state university. our audience is made up of nondemit voters and guests. they will get to ask questions of the candidates along with our moderators. congressman mark schauer. >> gentlemen, welcome. as christie noted, there are few in this format. no clock, no buzzers but we ask you keep your answers throughso key with move as many issues as possible.

you have foregone opening we can get right to questions. con toss behind the stage puts question to mr. schauer. mr. schauer, you said your oepbt $1 billion from education sppding. where do you come up with that number? first i want to thank you and it is great to be the wafrp state university. raised in livingston county where my dad was a and my mom a nurse. they taught me the key to good education.od a is true that rick cut billion dollars from public schools, raised taxes on seniors 80% to 90% pay raises to the top executives in state government. that is wrong. the key to a good job is a good education. priority.number one verifiable re some sources you can look to.

senate fiscal agency. $930 rst budget cot million from schools. told the kalamazoo stkpwet that those would-gazette would be difficult. the cuts he cut $300 per pupil. our kid.s they have more clouded lassrooms, teachers tkf the materials. basic programs have been eliminated. schools is a fact that still have less per pupil classroom than when he started four years ago but i will close with this. take my word for it. talk to any teacher. members, chool board parents, school directs all around the state. met with a group of parents in east grand rapids. door to door aising money on social media

and solding bake sales to raise oney for music, art, special education and foreign language. that is wrong. > governor, did you cut a billion tkhrarls out of education. >> no, nolan. clear. let's make this simple because you are hearing a lot of things of different pieces of that and this. became before i governor the state budget for $10.6 billion. that is a number that doesn't change. signed into just law feels $11.7 billion. budget i signed is more than $1 billion higher than the i took office. if you look at the three years billion init is $1.1 a cumulative fashion more than 10.6 each and e every year.

that is not an argument. reenforce and look to the free press. it to say i have been truthful about my number for education. unfortunate unfortunately a broken political up em has people making lies. it is important to invest in our tion because kids are future and one thing i'm proud k-12 d to that not only is important but we are a no-way preschool. we have made the largest nvestment of preschool of any state in the nation. why would we make that invest the if aware cutting education? we need to focus on third grade reading. 70% but we feed to get it higher. that is what i want to work on second term, grow the term. >> we have other education issues. don't think you two will ever

agree on the billion dollar cut. ask congressman schauer, charter schools have been contention the last several months. do you feel they need more regulation? cap back on? the >> absolutely, nolan. you for that question. the first thing i will do is put the money back he took from schools. it is irrefutable. dollars in the classroom that educate the kids became give.e one of the other problems that is hurting our schools, school state, s all over the there are 48 school districts that are in deficit and they be more because a number of them have disappeared because broke.ent charter schools were allowed to expand with no oversight. mistake by this govern governor. it is hurting our kids. -- the free press did an

eight-day series on what schools.to the public 80% of the charter schools are groups.rofit making dollars should get to the classroom to the kid. unregulated schools with sweetheart real estate deals, lack of accountability. our kids.ing expect my i wouldn't opponent with his record to sign nto law oversight of charter schools. i will do it when i'm governor. charter schools hurting public education in michigan? parents re giving choice because we have had a lot of failing schools and the point the o give parents opportunity to give their kids n education, create competition. they are not unregulated. here are authorizers behind

them and department of education provides oversight. higher standards for all schools, charter undand traditil schools. we need to raise the standards. 'm a strong believer in traditional public schools. when we talked about the funding umber and the billions we have invested more, i did it in a fashion that gave an extra slice to traditional schools more than carter schools. the other part i did it for was hard working he teachers have a well funded retirement system and that has much the huge issues that that was not being properly funded. see them complain about me on tv hopefully they can recognize we have done more a well e they have funded retirement plan and all public school employees than hey would otherwise have because i believe in that. >> governor, hold off just a minute, congressman because we have an audience question on this. >> tell us your name and question. >> i'm megan and what are your

