students are graduating in job markets which are awful. they can earn money. we need a better economy than the obamacare economy. senator landrieu when she voted for obamacare in a sense put a wet blanket over that economy. >> colonel maness. maness: college graduates rates are sky-high and the only solution to the debt problem for college loans is too full. create the jobs. we need to pull obamacare of up by the roots and restore jobs in our state. all 64 parishes and small business owners that have less than 100 employees tell me the same story. they are struggling to meet the requirements of obamacare and struggling to create more jobs that they need to create or they are struggling to redefine full-time job employees down to part-time job employees.

that's a disaster. our college graduates need to go to those jobs that are sustainable long-term jobs. we would be creating those jobs. not just in certain parts of the state but all over the state. i have also supported the hero at the higher education reform opportunity act that will spread accreditation in the state and increase the market and competition drive costs down. >> moderator: senator landrieu. landrieu: those amendments would be very helpful i believe to the 600,000 people in louisiana that have outstanding student loans. it's a serious burden and a serious challenge to all of us. it's not just a private luxury. it's a public good for people that have strong education. the frightening thing is to think about one or two of these gentlemen being in the senate than standing in line with governor jindal to raise

education the state to $700 million the largest cuts in the state of the union. i have fought against those cuts and i've done a lot to make sure at least we support hundreds of millions of dollars to her hbcu's which i'm proud of. mandate of lowering of student loans. you should be able to refinance your student loans savings to does a thousand dollars. number two double pell grants. they are now worth less than 30% of the value. when they were first passed neither one of them were supported. they should. >> one quick follow-up for congressman cassidy. looking at a student in the face is trying to decide at a vote here what can you do for me tomorrow or in the first year to help me out with my lung stress? cassidy: young people want

freedom. they want their future mortgaged by debt and deficit. first you have to understand their motivation. oh my gosh i don't mind somebody refinancing their student loans. i just don't think the taxpayer should have to pay for pay taxpayers are struggling. are we going to ask them to struggle more for taxpayer financed refunds? if they can can get a better deal they should. i don't think the taxpayer should pay for it. >> moderator: moving along. stephanie gets the next question for colonel maness. >> is well know, gore has become a controversial issue in louisiana and around the country. their state superintendent of education is a supporter of the standard. our governor contends the initiative represents federal overreach. regardless of your stand on this point should the federal government play a role in k-12 education and if so what should that ruled the?

colonel maness. maness: thank you stephanie. the constitution has no role for education and k-12 for the federal government did not believe the department of education at the federal level should be dismantled not believe, gore which i'm opposed to completely is a system that is being imposed at the federal level for the national testing standards system that's unacceptable for the parents teachers and local elected officials. that is where if the federal government wants to play a role block grant the dollars down to the state and local to use those dollars as these see fit to help their children. >> moderator: senator landrieu. landrieu: it should be secondary to the state and local contributions and abuse. it represents less than 10% of the funding but as you know

there such a discrepancy in zip codes around the country. your citgo shouldn't determine your future. the federal government has a role to equalize opportunity not guarantee success. but guarantee opportunity to succeed. that is what the federal government got into funding. i worked with george bush, not a democrat or republican to bring funding to our public school system and i have worked with all presidents of all parties. i've i have been with three presidents and six governors. i support faith-based standards which, in gore is. it's not a national mandate. in fact our governor was a supporter before he decided to run for president of the tea party which rob maness is a part of. they are local standards. >> moderator: thank you.

congressman cassidy. cassidy: stephanie of a multipronged question here. my daughter is dyslexic and the one-size-fits-all mode of education would not fit my daughter. my daughter is fantastic but i do -- do i think one-size-fits-all -- the state can fight among itself. the federal government should not force, and core upon the state. it shouldn't. by the way although was a state initiative to begin with the kind of obama my ties the federal government was going to -- arne duncan began to require states to adopt common core if they were going to get any federal assistance. i opposed up, absolutely. the federal government should not be forcing us upon the state.

