Candidates exchange ideas, barbs at gubernatorial debate

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WLFI) - Three men running to replace Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels traded ideas and a few barbs in a final debate Thursday.

Republican Mike Pence, Democrat John Gregg and Libertarian Rupert Boneham took the stage in Fort Wayne.  They took questions from voters on topics like poverty, legalizing marijuana and county government reform.

Each had sharply different ideas on education reform. Boneham said he's willing to end ISTEP testing. Gregg advocated more pre-K or early childhood programs. Pence said he wants to give parents more options.

The men were most at odds when talking about the budget and fiscal policy.

"Now we have the largest budget surplus that we've ever had in history," Pence said. "It's going to make it possible for us to strengthen our budget reserves and I believe we can cut taxes for every Hoosier. But John, you just said we pay for things in Indiana, but when you were Speaker of the House, for five of the six years that you were running the Statehouse, Indiana ran deficits."

"I find it almost laughable that United States Congressman would lecture anybody about fiscal responsibility," countered Gregg. "You voted not once, not twice, but five times Congressman, you voted and the results increased our deficit by 200 billion, billion with a 'b,' dollars."

"We should take all our taxes in Indiana to a three percent rate, even less than that 10 percent," Boneham said  "Take it all the way to 3 percent, 3 percent personal income tax, three percent corporate, business tax.  If we did that, every small business across the state of Indiana would instantly be putting five percent back in their pocket."

Election Day, Nov. 6, is not far away, just a week from Tuesday.