higher support education and job training so we make sure michigan works are good jobs? >> we will start with mr. schauer. here?you go to school >> yes. >> i just met a student who teacher. become a by the way, i believe that educators have the most important profession in our society. she will be graduating with debt.0 of student loan she told me about her boy tprefrpbltd i think they are sounds get married it like to me and he's a law student. $100,000 raduate with of student loan debt. imagine that combined. rick as governor tuition has increased every year for college students. racked with student loan debt that in the cost of tuition of sight.colleges out i will do three things. first, we will keep the to the nt as a state state universities to increase

funding. by this cut 15% governor in his first year. $42 million.was cut second, i'm going to provide aid need based financial for students so everyone who wants to pursue higher education that.o third, we will put together a tudent loan revolving fund to help students like briana bolton who i met the future teacher, you, refinance that didn't so they are not saddled with they can spend more of their income in our economy. i understand the key to building economy is from the middle out. >> good luck on your career. look at it, higher education is critically important. expensive. we need to be more innovative in wowaaway -- we work on. just got my associates degree

a couple of weeks ago and in battle creek alone they have students in dual enrollment. where encouraging that you get college credit while going to high school. increase financial need based resources and help manage innovative. by getting a year of college in igh school you can drop the cost of a bachelor's agree by 50%.nd associates by the other thing it is critically mportant is career tech education. that is a number one priority for me in a second term is class job ose middle opportunities through greater training through reestablishing as an equal track to the university track. we are doing that with some colleges but it can be better. the s math scarquared apprentice model. it is the michigan vandalsed

program.n training you go into the program and work with a company and alternate school. they pay the tuition while you go to school. after three years you come out associate degree, a certificate, a guaranteed job for two k commitment years. >> thank you, governor. we have to move to a different sufrpblt your tax reforms in $1.7 billion less in business tax revenue. $1.6 billion more in individual tax revenue coming in. mostly from middle and low income earners. good policy? why is that fair? >> we had a $1.35 billion when i took officer -- office. we have seen a big recovery. what was the point of the business changes in terms of laws?ng tax to mike it fair. it is about fundamental

fairness. do you remember all the closing up?at were part of it was they had a big tax burden. we you have to pay your taxes you know how tight it was. e were putting an extra tax on businesses to say not only do you have to pay the individual we're going it stick you with a second tax. if you went down to indiana why the businesses going to indiana? they were marketing their development omic tool was the michigan business tax. it was can iing jobs. got rid of that unfair tax and replaced it with a simple 6% corporate net income tax so the big companies are still paying the same roughly except i got rid of the incentives. sized small and medium people, do we have any you here? we have a few. it was like. think about this. we built a tax system that said that create jobs ecause that is where jobs come

fro from, should pay more than we do on salary and wages. we made a fair system to encourage job creation. for the essman voted michigan business tax. this is something we had to get in this be successful state. >> you said you want to repeal the pension tax. did that how would you make up the revenue and is that 401-k's.e taxing >> i would encourage you to read co-authored.teven he cut taxes for businesses by $1.8 billion. there are 95,000 businesses in zero taxes.t pay he talked about balancing the budget. dug the local $1.8 billion deep are and cut a billion schools, raised

families, low ng age earners and pensioners by $1.4 billion. yes, i will repeal the job killing pension tax. it is bad tax policy and breaking a promise, leave our iors to state and prevent others from coming to our state. a retired couple born in 1952 or are paying $3,100 more a policies x because of and he thinks that is fair. it will be the easiest thing as because there are epublicans that want to repeal it. we are going to provide tax fairness in the state but we cut wasteful programs and sweetheart contracts that this created starting with his cuss george's $41 furniture contract. tax brooks to companies that

isn't jobs overseas. eliminate wasteful scandalous contract. >> he says you put too much of a burden on lower and middle earners. >> let's talk about the opinions tax. that is a mischaracterization of we did. we created a fairer system. actually system that had a wonderful benefit. if you had certain kind of opinions income. you had a public retiree pension you didn't pay any regardless ome tax of age or amount of pension. if you had to have a defined plan through a private employer you didn't get quite the same deal. ou are excluded up to certain limits. if you happen to be a person a 401-k and took the distributions after you left work part of it was taxable, wasn't. for the people that didn't have a retirement plan that were to work, they were paying michigan income tax.