>> moderator: i think stephanie had a follow-up. >> what world do you think the federal government should play in k-12 education? cassidy: is that mine? the government -- it should be the mother of a father that makes billions decisions about the child's education. the government should play a role only if there are federal funds disbursed to the state ideally being in a best practices model. as it turns out the federal government will pick and choose what program to endorse. i think that's wrong. >> moderator: jeremy have the next question and we begin with senator landrieu. >> some of the most contentious issues debate him hell about the federal budget and spending bills. tell us who you believe to be the key federal funding areas for louisiana that need to be protected? also if it comes up for next term and it looks like it may well would you vote in favor or

against raising the debt ceiling? landrieu: first of all disaster planning is very important. i have been a leader of disaster funding in the congress both for our recovery in the gulf coast and for help with sandy as well around the country. my opponent congressman cassidy voted against funding for his own district when isaac hit. he sided with the republican party and the republican study committee who said sorry we can't afford aid for isaac. we can't afford offsets for people to make over $1 million but not for disaster aid. i've fought hard for the state that was in the bulls-eye of disasters. i also think revenue sharing is an important thing to fight for it. i have secured it as a junior member of the energy committee.

i'm now chair of the energy committee. that funding must be protected. when did savor koizumi to build energy jobs and that is what is at stake in this election. >> moderator: would you also voted in favor or against raising the debt limit? landrieu: i voted for america to pay its bills. my opponent voted to shut the government down and i did not in there's a big difference in the record. cassidy: i've voted for hurricane sandy coverage but i didn't vote for $30 billion. what i didn't vote for her was not related to hurricane sandy money. governor cuomo ran an ad enticing other businesses states to move to new york. that is not the best use of taxpayer dollars for louisiana. the disaster relief she speaks of was not mentioned in the disaster relief bill. as we are going to speak about revenue sharing it with pete

domicci's though which bobby jindal were come on outside. i would also think carefully about that. i passed a bill in the house of representatives that would double what louisiana would receive from revenue sharing. was bipartisan from drilling on the undercurrent of shelf. in the senate would not even consider it. senator landrieu still wasn't brought up either. if she had taken my bill and pass it could have been signed into law but it turns out not her bill was considered and having protect that funding. i have said before to my constituents i will vote for in the debt ceiling deal that actually begins to address the debt ceiling problem. if it lowers their indebtedness i will vote for debt ceiling deal. if you cut out the credit card he still eat but if you're going to keep those credit cards open my gosh i'm not going to do that. >> moderator: colonel maness.

maness: let's get to the debt ceiling first-grader not going to vote to raise the debt ceiling. we are 17.5 gillian dollars in debt and that national crisis levels in both of my opponents have voted to raise the debt ceiling consistently previously. as far as disaster flamingos we should make sure disaster funding is taking care of and that is why i proposed a standing disaster fund so dollars would go immediately to victims of disaster so they wouldn't be this debating and washington nonsense like what happened with the katrina bill which had a 50 million-dollar indoor rainforest for iowa. why did the people in louisiana have to wait to get aid because of that? there is no reason anybody can justify for that waiting time. let's get the standing disaster funds together for the people of louisiana and make sure they get buried immediately. as far aas far as as protectingr coastline louisiana's coastline is the most important nation and senator landrieu the president's

policies are on the ballot and they are on your person. we talk about energy jobs a moment ago and they are hurting in energy jobs. >> moderator: tayshana with the next question. shauna gets the next question and it goes to congressman cassidy. it's hard to keep up with those two. >> nearly all louisiana residents age 65 or older receive social security to the program generates a $2.2 billion in economic output for louisiana yet year after year the social security trustees tell us that the program faces financial challenges. how would each of you protect this vital program for today's seniors and strengthen it for future generations? congressman cassidy. cassidy: my mother lives with us. she is 92 years old and we are

