RICHMOND - Gubernatorial candidates Democrat Mark L. Warner and Republican Mark R. Earley discussed education and economic issues related to Virginia's recovery from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks last night in the first televised debate of the campaign.
Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who now works as a distinguished professor at Virginia Commonwealth University's Center for Public Policy, mediated the debate, held at VCU's performing arts center.
The candidates both performed well and the "caliber of the questions was fantastic," Wilder said.
In light of the recent plunge in the stock market after the terrorist attacks last month, Earley stressed the need to maintain a balanced budget and finish the car tax reduction next year.
Pledging not to raise taxes if elected, Earley attacked Warner's stance on taxation, claiming that Warner plans to increase the sales tax to raise an additional $900 million.
"Taxation is a fundamental issue," Earley said. "The worst thing we can do right now is increase taxes in these troubled economic times."
Although Warner declined to pledge not to raise taxes, he said he would "support the citizens in Northern Virginia to have their choice" in a local referenda regarding an increase in the sales tax to pay for transportation improvements.
Warner also said that his experience in business would lead to "sound, conservative fiscal practices" unlike the "embarrassment" of the budget standoff in the General Assembly earlier this year.
The candidates also discussed plans to increase security and emergency response team effectiveness in response to the terrorist attacks.
The creation of a counter-terrorism unit in the state police force and providing rescue workers and the emergency response center with the modern resources they need to operate effectively are essential steps to deal with the increased threat, Warner said.
Both candidates agreed that education needs to remain a priority, and that teacher salaries need to be raised to the national average.
Earley said he believed teacher competency testing would lead to greater accountability and that the Virginia Standard of Learning tests are very important.
"I don't believe any child should be left behind," he said.
Warner outlined his proposal to improve the SOL social studies and history exams by increasing the use of essay questions and decreasing questions that deal with "rote memorization."
"We need strict accountability standards," he said.
Both candidates expressed their reluctance to lift the "tuition freeze" imposed by the state freezing tuition rates at Virginia's public colleges and universities.
"I want to see more students go to college," Earley said. "I do not want to raise tuition."
In addition to their discussion of economic recovery issues and education, the candidates clashed on issues including abortion, gun control, the negativity of the campaign and racial profiling.
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