. don't think that is fair does that make any sense? what did we do? we had a big benefit for a group of people and grandfathered the seniors. if they are 60 or older they were grandfathered. anyone 60 or older to exclude up to $40,000 for a married couple. what else did we do? a new senior skhraoufrplgts we ctually helped those people that were still having to work not to have to pay tax. it, we hink about created an exclusion for up to $40,000 for a married couple for a working family that they don't have to play so we helped board.s across the >> very quickly, our accountant is missing some columns on his spreadsheet and it is called people. jeanette is retired from meyer, her husband from general motors, counted on that pension. i ran into a gentleman who said

e voted for you last time and he was sorry. his skpwhroerpbts pension is paying $133 he's more a year in tax. he said that is a utility payment. i can't afford it. it is wrong, it is bad policy. fair, no ink that is compaeconomy is not working. >> it is fair to help seniors. didn't have a retirement income. they need help. he other part i would like to mention he brought up a couple other things that had nothing to do with the question. cuss and up my furniture contract so i would like to straighten that out. straight on that. my cousin is a distributor and he's disgusting that impinging on a good person's name. hayworth.ct is with my cousin is the distributor. that for n out with

20-plus years. a couple decades. it was renewed and went through the process of before i became give. it has nothing to do with me becoming governor. a professional politician again making up stuff. is other one he mentioned the investment officer. mysaid i gave huge raises to officials. they are civil service employees. that was approved by the service n civil commission. because they are managing $60 billion. a lot of issues to go through. i think we have both of you. on et me get one more line this. there is important. head people are -- the person is managing $70 million. do we have any -- we have to move on. >> they pay their same person $499,000. off of this ing issue. >> i will get back to it. we are not going to. we are going to talk about

transportation and roads. michigan has some of the worst roads in the nation. how will you fix them, who pays how? >> nolan, thank you. that is an incredible question. here as iest issues i traveled in every corner of the 83 counties it is school cuts, pension tax and our roads. of 50 in per capita spending on roads. it shows. spend $2.5 billion a year on our cars because of horrible roads. do.l tell you what i won't at crunch time in the egislative process where democrats and republicans were trying to put together a i won't be in manhattan with a billionaire hosting a fund-raiser for me. we understand now why he is behalf of2 million on

campaign. when i was in the legislature we there together. i want to tell you what i will do. first thing as a former member and transportation committee we will get our fair share from washington. brought back re i $850 million to help fix the roads and we have much more to do. i know we've got people here that will help us do that. from your to hear opponent and move along. governor, how are you going to pays?e roads and who >> we will get a solution done. ahope in lame duck it will be top priority. i have been calling for this ecause it is safer roads and jobs and getting rid of repairs. ow many have had a tire bent rim the last year? shouldn't we invest that in the road? the challenge is the legislature was having a tough time addressing that. pothole season brought it home and we got pretty far.

more than been done in a lot of years but it was election ear so many legislators were not going to vote for a revenue increase going into an election season. electionet through the season and get it done because it is for everyone's benefit. betterroads will lead to jobs, save hundreds of lives and make us better off. congress manned people in 1997 would have made it omething other than cents per gallon we may not be having the discussion today. > christie, you have an audience question? >> yes, give us your name and the question. my name harris. hat is your stance on implementing mass transit in michigan. >> great question. i have actually run a nonprofit ommunity development thaorgs provided transportation services or element early around handicapped in battle creek. it is critical to help detroit

