants put out by Humphrey and Coleman emphasize different kinds of tax rates Express does a simple lump-sum Norm Coleman's tax cut promise is the bigger of the two. He says, he'll cut 3 billion dollars over four years Humphrey 1.4 billion, but the Humphrey Camp would rather compare the two plans in terms of what the little guy would get back a point made by this television ad if you work for a living Norm Coleman's tax rebate gimmick is a raw deal Coleman gives the super-rich $134,000 next year, but for the average working family $33 a mere $0.09 a day. Those numbers are based on the fact that Coleman is making the bulk of his Cuts in this. Income tax rates. So naturally the bigger your income the more income tax. You'll save in hard numbers Coleman makes a half percentage point cut in the rates on the first two income brackets that's income up to about $55,700 in the case of a single taxpayer without dependents. He also raises the income level at which the highest tax rate is assessed. Skip Humphrey makes a permanent cut only in the lowest income bracket up to about $17,000 for a single person without dependents that essentially means a smaller income tax cut for everybody unless you happen to be one of the groups singled out for Humphrey special tax credits families that are struggling that are that are hardworking families that are trying to balance their books help them with the child care. So they've got a young person that is already in the process of learning by the time they get to kindergarten and then we want to help those who are going on to college because every CEO that I Thought you said you got to have at least two years of higher education and and then we provide incentives for that retraining because also every CEO that I talked to said while we're retraining are people in the small and medium-sized businesses have a hard time doing that. So we give a tax credit. Their Humphrey is making many of his tax cuts conditional you get them only if you're in a certain income bracket and only if you use the money for certain socially redeeming purposes specifically you get up to $2,000 a year to pay for childcare up to $1,000 a year to help pay for college tuition $500 a year for families that take care of an elderly relative at home and $500 a year for businesses to retrain their own workers. Humphrey says his approach is wiser than Coleman's across-the-board tax cut. Do you want to just scatter it like a shotgun and I see that some people get hundreds of thousands of dollars and others get nothing. I think that's wrong more than any issue of cry. Time or education or social morality? This is where the real ideological fault line lies between skip Humphrey and Norm Coleman or Humphries tax cuts as a chance for government to improve Society Coleman see something very different when you cut taxes. What you do is you get people economic freedom. You give him the ability of an EVO to make choices with their money rather than giving it to government the solution to our problems are not more government programs and it's not more spending and it's not higher taxes the solution the future of Minnesota is going to be for a brighter future with more freedom and giving people economic freedom to make choices with their money. The candidate without the specific tax cut plan Reform Party candidate. Jesse Ventura sounds a lot like Norm Coleman on this General point of tax philosophy. He says Surplus State revenues belong to the people and they should get it right back to spend as they see fit. But when he talks about how to send the money back, he sometimes resembles Humphrey for instance. Ventura says, the property tax is the most inherently unfair kind of tax in the past. He's fought City Hall in Maple Grove to lower the assessed value on his half million dollar house. Ventura says, he'd like to eliminate the need for tax assessors by freezing the taxable value of a house at the price the owner pays for it Humphreys, not so drastic, but he puts about 85 million dollars a year in the property tax relief for homeowners for family earning $50,000 living in a $120,000 house that would mean a savings of roughly $230. the year Coleman focuses his property tax relief fund agriculture in September as the farm crisis deepened and Humphrey was accusing him of being insensitive to the needs of small farmers Coleman announced he'd come to their aid my name is Norm Coleman. I know what farm is a going through and you know, you can't believe everything you hear in the media. So please understand this. I am committed to the family. I know agriculture is the lifeblood of our state. That's why my first act as Governor will be to enact a 50% cut in 1999 Farm property taxes picking up half a Year's Farm property taxes would cost the state a hundred and fifty million dollars by Coleman's estimate that would mean a savings of anywhere from 5 to $15,000 on a 1000 acre property. Skip Humphrey followed suit with a similar proposal but his campaign says he'd make sure the tax break went only to Farmers in need and not to the absentee owners of land being rented by farmers. Half the debate over tax cut plans consist of claims and counter-claims about which of the three can do the best job keeping the government's fiscal house in order Humphreys campaign compiled a list of Coleman spending promises and calculated that he was pledging billions a new state spending Coleman's camp with quick to retaliate adding up Humphreys promises and coming up with an even bigger charge of overspending needless to say when estimating the price tags of the opposition's promises both campaigns tend to round up Jesse Ventura says, he's the only one who's not promising to overspend. You can't cut taxes till you reduce the size of government. It's that simple and my two opponents here, I believe skip Humphrey is your traditional tax-and-spend Democrat. Mr. Coleman. He's spending tax