Gubernatorial candidates debated for the last time yesterday on WMUR television. While many observers expected Democratic challenger Mark Fernald to pull out all the stops in order to make up ground on front running republican Craig Benson,that didn�t quite happen.
The pre-debate decibel level outsight channel 9 studios seemed to portend a face off rife with confrontation. Amid the chanting crowds of Benson and Fernald partisans, even Mark Fernald's children were trading taunts with members of the so-called Benson brigade.
Crowd with fernalds.
Inside, however, the tenor was a bit more measured. Most notably, perhaps, from Mark Fernald -- whose campaign has lately questioned Craig Benson�s credibility. But that wasn�t the case last night. Instead, Fernald used what was perhaps his largest statewide stage�..to tout his platform�s central message: that the income tax is superior to the property tax to fund schools.
'Fernald bite'
Fernald nearly exclusive emphasis on overhauling the school funding system may have surprised Craig Benson. His staffers say the high tech entrepreneur came prepared to defend himself against Fernald attacks that never materialized.��And Fernald�s decision to not stress character issues allowed the GOP candidate to counter Fernald�s tax message with well-oiled assertions that enacting a four percent income tax would hurt prosperity and lead to government bloat. The rye republican also repeatedly pledged that big government wouldn�t take root under his watch.
'My plan B and plan A is fiscal discipline. We�re going to do what we need to do with the resources that we are given and not ask for anything more. And I think it�s important to set proper priorities and and find more effective ways to do things. And if we do that we can live within our means.'
Benson�s message was no newer than Fernald�s . What was surprising, however, was that he twice invoked an unexpected ally to make his anti-tax argument. �.
'Even Jeanne Shaheen is running a commercial right now talking about NH having the lowest tax burden in the entire country and she does not support an income tax either, as a democrat.'
After the debate, Fernald told reporters he believed Benson was misstating Shaheen�s position; but the state senator neglected to do so for the live statewide audience. Benson also got away with far more glaring factual errors. When asked to detail a single thing he would change during his promised top to bottom rethink of state government�..Benson summoned forth a tale of redundant regulation, which he blamed laid on a state agency long scorned by the local GOP.
'Environmental services just put in a bill that allows them to inspect docks. Even though the department of safety already have people who already do that exact same function. I certainly think we can expect department of safety people to inspect docks.'
In reality, it was the department of safety, and its Benson supporting commissioner, Richard Flynn who put in the bill to create the overlapping jurisdiction. The bill died amid a threatened veto and public outcry from environmental groups�.But despite that clear gaffe, Fernald again held his fire in favor of articulating his message that state government can be frugal and fair. The Sharon attorney did, however, spring at the chance to comment on Benson�s oft-cited promise to approach state problems with a �clean sheet of paper.�
'What I�d like to say is this. If we started with a clean sheet of paper would we choose the statewide property tax, and donor towns and the highest property tax in the country. Would we choose these things? I say no. Mr. Benson says yes. He would keep all of those things.'
For his part, libertarian candidate John Babiarz promised the cleanest sweep of all��But as is his wont��Babiarz pledged that reforms would spring entirely from a paper already well-inked.
'I want to work for the people�..to eliminate the state wide property tax�..eliminate the statewide property tax, no income tax�..no sales tax��the choice is yours. Stop the insanity. Let�s get back to our constitutional roots.'
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