we need and cities transit. one reason to fix the roads and of listen and i will lead in a bipartisan way team in the legislature will help do that bringing democrats and republicans -- ther but >> same question to you, governor. transit i'm f mass happy with what we are doing. we did something that hadn't happened for decade. got through bipartisan legislation to do regional authority. we got it done. we will move forward with that. rail.ne we moved forward war that. we are helping transportation all over. high speed rail we're doing. i'm proud of the track record i have because it is a great opportunity for the future and of those things that attracts young people to michigan and keep you here. has an nor, detroit emergency mark and trying to get

through a complicated bankruptcy. this the right approach to the relationship between cities and states? the state needs to do to prevent cities from alling into those problems and what do they need to do to help them out? >> that was a big question. other way.t the what we are doing now is working system.arly warning i never want to appoint an emergency manager. it is not a subjective process. it is objective. i don't just decide that. certain conditions in terms of a emergency have to exist first. with respect to detroit, i went a systematic way trying to work with the prior administration to say let's work together. that didn't work. we did a consent agreement to to do city needed certain things to get it out of trouble. those things were not done. an emergency manager. i apoint the one tapped came to he question of putting detroit in bankruptcy. that was one of the toughest

decisions to be made in the united states. it was the right decision to make. look where we are today. within a month or two-month most likely of coming bankruptcy. we would have shed $9 billion in liability. we had not done that more than 60% of the operating budget debts.e past streetlights have been going up, picked up, violent crime digit percentages in detroit. all of these things are going on and we have transitioned back goal is to have the emergency manager do their job, get out and be done and get to the community with good oversight so it does not fall backwards. stop and think. have you ever thought you would see detroit as well placed for a as you see today? >> congressman, you have opposed he emergency manager legislation. how would you handle all of this

differently? >> first i believe in democracy. voted in 2012 to overturn that law. placing myself, becoming give in 2011 i would the abided by the will of voters. what i would have done is governor i ed as will be in detroit and work out cadillac place and be a full partner with the mayor. the mayor is supporting me because he knows i will be a strong and active partner. jobs in our communities but what i will do as governor in addition to is put together financial teams where we can be ro-active and what our current governor has condition, two things, engaging in a strategy fires, fighting crises. f course, $69 million revenue sharing cut for police and fire in detroit didn't help. ut after cities get into financial crises and school

district do they assign mental managers. thing is i would never have cut retiree pensions. our constitution is clear, pensions are guaranteed. the pension tax now cutting pensions through his emergency manager as governor and hurting ong people. that is no way to build a strong economy. give you a i will chance to respond to the question about democrat seufrplt ou are suspending local democracy when you send in the mental manager. that.e voted not to have >> what they said is we have had emergency managers back to blanchard in 1988. a number of them. what we did is enhance the skill set so they can do their job and out. there was a proposal that said certain aspects of it people didn't like. listened. we didn't do this. we put something back i in plac move forward.

traditionally emergency managers are there too long. bankruptcy thehe city is running the city of detroit. left an manager bar.iac, benton similar it is working. they are back on their feet and didn't have an opportunity before. we know how bikini the messes were. if you are not going to do looking at bankruptcy, a very has resort and it is constitutional. that.ral judge said i asked the question with what are you going to do to pay the billion in liability where you have 60% going to liability costs? we have an man and audience question. >> if i were governor without an emergency manager that wouldn't change the books for the city of detroit. 'm not questioning whether detroit needed to go breakankru have panelly led and never have thrown detroit city pensioners, police officers, firefighters under the bus.

