As Race Heats Up, Candidates For Governor Debate
Thursday, October 07, 2010
The four candidates for governor tackled taxes, the budget, and economic development yesterday in what was their first televised debate after the September 14 primary.
The four candidates treaded familiar ground, sticking to their well-established positions on a variety of issues. Democrat Frank Caprio blasted independent Lincoln Chafee for his proposal to increase the sales tax; Chafee responded that his opponent was not being honest, according to a synopsis of the debate on Channel 12, which hosted the event, in conjunction with the Providence Journal.
Caprio promised to help small businesses and cut the number of state departments. Chafee emphasized the need for a balanced budget and said he would focus on eliminating corruption and cronyism. Republican John Robitaille said he would continue Gov. Don Carcieri’s policies of limiting spending and reducing taxes. Moderate Party candidate Ken Block cast himself as an outsider running against “recycled politicians.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTStill, there were a few surprises. Chafee “hinted” that he would hold Carcieri accountable for the 38 Studios deal if the current governor had “failed in his fiduciary responsibility” in vetting the deal, according to the WPRI debate recap. Caprio boasted that he was drawing support from unions that “actually build things.” And Robitaille said “governors who sign bad contracts” share the blame for the costs of public employee salaries and benefits.
The debate was the first television forum after the September 14 primary and it came in the wake of four polls that show it is still a close race between Caprio and Chafee.
To read more, click here. To watch the debate, click here.