and what that means is credit card. That means put it later when you create a big Bond you can cut it initially but you put it on a credit card. Somebody will have to pay up later. The bottom line is you Cut down the size of government before you can cut down taxes is echoed by Veterans of past eras of tax-cutting in the surpluses are piling up Jean Miriam spent 10 of his 22 years in the state senate as chairman of the Senate finance committee. He says the current rush to give the Surplus back reminds him of a similar time in the late 1970s. We had Surplus. Losing perspective on what the Surplus means. I think this happened again, everybody believes that that the state forecasters are always going to lowball the Surplus. Therefore we can always count on more being there the surpluses and tax cuts of the late 1970s were followed by a state budget crunch when the recession hit in 1980 and 81 the legislature had to meet in six special sessions to plug the hole by raising taxes again with the world economy stalling now. Miriam says, he's worried Minnesota is about to take another turn on what he calls the boom-bust tax cycle. Umbreon Coleman Bose, they'll be careful not to fall into that cycle at each says he'll do a better job of adapting to a cooling economy. We have more than 5% Reserve which is what they call the economist say, you need to have that so you can absorb the ups and downs of the economy. So that's all set aside within that balanced budget again the other side no such thing don't even hear what it is. I certainly haven't seen it on a paper. I anticipate a decline if perhaps a recession he doesn't and if it happens you got a big hole in your budget. Skip Ted Mondale said that a billion dollar hole, but both candidates are promising to scale back only some of their tax cuts in the event of a downturn the state's preeminent fiscal conservative Governor Carlson has cautioned all the candidates to go slow with tax cuts. What you want to do is to plan your tax reductions. For those years when we were moving out of reception if the US economy is about to enter a period of flat growth or even recession Carlson says this is not the time for tax cuts. But with so much political pressure building over the course of steady state budget surpluses and with so many campaign promises in the are the next Governor may find it very hard to listen to the wise men of economics and to deprive the voters of a big tax cut at the Capitol. I'm Martin kosti Minnesota Public Radio along with taxes voters have consistently listed education is the issue that they're most concerned about and it turns out that the three major party candidates have similar goals for education in Minnesota difference is however start to emerge when the candidates for Polish how to reach those goals Tim pugmire explains teachers. Like Vicky Claire's don't have to be convinced that there are too many children in Minnesota classrooms. Claire's teaches you can buy 4th and 5th grade class and Eisenhower Elementary in Coon Rapids. She has 28 students this year and it's a tight fit when you have that many students and you are trying to set goals for each individual child. The range is so broad that to try to really teach specifically to the needs of each child is just almost too great of a challenge. I think if our class sizes, we're in the low twenties, we'd have a much greater chance for Success the popular issue this year on the campaign Trail Reform Party candidate. Jesse Ventura says, it's the biggest issue in education, but Ventura is not proposing spending more money to solve the problem. He says the money already in place to reduce class sizes is being misused by districts. We need to get that teacher ratio with students down to 17 to one that the law says, it'll be I don't know how many of you are aware of it, but there's a law out there that says that's what it's supposed to be and it's not being followed in the last four or five years almost four hundred million dollars has been sent out to local school districts. Under that law the premise of that law to get a 17 to 1 ratio and it's not happening there loopholes in the law in the 1993 class size reduction law, but they say school districts are following the spirit of the law because average class size is in Minnesota are declining Tom melchiorre. The Department of Children families and learning says part of the confusion comes from the states definition of the teacher-student ratio. He's as art physical education and other special subject teachers are included in the calculation the state's 17 to one really translates into a into a higher number in terms of actual students in a room with a teacher and then basically is because teachers have preparation time as part of their their contracts. They're not in the classroom for 100% of the school day typically up classroom teacher that is with the students most of the day, but this has been an hour and heart or an hour in Viator an hour and music and so you really have teachers that are that are teeming off to provide the overall program to the students Republican candidate Norm Coleman also supports smaller class sizes and shares Ventura is concerned about whether districts are making good use of the money allocated for that purpose. Coleman does not support more State funding for class size reduction attorney general. Skip Humphrey the dfl candidate for governor stressed his commitment to lowering class sizes at the annual state teachers convention teachers can't teach and students can't learn in classrooms with too many kids. They certainly can't teachers wealth and the students can't learn as well. What's the problem with any classes plan is good teachers are getting hard to find while Humphrey made his speech to teachers representatives of several metropolitan school districts were one floor below seeking applicants for Teacher vacancies. Kerry Burke is with the