aware of the importance of social security. turns out the trust fund is going bankrupt. in 12 years if you are currently on social social security or benefits will decrease. her current benefits will decrease by 25 to 30%. those are for folks who are currently receiving that tip o'neill and ronald reagan 30 years ago went to those far younger and gradually increase the age of eligibility to preserve benefits for those who are on and about to be but also to strengthen the program for those coming along. ideally you do it as little as possible like someone who is not yet born. the reality is you've got to make changes someplace. we are all living longer. i'm committed to preserving benefits, social security benefits for those that are on it, those who are soon to retire and those who will see in the future. we can gradually increase aid for those far younger. senator landrieu has previously endorsed the concept and we will

post her endorsement of that on our web site. maness: social security is a very important benefit that most of us pay into and pay for expect to get that so let's talk from a principle perspective first. congressman cassidy you have voted to raise the retirement age and i worked in operational fields with votes in the field for many years. there's no way a lot of these skills can be done up until age 70 and i disagree with that. we shouldn't demand current recipients of social security should take reduced benefits. we have to protect that and that would be one of my principles. the other thing we have got going is a commerce mentioned is we have 12 years that we have got time in the folks coming into social security that are 10 years out and have their benefits protected too. what we need to go to work on his disability and social security fund. and increase dramatically the number of folks that are on disability.

it's hard to imagine which the way safety standards are today there are that many injuries on the job. we need to look really hard at that for fraud waste and abuse in that trust fund will run out of two years. >> moderator: senator landrieu. landrieu: there are 550,000 people in our state on social security and some additional arun disability. i agree with the colonel i don't think we should raise the social security age like congressman cassidy did. there are some jobs that are hard and people cannot work until 70. i think that's a very bad policies. that's one of the things that is at stake in this election. let me finish please. i also believe social security is not an entitlement. it's an earned benefit. people work hard their whole life and pay into the fund and they should be able to take it out. and madison parish african-americans life expectancy is -- years old so

when people say people are living longer, maybe people in connecticut and new york are but i plan in my state who are living longer get their health care is not very good. i'm not raising the social security age. >> moderator: i think shauna had asked follow-up. >> racing pages come up by senator landrieu and senator maness. we have questions from our viewers about your wanting to rates -- raise the issue 70. cassidy: people don't talk about it because it doesn't hurt anybody. if you pick an age of someone who is 40 now and they would become eligible at 67 and a month if they are 39 they become eligible at 67 and two months. if they are in so doing they have time to plan for their change in retirement but for those who are currently on those about to be nothing changes.

>> moderator: i think we are out of time. sorry about that. this. >> moderator: here's a question and allen i know probably everyone will want to answer it right? >> since this debate is being held in the area home of the barksdale air force base would have you done and what will you do to keep barksdale are made based and -- critical to louisiana's economy viable and enough the base closing list and let me add safe as you might feel any one day the next day you could be the target of a budget cut. landrieu: -- >> moderator: colonel maness. maness: i have helped created us air force strike command as the program requirements to establish the first budget shepherded through the approval

process and my team wrote the plan that is operating today. i have done that work on the ground and is a wing is a wing commander and installation commander of air force i have worked with congressional delegations and local governments and local committees to keep the base viable so it's appropriate to the national security of the united states. we have to constantly be working with all of the communities and all the bases in the department of defense to ensure there are viable missions and is a continuous process that requires hard work and coronation between not just the department of defense and service departments but the local governments and community leaders that want to stand for keeping their bases viable. >> moderator: senator landrieu. landrieu: is the first democratic woman appointed to the armed services committee of the united states have been a

strong supporter of our military for many years. i also served for 12 years on the military construction committee and have supported literally millions and millions of dollars in construction for barksdale and belle chase. specifically as the leader of our delegation of global strike command which is not a three-star but a four-star general at barksdale. we have protected it and that will be announced soon so it's exciting. since it was so successful we created -- that saved 5000 jobs at fort polk. our military is very important and that is why we need leadership and strength in washington to protect the spaces and the senate is not going to do it. >> moderator: dr. cassidy. cassidy: john mccain.