that hurts them. them under leave the bus. we did the grand bargain. thank the bipartisan force. supporting the agreement and you i respect them for their role in there settlement. another question. give us your name and question. >> i'm don graham and i believe our cities are struggling with their budgets for public service and how can the governor's office assist in providing revenue for adequate olice, fire and rescue services? >> back to mr. schauer. >> thank you, don. that is a great question. revenue sharing has been cut governor tly by this and the impact is fewer police officers and firefighters on the job. it is critical to building strong healthy communities. do is have a o strategy to support our cities. of innovation bs nd entrepreneurship and having

adequate basic services lake roads and infrastructure are critical to attracting people investment. what i will do, seeing that this current system is broken, we a strategy together or municipal finance in michigan similar to funding schools. years old and 0 forth adequately tpuptding the schools but we need to pull our best ideas to lving local communities design a partnership between the state and our local communities. the fact the fact is our cities, villages, and counties -- we are

in this together. i will close with this. what i have seen under this governor is a reverse trickle-down. while the state has cut funding for local communities, what i see in community after community is they are raising taxes. this governor is passing the buck. >> i'm sorry. [laughter] >> we had 1.5 billion dollar deficit. we had to make some tough choices. i did. since then, we have been investing back in our cities. we have been critically focused on public safety. to give you an idea of whether the public safety people support

the work i am doing, i have been endorsed by police and police officers association of michigan. they understand what i am doing. they are supporting me. >> thank you, governor. lets put the next question to you. why hasn't job growth been more robust in the state? what will you do to get people working and get house hold incomes working? >> i am proud of my track record. 300,000 jobs. we led unemployment in this nation for how many months? how many years? we have improved dramatically. when you hear about the unemployment rate, how many people recognize that the jobes we lost went south. they went to southern states. how many people from detroit

went to atlanta? to give you a gauge as to how well we have improved, we have the fifth largest number of new jobs in the country. we are number 13 in rate increases. that is coming back fast. to give you and i did a perspective, we now have the same unemployment rate as those states where those jobs left. we match tennessee and california. alabama has a higher unemployment rate than michigan. georgia has a much higher on upon the rate in michigan. we have come back hard. those jobs we lost to the south? we are keeping them here in michigan. we are bringing them back to michigan. that is exciting. >> thank you, governor. how would you get this economy growing at a greater speed? >> put the money that was cut for our schools back. reverse the snyder pension tax. i think we understand the key to building a strong economy is from the bottom up in the middle out.

our governor's dashboard is broken. he admitted that in his television commercial. to claim success or come back, when you have the fifth worst unemployment rate in the country, the last national jobs report showed michigan losing the most jobs of any state in the country. 900 and 5000 jobs. start by making public education the number one priority. we provide tax cut for middle class families. we reverse the snyder job killing pension tax. i will help small business. we know how to do it.

i will provide tax incentives to companies to great job here in michigan. if they send their jobs overseas, they will repay every penny to the taxpayer. that is how we create an economy that works for everyone. >> congress and, you have talked about the school tax. what are you doing to our race that debt? >> it is a huge opportunity. it is about middle-class jobs. we are doing that in michigan. he likes to talk about the job killing tax. in terms of job creation, the top priority as unskilled trades. manufacturing to agricultural.

math squared, the apprentice ship program we have in place. there are so many great opportunities to create a job after eight we are doing that. it is working in our state. that is why i want to ramp up the chance for people to become career connected. we are helping the people that really need help. we're giving opportunities to people and putting them to work. there is a 70% retention rate. we are putting programs on top to give them upward mobility. it is a giant opportunity in detroit. the bridge coming. m1. the entertainment district. what a great opportunity for skilled jobs in our state. that is my top priority in the second term, to bring back skill-based training and tech education. >> great question. one of the industries here that most needs skilled, trained workers if the auto industry.