Saint Paul School District. Save a certain subject areas such as Math and Science language is ESL. So we're hiring garapa grab a year and there's no end in sight to the shortages thousands of Minnesota teachers are expected to retire in the next few years. Humphreys education plan includes incentives to lure more students into the teaching profession Norm. Coleman might not be willing to expand Estates teaching for us. But he says he wants to give current teachers a chance at bigger salaries. The Republican candidate says he backs a merit pay system for teachers Coleman says Local District should have an opportunity to reward good teachers. I believe that that that excellent should be rewarded and I think it's a shame that that probably the two institutions that don't reward Excellence a government and education if you've got an outstanding teacher and outstanding Keisha, you should be able to reward him the present system. Doesn't allow that skip Humphrey says he thinks merit-pay is a good idea. As long as it's done within the context of a collective bargaining agreement his plan include setting up a state fund to encourage districts to try the concept teachers unions have long resisted efforts to scrap a pay system based on years on the job Education Minnesota. The states newly merged teachers union is backing Humphrey and Union co-president. Sandra Peterson says Humphries position is not out of line. She says the union supports alternative methods of compensation, but would oppose linking pay solely to student test scores. We have districts that are dealing with pay-for-performance and skills and responsibilities. And that's a whole different issue. The business world are locked time ago. I think that paid the old concept of Merit pay didn't work for them and it's not working. It's it wouldn't work and education. Teacher compensation should be decided at the bargaining table not through subjective performance evaluations teachers in training and other college students would benefit from a tuition assistance plan from skip Humphrey. The developer is proposing a $1,000 tax credit for low and moderate-income families during a student's first two years of post-secondary education open in Ventura have criticized The Proposal the candidates agree on the need to support the state's higher education system. They say the University of Minnesota State University's technical colleges in community colleges are the keys to the state's economic success, but Ventura for one does not support additional funds for higher education. I think that all of our institutions of learning right now are top-heavy in the administrative end. I think they're far too top-heavy. Let's get the money to the students the education and get it focused on the educational and instead of the administrative and as much then Taurus as the state to do a better job of restoring and maintaining higher education facilities. Now, these tax credits and deductions are being threatened by credits and deductions recently bought television and radio time information coming from the race for governor. Kristin Robbins is executive director of the partnership for choice in education. You don't ever talk about the tax credit program and what it is and what serves they say tax credits and deductions in the next breath or talking about vouchers and raining money from public schools and helping only the elite families or stuff like this and families have inferred that. This isn't for me. This is only for rich people. This is only for private school people and this will hurt Public School. The none of those things are true a red flag over tax credits and deductions. He's accused Republican Norm Coleman of planning to siphon off public funds to private schools through a voucher scheme. Humphrey says the state cannot afford to move in that direction. If you're going to provide the opportunity for every Edge for every child for the vast majority of children that go to public schools. Then we've got to apply the resources where those children are and we got to make sure that that opportunity. Is there Coleman who once supported vouchers says that debate is over. He says he likes the current tax credits and deductions and is proposing to double the size of the program. Coleman says he wants parents to have choices for their children's education tax plan lays that out if you notice in my tax, man, I put money in there. I didn't change the language I didn't add. Tuition as an element if you read the law the law says you can use that money for books says you can use it for tutors says you can use it for computers. It says you can use if education Richmond. So what am I supposed it very clearly unequivocally proof in the pudding in my plan education tax credits. Skip Humphrey and Jesse Ventura oppose vouchers, but support the current educational tax credit free. However says he wants to review the program's impact and does not support an expansion. We are here let the citizens of this state know that the standards in the profile of learning are not recent rally on the steps of the state capitol opponents of the profile of learning gathered to convince candidates to join their cause they want to scrap the new high school graduation standards because the system they claim is eroding local control of public schools. Tom Prichard president of the Minnesota family Council does the state is trying to dictate the curriculum Local Schools must teach and I were concerned about one the dumbing-down of that because once it's a one-size-fits-all approach the content a lot of I guess we would call mushy social material not just academics and Altima you lose loss of local control. So those are some of our concerns with the profile profile require students to show what they know by completing projects in 10 different learning areas many teachers have expressed frustration with implementing the new system but few