[inaudible] the short answer was not much. i am quoting john mccain. the debt and deficit is what is killing our defense budgets and there is something called sequester which is automatic budget cuts put in place to decrease our debt and deficit. house republicans on two occasions advance builds up within these cuts for storing money to support belle chase as well as barksdale. harry reid never took this up. now we know why. the president wants these cuts to go into place because he wants to cut the military. as long as harry reid senate majority leader these will be in nature. senator landrieu said she would elect harry reid. it shouldn't surprise us senator landrieu supports barack obama 97% of the time.

>> moderator: we are short on time. this is going to be our last question in this round augusta stephanie. >> another question on climate change this time. do you believe that climate change is real and it's a threat to low-lying areas such as south louisiana? >> think human activity contributes to it and what if any policies of the federal government used to combat climate change? senator landrieu. landrieu: i do believe our climate is changing and i do believe humans contribute however we have to be very careful about the policies that we promote. i'm a strong supporter of fossil fuels and natural gas particularly. it's a 50% cleaner burning fuel. we have had 200 years of it. america will do itself a great service and great security increase our security by

promoting more domestic energy exploration and production. i've been a strong supporter. i opened up -- in the gulf and secured expedited permits on land. i do not agree with president obama on his energy policy. a head have now served with three president six governors as well as supported some of their policies. we have to be careful about what we do but we can build a strong energy future with canada and mexico and be energy independent. >> moderator: thank you senator. dr. cassidy. cassidy: there might be climate change but we are not seeing that reflected the temperatures. we are losing our coastline but that is relative to sea level rise. that is related to our loving on our river taking sediment from restoring our coasts as well as other factors that causes the land to sink as much as water rising. in florida they continue to see

rising water relative to the beach. if you want to preserve our coastline i'm not sure climate change is the issue as much as it is getting that sediment out of the mississippi river putting it into the marshes were a can rebuild and that's what's important. i will point out the first vote is for senator harry reid. senator harry reid will never allow a no our guest gas bill to come to before the senate. she is already said that would be your first vote. maness: is evident that the wording around the globe has occurred over the last 100 years but there hasn't been anything in the last 16 years and some say even the last 19 years or even 26 years so i think we have a lot more to learn about climate of what makes a change. i know the president and senator

landrieu's policy is we need urgent action on climate change but if we don't know how the climate changes and we are not seeing any warming i think that leaves that endow. there are other priorities like eliminating isis energy independence for both of my opponents spoke about in getting our stagnant economy going again. our policies have long-term sustainable well-paying jobs to go to to pay off the student loans. >> moderator: are right we have time for just a few yes and no lightning round questions and one-word answers and we have a lot of them. we will begin with you dr. cassidy. are you in favor of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purses -- purposes yes or no? cassidy: medicinal purposes? no.

landrieu. landrieu: no back. >> moderator: as health care fundamental right? cassidy: no. landrieu: yes. >> moderator: do you favor a balanced budget amendment? >> absolutely. >> of course. >> not an amendment by the budget balance. >> moderator: this is the last one yes or no. i want wanted to rate on a scale of one to 10, two people. president obama and governor jindal. [laughter] [applause] are right cassidy. two people, president obama and governor jindal. cassidy: no. [laughter] obama is a zero. obama is going to go down as one of the worst presidents. governor jindal is taken some

tough flicks. >> moderator: maness. maness: zero and five. >> moderator: and senator? landrieu: i would give governor jindal barely a three. i worked with six governors and i would give president obama a 67. i think he has had some tough issues to deal with. >> moderator: thank you very much. it's time for us to move to closing statements as we did before we did a drawing and selected the order mullahs there were senator landrieu. we are down to a minute and a half in the closing statements because of timing. closing statement for me to canada starting with senator landrieu. landrieu: first of all i want to thank lbg and the coalition and a better louisiana for hosting us and being back at centenary. i have had the pleasure to represent the state for 18 years

