Gubernatorial candidates Ovide Lamontagne and Maggie Hassan met at New England College on Thursday for their fourth debate in as many days.
Social issues took a back seat to budget concerns as Hassan and Lamontagne sparred over right-to-work legislation and education funding.
Lamontagne says he would pass a right-to-work law if elected. He says it would provide New Hampshire employees more freedom in the workplace.
“This is not an anti-union bill. This is a pro-worker bill and it empowers our people and it holds the unions accountable.”
But Hassan argued the legislation would lower the wages of New Hampshire workers and the state’s standard of living.
“The last state to pass right-to-work after NAFTA was passed was Oklahoma. They lost jobs. They lost business. It has not done what its proponents said it would do and it’s bad for New Hampshire.”
The two also clashed over an amendment to the state’s constitution to reverse the Claremont decision. Hassan would be open to an amendment that would retain state accountability for education, while Lamontagne would support an outright repeal.