appear willing to dump the standards all together. Mitch Mishawaka teacher in Cottonwood says most classroom teachers feel they haven't been given enough time to implement the standards. Yeah, they're supposed to rain in every District some a lot more than others are just sick as we feel that our staff is trained and in all the areas that they need to be just what they need the time to 2 then sit down with your colleagues and then on right upper Assessments in task for dogs to have his students meet standard the three major candidates for Governor support High graduation standards, the norm Coleman called the standards prescriptive mandates and he wants more local control. Skip Humphrey says he believes in the profile but wants to stay to give teachers more flexibility. Jesse Ventura says, the standards need a slower phase in none of the candidates is proposing to dump the system, but the pressure for revisions keeps building a profile of learning is shaping up to be one of the first education battles for the new governor and the 99. 9 legislature, I'm Tim pugmire Minnesota Public Radio. The countdown to election day is underway here on Minnesota Public Radio this first hour of midday or taking a look at where are the three major party candidates for Governor stand in some of the major issues of the campaign reminder that over the noon hour would like to hear from you and what the candidates have been saying would like to know who you've decided to vote for and why or if you haven't decided what will help you decide in these last four days before the election that's coming up over the noon hour right now. Let's get back to the issues. We focused on taxes and education still to come crime in the farm crisis. But right now an issue that rarely shows up in the polls or gets much attention on the campaign Trail and issue. However, which is a very big deal to many minnesotans affordable housing is the issue Laura McCollum has the report Minneapolis resident or a hoax believes housing is one of the biggest concerns for African Americans in the Twin cities along with jobs and health care. She says many Urban residents live in what she considers to be deplorable conditions. She says it's not an abstract discussion for policy wonks. These are issues that impact people immediately, you know, they are not some far-distant, you know thought about what's going on. These are things that impact us. If you don't eat mediately, what are the candidates for Governor talking about housing know the candidates are not talking about this is what the people are talking about. And so this is what the people are going to challenge them. I've you know, what are you going to do differently in addition to extends from the city to the suburbs to rural Minnesota the residence of Franklin Lane Apartments in the northern Twin Cities suburb of Anoka also, hope housing becomes more of a campaign issue 266 seniors who live here just found out they're federally subsidized building has been sold and if rents go up it might be forced to move since they're on fixed-income a group of seven women in their 70s and 80s. Most of them widows gather to talk about the Dorothy bacon who's lived in Franklin Lane for 18 years. Does she plan to stay here as long as possible? Please longtime Anoka residents say there isn't any other affordable housing in town and any subsidized buildings in nearby communities have lengthy waiting list. I hope the state will step in to keep Franklin Lane affordable. Dorothy bacon says, they don't expect a handout, but they can't afford to pay market-rate rent where we're working generation and we brought up good kids and they're all working and paying taxes. And it's not fair to have them wondering worrying about what they going to do with us old people and they've had all these Surplus why haven't they thought of us a significant step toward addressing the problem at buildings like Franklin Lane where owners are prepaying federally subsidized mortgages. So they can convert the buildings to market-rate rent lawmakers approved an additional nearly 20 million dollars for Housing Programs, including 10 million dollars a year to help preserve subsidized buildings that are being prepaid the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency says, the first 10 million has nearly been spent to save more than 1,000 units of affordable housing on that budget item two of the three major party gubernatorial candidates agree. Although the Reform Party is Jesse Ventura says, he'd have to study the matter before deciding DSLR. Skip Humphrey supports efforts to save subsidized housing and Republican Norm Coleman also backs the funding. That's important. We we do have the need for low income housing and families got to have a place to to shelter themselves affordable housing permits linked to Minnesota's economic growth business expansion is hindered by a shortage of affordable housing for workers. Do you have other skip Humphrey view is decent housing as a basic human, right? And he's calling for a substantial estate investment to address the problem. We have put forth it are balanced budget 120 million dollars worth of investment in affordable housing that what we do is we buy that with a federal dollars that come and leverage with the federal dogs and then leverage with private and for-profit and nonprofit organizations. And we believe that we can then see more than a billion dollars worth of additional new affordable-housing opponents aren't promising any new States pending Norm. Coleman says, he'd use the 78 million dollars. Ready in the state budget for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, which doesn't include the nearly 20 million and extra funding the 1998 legislature approved. Coleman says, he'd work to find a Creative Solutions to a problem. He's hearing about in communities from Fairmont to Worthington. We've got limited. But you