i was there and congress when it counted. we rescued the auto industry. rick said that was overblown. i think he is wrong. a skilled workforce is the key to making michigan competitive, create high wage, high skilled economy. that is my goal as governor. i worked for businesses in michigan through the union construction trades. they are building a new energy economy. i have seen it firsthand. these aren't exactly the kinds of partnerships that i will support as governor. bottom line, a skilled workforce is the key that will drive us forward. community colleges play a critical role in this partnership. custom schools that eliminate

basic vocational programs are hurting our economy and workforce. >> you have a question from the audience. >> you believe the raising of the minimum wage is good for the economy in michigan? >> we did. that was a good bipartisan effort. we work together. it was a good thing to do. and terms of increasing the minimum wage. both parties came together. both chambers came together. we had a good discussion and did something to help the people of michigan. >> congressman? >> i am pleased that the minimum wage was raised. i began my campaign early in november last year. i propose an increase in the minimum wage.

i think it is wrong. we are better in michigan to see parents raising their children in minimum wage jobs in poverty. i complement all the citizens of michigan the collected signatures to raise the minimum wage. my opponent was worried about that being on the ballot. it is so important that we support good wages for workers. most minimum-wage earners are parents. they are women. they are driving michigan's economy. the minimum wage is the right thing to do. we know that businesses can hire more employees when people have money in their pocket that they can spend with small businesses, gasoline, groceries, diapers. i championed it. it was the right thing to do. >> congressman, if you are elected to governor. you could face the possibility of a legislature that is controlled by the opposite party. how we get anything done? >> the premise of that is based

on the selection and who votes. i think the democrats are in a good position to win the state house, but we will set that aside. they are making incredible gains in the state senate. i served 12 years in the legislature. 10 of those years in the minority. i know what it is like to work together. when i helped -- choose homer over mexico to create jobs there -- i was able to work with members on the other side of the aisle, governor's office, to get it done. the experiment of a ceo governor who does not really understand how to work with legislators -- i will value the legislative body. i will spend time with them with my sleeves rolled up. fixing the roads, helping to invest in our schools, but we

would need bipartisan solutions. i think our best solutions are bipartisan ones but we need a governor who understands how the legislature works. we need a governor who is willing to roll up his sleeves to find bipartisan solutions for you let me say one more thing. there was a time before democrats and republicans were genetically predisposed to dislike each other or disagree. i think we need to change the political culture in lansing. i plan to do that when i am governor. >> governor, some of your harshest critics would say that you have been pushed into issues that you may not have agreed with by a legislature that is more conservative than you are. how do you answer that? >> it has been about partnership. just a you know the

congressman's record, he was here when we shut down the government. i am proud of being bipartisan. the grand bargain to support the bankruptcy. i could give you a long list of different bills. one that touches my heart -- i remember a senator who was with me, we were together. we stood up against bullies. if you don't do the research on the bills that have passed -- over 75% of them have been bipartisan. there have been some polarizing bills. there are bills that some of us don't like. i did not support bills when i did not think they were right. it happens rarely. i have a great working relationship with legislators. we had heated arguments.

when we come out, we try to work together, because were trying to bring up a higher level of civility and respect than you find in washington. we have done a good job of that. >> this is about leadership. one of my former colleagues was here. he was quoted in the press saying every time the governor lobbied the legislature about extending medicaid, he lost votes. leadership counts. it is important for a governor to reach out and work for the legislature. our kids deserve that leadership. our economy deserves that leadership. our seniors deserve that leadership. i look forward to it. i will be in lansing, where the legislature is, and i will work each and every day to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy.

>> the congressman is good at soundbites. he has brought up another one. to give you an idea of perspective. i am proud of my track record. i have worked out of my office in detroit more than 130 days and i have been governor. that is a lot. in terms of working in the capital building -- it's not a ceremonial office, it is a working office -- over 170 days. they make fun of me sometimes. quiet often i will wear a tie on tuesday. [laughter] >> governor, if the sixth circuit court of appeals upholds judge friedmans ruling of the gay marriage ban, will you pursue the appeal further? would you allow it to rest? >> i will wait for the opinion to come down. i will respect what happens in our court system. that is where the issue will be decided.

