Gov. candidates debate ways to fix economy

Candidates for governor Oz Griebel (Independent), left, Bob Stefanowski (Republican), center, and Ned Lamont (Democrat), right, share the stage at the University of Connecticut in a debate hosted by WFSB at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts Wednesday.

STORRS — While the three candidates competing to be the next governor proposed differing game plans for bettering Connecticut, they all shared the same goal: reigniting the economy.

Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate, hosted by WFSB Channel 3 at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Connecticut, featured talk on how to solve the ongoing fiscal crisis — whether it’s imposing large tax cuts or lowering health care costs.

This time, Democratic businessman Ned Lamont of Greenwich and Republican businessman Bob Stefanowski of Madison were joined by Independent candidate Oz Griebel of Hartford for the first time after Griebel was excluded from the two previous debates due to low poll support.

The next elected governor, who will succeed Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in January, faces a projected one-year budget deficit of more than $2 billion.

Stefanowski argued the gradual elimination of the personal income tax and cutting state spending to promote economic growth is the solution to the state’s financial woes.

“This state is on an absolute fiscal cliff, (and) we’re going to call a fiscal state of emergency,” Stefanowski said on his first 100 days. “We’re going to use those cuts in spending to lower taxes over time. That’s going to stimulate our economy, that’s going to bring jobs back, that’s going to bring people back.”

Lamont, claiming he would be the first governor in generations to have started a business and created jobs, asserts Stefanowski’s plan to lower income taxes would eliminate nearly $9 billion per year in state revenue.

“You need somebody who has a budget ready to go within four months from today,” Lamont said. “You’ll hear me talk about three main pockets of spending: A, healthcare, where 25 percent of our spending is; B, the structural reforms we need to equalize our pension problems; and C, shared services for our towns’ municipalities.”

Griebel pitches that only an Independent governor can bring both political parties and the private sector together to address the serious fiscal issues and promote Connecticut’s assets.

“The first thing a governor needs to do is to make sure to do minimal damage to this state,” Griebel said. “We’ve had four, five straight budget cycles of cuts to municipal aid (and) cuts to municipal agencies. 

“The personal income tax is the workhorse of this budget and that has to stay in place.”

On the issue of transportation and potential highway tolls, Griebel argued electronic tolling is inevitable and Lamont mentioned his plan on tolling tractor trailers.

Stefanowski, meanwhile, criticized Lamont’s plan for tolling and suggests there is no need for highway tolls.

Candidates were also pressed on their opinions of whether Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh should be approved, as well as being asked to assign a letter grade to President Donald Trump’s performance in office.

Declining to assign a letter grade and simply stating Trump’s economic policies are “something we could use in Connecticut,” Stefanowski chose to not comment on the situation regarding Kavanaugh, eliciting boos from the audience.

“I’m going to pass on that,” Stefanowski said. “That is a federal issue.”

Lamont states he should not be approved given the accusations of sexual misconduct and assigned Trump an “F” grade.

“He does not reflect Connecticut values,” Lamont said.

Griebel gave Trump a D-plus and made comments reflecting both sides of Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

“I think the women that came forward have to be heard,” Griebel said. “I also think Judge Kavanaugh deserves a fair hearing.”

Originally published in The Chronicle on September 27, 2018.