have to work in Partnership to maximize the dollars that are out there State being at the table nonprofit McKnight blandin Foundation stayed why they have done some wonderful things. In fact, I think they put up a hundred fifteen million dollars that has leveraged probably a billion dollars for how is he says he consider ideas such as using prison inmates to build housing at South Dakota has done Coleman and his opponents agree on the need for more help from private businesses to develop affordable housing Jesse Ventura sites an example from his days as mayor of Brooklyn Park. But I mean it was awful and we went in with the Daymark Corporation who came into Brooklyn Park and they built a huge plant in Brooklyn Park the centerpiece of their corporation. They helped us. Both of us financially the city of Brooklyn Park MD Mark to renovate fix this place up make it livable. And today Daymark employees can live there and not even on a car because they have transportation that runs to and from work for them Ventura relates the affordable housing crunch back to the Cornerstone of his campaign. Minnesota is overtaxed. He says hi property tax rates make it impossible for the private sector to build a portable units Ventura doesn't favor a massive government role and housing projects site because I think if you become chained to the government and end in become dependent upon the government like in the welfare system, it becomes a system. You can't break free of its on Government slavery private developers say without government support affordable housing won't get built developer lios and says his weight park-based company is constructing a 30 unit development in Mahtomedi 30 affordable townhomes in Chaska and another 30 units in Shakopee. He says the Chaska project required 6 different layers of government financing to make it work. Sam's company and NSP put up about half of the more than 3 million dollar price tag and government support allowed his company to keep rent affordable Sanchez. The private sector is willing to put up money for these projects if Government matching funds are available in the more that the state or any other government entity can put into these programs the more units that will get built. Agency for helping developers build more family-friendly affordable housing townhomes with garages and small yards rather than the 20-story high-rises of decades ago, but he points out that those are more expensive to build and although he's built affordable developments in Hutchinson and Albany Sanchez. It's harder to get project off the ground in outstate Minnesota where rents are lower on Minnesota's North Shore where affordable housing is a critical issue to attract tourism workers Duluth publisher. John Drury bought a former 160-acre mink farm near the Lutsen ski resort to develop low and moderate-income homes. After years of work construction of 40 houses is scheduled to begin next spring Aaron Reeves who directs the Cook County Grand Marais joint Economic Development Authority says, he doesn't think rural development's like this get as much attention at the state level as Urban projects. Please new apartment complexes think that that they were little more hitting up here. And so yeah, I think that these agencies I think they realize that too but I think I need to start the money a little bit. They said of all folks in the area. You'll spend it on a little bit spend some of the areas to know I cook County that need it and we're so isolated all that. Nobody sees it says the 120 million in his four-year budget plan would build 7000 new housing units and renovate another 13,000 across the state. He says that sets him apart from his opponents. This is with it are balanced budget. No other candidate has shown the public how they're going to expand their dollars. I think it's very difficult for Citizens voters to measure who should be Governor when they don't really see how they can compare the allocation of resources because in allocating public resources, that's really setting your priorities. Fun proposal calling it a pie-in-the-sky promise. Norm. Coleman says, he's chosen a more prudent course for government and he returns to a campaign theme that I Humphrey Administration means big spender and I cannot promise him for a program. He's got more programs and you can shake a stick at but I cannot promise them in terms of of the liver and cuz I've delivered in my own community and I know how to govern their philosophies indicate how they might respond to housing funding request if elected housing Advocates say they plan to push for more money in the 1999 legislature particularly for complexes in danger of becoming market-rate. Well all three go Bennett Oriole candidates are willing to talk about housing policy. When asked and all agree. It's an important issue don't expect to hear much about it in the final days of the campaign Kirsten bouncing who chairs the right to housing campaign says the issue is complex and involved in a financing and government. Jargon to make voters eyes glaze over. It's also often perceived as a local. When in reality Benson says the governor plays an important role in housing policy particularly when the federal government's commitment to housing has dropped by more than 25% in The Last 5 Years what this state is able to do is to provide an infusion of money that will help developers to put more housing on the ground both affordable rental housing and affordable homeownership opportunities. And that is something that cities aren't able to do by themselves counties can't do it by themselves. The market is not able to respond with a rental vacancy rate of less than 2% in the Twin Cities and less than 1% in some Greater Minnesota communities banson and other housing Advocates. Hope the issue of affordable housing shapes voters decisions in the governor's race and sets the stage for another legislative debate