>> where do you stand on the issue? >> i am waiting for the outcome of the court's. >> congressman? >> i think the voters deserve to know where the governor stands. you may not agree with me on every issue. you may not agree with me on the issue of marriage equality. discrimination will play no part. as governor and does not have a place. his statement lead you to believe he has no position. this governor through his own legislature banned domestic partner benefits for gay and lesbian employees. his choices are tough on all the wrong people. i support marriage equality. my running mate -- after judge friedman's decision -- it is not only the right thing to do, but it is an economic issue in our state.

to discriminate against talented people we need to help build the city of detroit. it is wrong. i talked to parents who have adult children's who are professionals and live another state -- we have backward policies. you have challenged, appealed, judge friedman's decision. you oppose marriage equality in michigan. i think that is wrong. >> i disagree. >> how'd you cut that without compromising public safety? >> i will get rid of the prison food service contract. that contract should never have been awarded. it has been a debacle. i can understand why he has not terminated the contract after

smuggling contraband, inappropriate sexual relations, food, his own chief of staff asking the director to back off. here's what we need to do. we need to have -- education is the best remedy to preventing people from entering the criminal justice system. it is a front door strategy. we need to educate people. i was responsible for head start. in addition, i helped to start to drug treatment court. these are ways they give judges and communities tools to provide treatment, whether it is mental health, substance abuse, or even veterans with rheumatic rain injuries. in prison,, in terms of reducing the population, folks that are there, we have to look at our environments.

as one corrections employee told me when i was on the judiciary committee on the senate, there are elderly, sick people in our prison who may not pose any danger. we need to fully support efforts to help people when they come back home. 80% of prisoners come back home -- it is in our best interest to not have them return. >> can you talk about sentencing reform? >> we spent more on higher education then corrections -- i'm sorry more on corrections in higher education. if you look at the actual number, it has not come down in terms of numbers. now we are properly funding retirement programs that was not done before. we have significantly reduced our costs.

we need to do it in a smart way. public safety needs to come first. there are four states where they are doing their food service at a lower cost. there is another state they have been in. if you have someone -- a problem with someone on a contract, thrown them out. i try to work with them first before i throw them out. i did find them $200,000. a former corrections officer was brought in to get the solution to work. with respect to corrections, the congressman has been reading my white papers. reform is actively underway. in terms of ports, records, veterans court, specialty

court's. we are helping to leave the effort in terms of a mental health commission. they did outstanding work. too often we are locking people up when they have a mental health issue. we are getting on top of that. we are being proactive. we're not talking about it. we are doing it. prisoner entries -- we did pretty well in michigan. we're improving that. >> give us your name in question. >> i have a question about the environment. i would like to ask each candidate what is your position on fracking, and what plans would you put into effect in the event of contamination? >> we are coming to the end. >> let me be clear part of my jobs plan -- which you can reach

-- talks about the energy and environment. i will never sacrifice the environment for jobs. it is both or neither. our quality of life -- after our people -- is our most precious asset. we must protect the natural resources. i also want us to stop spending $24 billion a year on imported energy. i would us to grow the renewable energy economy here. let me point out that the proposed rules from rick's department of environmental quality -- >> governor? >> we do what energy independence in this country. fracking is one of the most effective tools to do that, but it does need to be done right. it needs to respect the environment.

in michigan, we do fracking right. in michigan, we frack over 10,000 wells in our state and never had a problem. we have the toughest rules and enforce them. we get results and more energy. >> we have to get to our final question. to you governor -- our michigan residents better off than they were four years ago? how will they be better off in the next four years? >> i'm going to say something that no one knows. there was a poll taken where more than half of people in michigan were now feeling good about the future. the last time that happened with during 9/11. that is over a decade ago. people are seeing a bright future in michigan. we need to keep that up.

