|
McGreevey, Schundler take off the gloves
Originally appeared in the Bergen Record on Thursday, October 11, 2001
Having avoided bare-knuckle politics for weeks following the World Trade Center attack, the two candidates for governor came out swinging Wednesday night in their first televised debate, clashing over education reform, rising property taxes, and plans to abolish Garden State Parkway toll plazas.
Republican Bret Schundler and Democrat Jim McGreevey quickly shed the veneer of civility that marked the campaign since Sept. 11. A half-hour into the debate, they had called each other liars.
Schundler was the first to use the term. He said his position on a proposal to allow residents to carry concealed weapons was distorted by McGreevey.
"He is using all of his special interest money to lie about my record," Schundler said.
McGreevey was more circumspect, asserting that Schundler was not being honest when he promised to eliminate parkway tolls nine months after taking office.
"People want a governor who tells the truth," McGreevey said. "I can't get rid of the tolls in nine months and, respectfully, he can't either. The only difference is that I'm saying it."
The debate, sponsored by The Record, The Herald News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, New Jersey Network, and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, was held at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. It was the first of five showdowns in the next month. The debate will be rebroadcast at noon Sunday.
Both candidates stressed their core themes. Schundler cast himself as a fiscal conservative who will fuel economic growth through tax cuts and tighter control of the state budget. Schundler sought to underscore that point by linking McGreevey to former Democratic Gov. Jim Florio, who enacted $2.8 billion in tax increases in 1990, just as the state plunged into a recession.
"Folks, the real issue here is, do you want higher taxes or do you want lower taxes?" Schundler said in his closing remarks. "He's supported every tax increase going. When he was in the Legislature, he was the deciding vote for Jim Florio's sales and income tax increases, his increases on gas taxes, on telephone taxes, even on toilet paper. If there was no Jim McGreevey, there wouldn't have been those increases. . . . This man is worse than Jim Florio. You will have the highest taxes in America. It will hurt us."
McGreevey depicted himself as a pillar of centrist, middle-class values. He implied that Schundler's views are out of the mainstream.
"I think it's long past time we have a governor who understands middle-class values," McGreevey said in his closing remarks. "With all due respect to Mr. Schundler, I think he has the wrong values, whether on choice, or concealed weapons, or dismantling public education."
Schundler noted that McGreevey has refused to pledge not to raise taxes. McGreevey alluded to the looming recession and the untallied costs to the state from the terrorist attack on Manhattan, suggesting it would be irresponsible for the next governor to box himself in with such a promise.
In recent weeks, political analysts have said most voters will have little tolerance for a hard-edged political campaign so soon after the disaster. But even that subject served as a springboard for argument.
After Schundler praised the efforts of rescue workers, McGreevey reminded the audience of a newspaper article that had quotes from Schundler criticizing the state police. Schundler said his remarks were mischaracterized by one of six reporters who interviewed him.
Later, when Schundler accused McGreevey of being a pawn of entrenched special interest groups, McGreevey was ready to pounce.
"He calls police and firefighters special interests," McGreevey said. "I call them special heroes."
The candidates sparred over education, which Schundler has made his signature issue. McGreevey assailed Schundler's proposal to reduce state education costs by encouraging parents to enroll their children in private schools through tax credits.
McGreevey said such a plan would "weaken" public schools. Schundler responded that McGreevey was merely a mouthpiece for the New Jersey Education Association, the powerful teachers union that is adamantly opposed to using public funds to pay for private school tuitions.
"He is fighting necessary reforms because he wants to keep the NJEA happy," Schundler said.
When Schundler was asked whether he would work for tighter restrictions on abortion, the former Jersey City major said no governor could take away a woman's right to an abortion because it was protected by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. But he said the difference between him and McGreevey, the mayor of Woodbridge, was that he would require schoolchildren to be taught about abstinence and that he would end partial birth abortion. He said McGreevey voted against legislation that would have banned partial birth abortion.
McGreevey said he believes a woman's right to an abortion is fundamental.
"It's a decision that I shouldn't make for a woman, and it's a decision that the state and Mr. Schundler shouldn't make for a woman," McGreevey said, adding that he voted against the legislation because it was unconstitutional.
"I want to say publicly I would sign a law immediately that would ban post-viability abortions of fetuses. I want to be clear on that," McGreevey said.
On a question from an audience member about suburban sprawl, Schundler said he was glad the question was asked. Schundler said he wanted to "get rid of" the state Supreme Court's landmark Mount Laurel ruling, which requires every New Jersey municipality to provide a "realistic opportunity" for a "fair share" of affordable housing to be built inside its border. Schundler said the Mount Laurel ruling promotes sprawl.
McGreevey said he favored the ruling, adding that the difference between him and Schundler is that he would say no to developers.
"If you want a governor who is going to stand up to ensure we have open space, I ask for your vote," McGreevey said, noting that he has received the endorsement of the Sierra Club and the New Jersey Environmental Federation.
|