in 1999. I'm Laura McCollum, Minnesota Public Radio. Also contributed to that report for focusing on some of the major issues in this year's campaign for governor and up. Next is a report on the crime issue. Now crime used to rank number one on the list of order concerns. That's no longer the case but it still is a big concern to a number of minnesotans crime rhetoric might suggest otherwise, but in fact the two front-runners in the race D flr. Skip Humphrey and Republican Norm Coleman actually agree at least in Broad terms on how to respond crime in Minnesota Karen Louise Booth reports that you have issued nearly identical crime-fighting plants, including the same 20 million dollar figure for funding Reform Party candidate. Jesse Ventura hasn't Dunvale to Major crime fighting agenda because he doesn't see it as a month a Governor's Primary tasks because crime really if you truly look at it is a local issue. I mean, we have local governments and you know to ask the governor to come in and micromanage, you know that I don't think it's a wise idea. Necessarily and yeah, I mean you have Mayors you have city council to have County governments County Sheriff's local police departments and that is their job and I'm not trying to Slough it off shortly crimes important. But if the governor is going to come into the only thing the governor has access to our state troopers and the National Guard and I don't think we want to get to the point where we got a Guardsman standing on every corner with an M16. Here's where the two major party candidates also agree on the issues and where the Reform Party is Jesse Ventura stands both support increased penalties for crimes committed with guns. Ventura doesn't have a position on that both support more anti-crime programs for youth Ventura urges community-based crime prevention beginning in the home. Those would double funding for a Statewide gang strike task force Ventura supports it both supposed death penalty Ventura opposes it at the federal level that says the state should have one as long as life sentences allow parole. Here's where the Three candidates differ Coleman supports loosening rules for handgun permits fear for their safety every right to protect themselves in the family. Those folks are not part of all these statistics cuz they're not involved in the crimes. Let's get the folks are involved in the crimes Humphrey vehement Lee opposes loosening the rules because they're working the way they are and I don't think anybody I haven't talked to any person that is to diversity. We need more concealed loaded handguns in the malls on the streets in my neighborhood and all their they're just no common sense to that Ventura supports loosening the rules for non criminals who complete gun safety training Humphrey proposes more spending on prisons to accommodate tougher sentences. Coleman's plan doesn't call for more prison funding he would begin with double bunking prisoners in their cells Ventura would cut down the prison population. Minot imprisoning drug offenders and in fact, he would decriminalize street drugs to stop the power of gangs altogether in value 10 times over because they're prohibited will then who deals in that product criminals the way you defeat gangs is take away their money source. You either way to defeat drugs is to defeat it a pot demand not supply Ventura doesn't offer any specifics, but he also proposes making drugs available to addicts at a reasonable price when it comes to experience Humphreys accomplishments as attorney general over the last sixteen years number 4 Pages Coleman likes to point out he was the state's Chief prosecutor under Humphrey in the 1980s in the eyes of a victim and end and been there with them as we've gone through this criminal justice process. I've been there been on the street been in the courtroom Humphrey calls it a so what factor in the race. Well, that's wonderful. Why does he run for attorney general being Governor doesn't mean that you have to be a prosecutor, but I'll tell you I'm the only candidate that is endorsed by the rank-and-file police know why would they do that? They do that because they know I know what kind of tools they need. They know. I'm a partner with them and No as Governor, I'm going to work closely with them and with Neighbors in order to make sure that we are going to root out all of this violence in the last few weeks. The nation has been gripped by high-profile hate crimes. Most recently the killing of Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard. It sparked a national outcry against bias motivated crimes Shepherd was attacked because he was gay and activists say there's a need to stiffen federal laws against hate crimes, especially four states that don't have such laws already on the books right now federal law includes crimes against people on the basis of race color religion or national origin us attorney general Janet Reno is calling on Congress to expand it to include gender disability and sexual orientation. Coleman says hate crimes are reprehensible, but he says opposing them doesn't mean he'll expand protections and other civil rights. In fact, if elected. He says he would sign a bill repealing civil rights protections for gays and Bands in the states human rights law and amendment that wanted majority of support from Minnesota voters in 1993 have worked with that insane Paul. We have working folks in a range of communities, whether it's the weather. It's the gay community whether it's a minority Community to work with our Police Department to do training to sensitise One auto loan officers and to make sure that we're vigorous putan in dealing with violence and end. I have always been out there saying that I will protect you right against being discriminated against at against violence that's different from giving you a proclamation of the separate issues. But Humphrey sees the two issues as