and a second term our priorities are more and better jobs, with a key focus on the skilled trades, career tech education, creating middle-class job opportunities. we can do it. starting with preschool test going to that process -- getting the most effective strangers in the classroom. -- teachers in the classroom. good government. we are financially responsible. we are paying our long-term debt. if you want a really cool job in michigan, run for governor in 2038. that is when we have a payment plan in place. we do 50 are forecast to make sure that we are not dropping debt on our kids likely inherited. we are taking care of those issues. we are building a foundation for decades to come through that is exciting. lets not go back to the lost decade. that's not let professional politics mess that michigan again. it is time for us to work together. look at what we are doing at

detroit. the progress is happening. it's get going. >> congressman, you have a minute and a half. >> i have spent my entire life working for an economy to support regular people. i have fought outsourcing. i helped to rescue the auto industry and help make sure we create good middle-class jobs. i am running for governor because i believe that we together can build an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy. rick snyder's of economy may work for you if you are a big corporation, but if you are a student, teacher, parent, grandparent, it is not working for you. those policies will work for you. i have outlined a detailed jobs plan.

firstly things. one, restore the customer our schools. i will make public education mineable one budget priority. second, cut taxes for the middle class. i will in the pension tax. third, i will help small is is is an entre nous is an provide tools and tax incentives to companies to great good jobs here in michigan. if they eliminate jobs or send them overseas, they will repay every penny. i am here to tell you that as governor, i will wake up each and every morning fighting for an economy that works for everyone, not just for the wealthy. >> thank you very much. >> that will do us for the gubernatorial town hall. thank you to governor rick snyder and mark schauer. thank you. for all of us at detroit public

television, have a great night. [applause] ♪ >> find out where candidates stand on issues important to the people of michigan. make your voice heard on election day. >> here is a look at some of the campaign ads running in michigan. >> first thing is first. when you elected me governor there was a budget deficit. spending was out of control.

budget battles were an annual, and nursing nightmare. we reversed all that. for balanced budgets in a row. we are rebuilding michigan's foundations to help us in ways that help everyone. education, health care, jobs, our kids. this recovery will last for generations. >> i am mark schauer. i'm running for governor because governor rick snyder -- as governor, i will cut middle-class taxes. i will reverse governor rick snyder's tax breaks for companies. our economy should work for everyone, not just the wealthy. >> jennifer granholm signed one of the largest tax increases in history thanks to mark schauer. the deciding vote for her painful services tax, mark

schauer. a newspaper called mark schauer her go to guy. rockstar? with 300,000 jobs lost in crippling debt, the tax-and-spend ways left michigan drowning in debt. >> governor rick snyder cut $1 million from education. did he in preschool funding? >> not in my classroom. >> not in mine. >> the education cousins met my classroom got more crowded. >> it hurts the economy. good jobs come from a good education. >> he did cut $1 billion from education. >> we know because we see it every day. >> c-span's campaign 2014 -- stay in touch and engage. like us on facebook.

here are some of your comments -- next, q&a. calls and00, your comments on "washington journal." ♪ >> this week on "q&a," our guest is robert timberg, journalist and author of "blue eyed boy." in 1965, he was a marine 13 days away from coming home when his vehicle struck a landmine and changed his life forever. he talks about the impact of the experience, the 35 surgeries he has had, his thoughts on the vietnam war and how he physically and emotionally

rebuilt himself and his career following the explosion. >> bob timberg, in your acknowledgments, you said my son bullied me into writing it. we are talking about this book "blue eyed boy." >> that is true. i had never really had a desire to write this book. people had asked me over the years, why don't you write it? i said, i do not need to get into it. i was concerned about after flash. this being, you know, too hard, dredging up the emotions would be too heavy.

i did not think at that time years ago that i had anything to say that was a anyway -- in any way -- there were a lot of books written by veterans who were wounded. craig kept pushing. craig, as you may know -- since he was a little kid, if he started wanting to do something, he just trove you nuts onto you say, ok, do it. i said, craig, i do not want to do it. we started talking about, if you are ever going to do it, this is the time. we look at the country, everything has come back around. we have these deep divisions over 2 wars.