Joe Visconti has been best known for his opposition to Connecticut's gun laws, but at the debate, he spoke most urgently about the danger of coming state deficits.
All three gubernatorial candidates shared the stage for the first time Thursday night, in a debate sponsored by WNPR, CPTV, and The Day that ranged over issues such as state spending, climate change, and campaign finance.
Third-party candidate Joe Visconti joined Governor Dannel Malloy and his Republican challenger Tom Foley.
Until now, Visconti has been best known for his opposition to Connecticut’s gun laws, but at the debate, he spoke most urgently about the danger of coming state deficits, citing a non-partisan projection from the Office of Fiscal Analysis of a $4.8 billion shortfall over the next three years.
"I don’t want to argue about it — it’s there in black and white," Visconti told his opponents. "What I want to ask is, what do we do with all the spending for everything we need in the state when we have these tidal waves coming? If we don’t grow out of this recession that we’re still stuck in, what do we do about that? All the other issues don’t matter if there’s no money for them."
The candidates were asked for the first time in this campaign season about the threat of climate change.
Malloy repeated his message that he doesn't believe there will be a deficit, because the forecast assumes a seven percent growth in state spending, something he said he won't allow if he gets a second term.
Foley pledged to hold state spending flat, while giving consumers breaks on the sales tax, and making savings on the cost of health care delivery. Questioned on the issue of public sector union concessions, Foley said he won't be going back for more, because he believes state employees have already done their part.
The candidates were asked for the first time in this campaign season about the threat of climate change. Foley said he accepts climate change is a reality, but he has no opinion about what’s causing it. "It doesn't really matter. It's happened," he said.
Malloy shot back, "Yes, it matters. Yes, it’s caused by particulate matter in the air. Of course there’s climate change. …To deny that is to deny reality."
When asked what measures he would take as governor, Foley seemed content with the status quo. "We’ve already done a lot in Connecticut to make our contribution, and then some, to reducing greenhouse gases. We have built into our electricity rates and energy bills, costs associated with getting alternative energy. I support most of those programs, I want to make sure that we aren’t unnecessarily driving up electricity costs to make more than our fair share of the contribution."
Meanwhile, Malloy answered charges that his party is attempting to circumvent Connecticut’s clean elections law by taking federal Democratic party dollars to produce a campaign mailer. Both he and Foley have benefited from $6.5 million in public funding to run their campaigns.
"We have to comply with two sets of laws," Malloy said, "and there is a reality that when federal law in certain circumstances supersedes state law, you have to comply with that law first. It applies to you; it applies to the party."
When Foley continued to press the governor on the issue, Malloy countered by reminding the audience of a $16,000 fee paid by Foley to the State Elections Enforcement Commission last year over an investigation of a poll that he commissioned. That led to one of the sharpest exchanges of the night as Foley repeatedly denied that the payment was a fine.
More than 1,500 watched the debate at New London’s Garde Arts Center.