Inseparable says he wants to roll back. The changes in the human rights laws. I want us to go forward. I think that any kind of discrimination on that on that basis at least of the kind of hatred and violence is outrageous and I'm going to stand as strong as I possibly can to make certain that every single citizen has the equal rights that are deserved and it is not special. It's not a special privilege to be safe from that kind of hatred. It is not a special privilege the live a fair and decent life and I think he is wrong very wrong on this effort and he may want to shy away from it. But I guarantee you that we need to go forward with our human rights not roll ourselves backwards as for Ventura. He was equally appalled by the killing of Matthew Shepard and says, he would want the state to prosecute such a crime to the full extent of the law. Ventura doesn't support repealing the human rights amendment protecting gays and lesbians and he disagrees with Coleman that such protections are so-called special rights heading toward election day crime is on Likely to emerge as the top issue to be addressed by the candidates the atmosphere surrounding the issue was far less charged it then it used to be and it's an issue that most every candidate agrees on they're all against Crime. This is Karen Louise Booth Minnesota Public Radio election day is underway the shower we're focusing on where the three major party candidates for Governor stand on five major issues reminder over the noon hour. We'd like your comments and what the candidates have been saying. We like to know who you plan to vote for or what will help you make that decision. Also a reminder that at 7 tonight. We'll have live coverage of the last debate of the campaign for governor. And if you can't listen this evening will be rebroadcast in that debate as part of our special pre-election coverage at 1 tomorrow afternoon. Back to the issue. So we've taken a look now at crime taxes education and housing and finally this hour going to take a look at an unexpected issue that's come to dominate. This year's campaign namely the future of the family farm. One of the big battle grounds in the governor's race. This year is the state's Prime agricultural land in the L-shaped third of western and southern Minnesota that sweeps from Canada to Wisconsin folks who live in the yellow makeup just a small portion of the States population, but it SmartStyle reports the symbolic importance of those Farm families far outweighs their numbers the year began with a debate on a feedlot moratorium and is ending with disagreements over who said what about Family Farms eight different answers. What is a family farm that question at a farm event near Redwood Falls in August touch not one of the more combative exchanges between the dfl and Republican gubernatorial candidates. Republican Norm Coleman answer the question at Farm Fest Family Farms change family may have had no 15-20 headed. When is dad found it was something else. He's swimming today. The definition of Family Farm is really weird principal. We don't have corporate phone. We don't allow it Minnesota so that when two brothers and a sister to get together and they have a lodge operation that still Family Farm that still Family Farm Family Farms really in the end become what you to find out what you need to support you and your family and it's not just about that. You know, this is this image of what the family farm was and that we going to save it defies economic reality. We compete in a World Market Place. The answer was paraphrased in music owns as Coleman said trying to save the traditional Family Farm doesn't make sense in a global economy dfl gubernatorial candidate. Skip Humphrey jumped on the newspaper version saying it proved Coleman was out of touch with family. Farmers the dfl party and the Humphrey campaign then repeat at the charge and TV and radio ads. Make a living on the paper. The norm Coleman said the saving the Minnesota Family Farm in the new global economy doesn't make sense. If you ask me Norm Coleman doesn't make sense. Coleman said the Humphrey campaign was lying about his position on Family Farms. He asked for an investigation and responded with his own add. This is Dwight house across Dairy Farmer just Governor's race is going to decide the future real Minnesota and we need straight talk from our candidates. We're not getting it from skip Humphrey. I heard Norm Coleman talk at Farm Fest and the Fargo forum is right boat. Humphrey is allowing his campaign to all but lie about Coleman Stan on family farming the argument attention Warren Moss farms in West Central Minnesota. He's not sure who he will vote for but says it will not be Norm Coleman what you said the Family Farmer's best. Maybe got caught off guard but then he did say it. So sometimes they say what they feel are there Farmers though agree with Coleman that his comments were misrepresented Coleman supporter Lyndon Olson farms near Worthington and Southwest Minnesota. He says the same Paul may or may not have spoken as clearly as he should have but that he's right when he says the Family Farm is changing what he meant was that Family Farms are not going to survive the way they were on the path Family Farms Will Survive, but we have to look at it what tools and how they're going to be set up in order to compete in N survive in the future the high-stakes fight over whose Family Farm friendliest may seem like Overkill considering that farm families make up only a little over 4% of the state's population. But farming can be an issue that transcends numbers the candidates are trying to reach not only farmers, but also those who are sympathetic to Farmers and what they represent in a time of constant change. The farm is a red white and blue American icon. Lexan emphasis on family and emphasis on community and emphasis on values and that's significantly important Chris Gilbert chairs the political science department at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. He says a candidate's position on the Family Farm plays. Well, not only in the agricultural L. But also in urban areas that's because many people there have a connection with the State Farm economy. It might be something direct. Maybe they grew up on a farm or had a parent or grandparent who did or it could be something more round about such as a love of the land you drive across the countryside across the state highway or whatever and you seem nice blowing Farm Fields. I think people want to think that it's people like themselves who are attending those fields and who have this sense of closeness to the closest to Nature and things like that. Gilbert says playing the farmers you to Urban voters usually mean simplifying the issue to one idea. I'm for the family farm. My opponent is not that approach works less well in farm areas. Farmers want to know where candidate stands on the Family Farm question, but also want details West Central Minnesota. Farmer Warren. Ma says his vote will be based on pure economics. Basically. I want to go out my pocketbook and I'm going to vote for the one that's most favorable to the farmer. He says while it's mainly federal government that's involved in agricultural policy state government also plays a role through things like taxes and business climate. He leans dfl. But he's no big fan of either party when it comes to farm policy. They both sold us down the river more or less. politicians do represent all of us if they're not willing to I represent the main industry to see to it that a flirtatious. Well, then it's our responsibility elect candidates. It do take that into a card that sort of reasoning is an Open Door for third-party and Jesse Ventura walked right through it. Ma says he likes the Reform Party candidate for what he is not. He's not a lawyer. Ma says he's most likely to vote for dfl or skip Humphrey but has not made up his mind still he like some of into his positions. He supports his call for a temporary moratorium on feedlot construction and loves Ventura sign for the little guy. Persona. Reform Party candidate. Ventura says the most important thing the next Governor can do to help farmers is lower taxes and reduce the size of government. What I want to do for Farmers is I want to make sure that the brakes if those brakes are going to be there to help survive goes to the family farmer and when I mean family farmer, I mean the guy was out there getting dirty the guy who's actually lives and and needs that farm for his light his or her livelihood and I don't want to see right now you've got absentee landowners are the Reapers of these benefits to where they earn money doing other things and simply their wealthy, they buy up Farmland. They have someone else farm at for them and they reap benefits that the family farmer should Yet the biggest hurdle Ventura must clear with Farmers is convincing them. He's more than just a protest candidate that he can actually win. All of the candidates are working hard to win. The farm boat. Humphrey says if he's elected he'll push for property tax relief. I called on the governor to hold call a special session of the legislature after November 3rd, cuz I don't think the politics should play into this but it's terribly important that we postpone the payments in November 15th payments of taxes to our operating Farmers those property taxes, and we have to forgive them in the particular in the areas where there is such Devastation. I mean these Farmers have been hit by think of that. They've been hit by bad weather. They've been hitting they've been hit by disease and their crops and they've been hit by global low prices. And so we need to help them at least have cash in their hand so they can begin planning for next year's planting season Governor Carlson has rejected. Please call for a special session Humphrey also supports a temporary moratorium on certain large livestock feedlots until a state feedlot study is finished Republican Norm Coleman opposes that Coleman also wants a property tax break for Farmers as part of a four-point program. First have the safety net which we have hundred fifty million on the table for first half 99 front property taxes secondly be an advocate for fair and free trades of farmers can sell their product 3 make sure that we don't kill growth in this state with things like moratorium and then support valuated opportunities, which means don't roll back work is Congress no one's going to build processing plants or ethanol plant if the cost of doing business in Minnesota substantially higher than Iowa, Wisconsin North Dakota South Dakota Southwest Minnesota farmer Lyndon Olson likes that approach his main concerns with a farm economy are not local but Global he says one of the best things a governor can do is Lobby Federal officials about Farm legislation the gov Will help our representatives to Congress understand what these things mean to the real economy. We have so many of our our members of Congress that are not really familiar with what is going on in the farm economy and the trade worldwide hunting for votes in the agricultural L. The candidates have found out what the letter stands for farming can be a love affair a lottery or a letdown. Sometimes it's just plain luck but above all its life on Election night. The candidates will discover another meeting of the Agricultural ale or one it could spell leader for the rest something harsher. This is Mark style, Minnesota Public Radio. The three major party candidates for Governor on five of the major issues of this selection campaign. Now, we're going to break for some news headlines and then it will be your turn. We'd like to hear from you on your reaction. What candidates have been saying like find out who you've decided to vote for or what will help you make that decision.