in the united states senate and while president obama is not on the ballot the future of louisiana is. collecting a senator that can get the job done when it comes to energy building a middle class in our country and in louisiana supporting more domestic production, supporting the keystone pipeline, supporting the changes in the pipeline that kept 25,000 plus people with natural gas using my influence in my clout which is the people's influence and clout in louisiana. i think fighting hard for state when it comes to disaster reli relief, loan forgiveness, supporting her your university and bringing billions of dollars to the state when it was necessary. i also believe supporting our seniors not raising the retirement age to 70, keeping medicare as we know it, supporting health care for people that work and let's not repeal the law. let's improve it and i have

suggestions to do so. finally coso frustration. whatever you do in louisiana won't be worth anything if we can savor coast. the bill that i passed the sustainability efforts on our coasts are paying off. let's keep going. i ask for your vote. >> moderator: congressman cassidy. cassidy: a woman will lie awake unable to sleep. she's not sure the family can pay their bills. she is either gasoline or groceries and utilities all those bills up at a 20% increase and their health care premiums are due to the book -- affordable care act. this is not despite president obama's agenda but it's because of that agenda and agenda that senator landrieu supports 97% of the time. she represents barack obama and i represent you. for 25 years i worked in the hospital for the indentured caring for families who have had nothing or at least very little.

i set up a vaccination program to vaccinate children in school, 36,000 against hepatitis c at the school so their moms didn't have to miss work so that child had no cost. i've been serving families like that for 25 years. when you walk into the voting booth on november 4 think about that family. it might be yours. do you want senator landrieu to take barack obama's agenda? if so, vote for her. if you want someone is going to push to repeal and replace obamacare and push for energy policy to create better jobs with better benefits for that family with better wages, if you want someone who wants washington to serve you instead of you serving washington d.c. than vote for bill cassidy. >> moderator: colonel maness. maness: i would like to thank the coalition louisiana public broadcasting and the college for inviting us in the opportunity

to participate at different profits before so many louisianians don't know me. i'm the son of a air force master sergeant and at 79 listed myself. i rose to the ranks and went to high school and became an officer and aviator. i thought america's enemies in the skies over iraq and afghanistan. i have chase terrorists on secret missions in countries i can't name. i've commenced america's finest young men and women in life-and-death situations. our country honored me with a bronze star for leadership. our future is in danger from poor leadership like career politicians. if our leaders could anchor themselves more to the people they serve and be more devoted to our constitution we can put america back on track. instead of decline, we can claim an american renaissance for a century of greatness. my belief is that americans are

the last best hope sustained me throughout my years of service. i believe that our best days can still be ahead of us and our people will rise up and make their voices heard. i'm offering my service and asking for your vote to create a government that is once again worthy of the american people. i love you, i love god. god bless louisiana in these united states and thank you very much. >> moderator: thank you all for participating and thank you panelist, thank you audience. we thank you so very much. [applause] on behalf of lcb and louisiana public broadcasting th

>> coming up on the next "washington journal," june ross, copresident of national nurses united discusses the texas nurse who tested positive for ebola and calls for new standards to protect health care workers from the disease. then a look at the 2014 mid erm elections. "washington journal" is live every morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter.

create a five-seven minute documentary on the topic the three branches and you. videos need to include c-span broadcasting, and must be 2015.ted by jan january grab a camera and start today. >> now to the vermont governor's debate where all seven of the candidates articipated.

>> welcome to vermont pds' election 2014 candidate debates with all the candidates on the ballot invited to participate. tonight the candidate for governor of vermont. >> welcome to vermont pbs candidate debates, with all candidates on the ballot able to participate. tonight, the candidates for governor of vermont. here is moderator stewart ledbetter. >> good evening, and welcome to our biennial debate featuring candidates for governor of our state. news channel 5 and host of "vermont this week." we have invited all seven candidates whose names appear on the ballot to be with us today, and all seven have joined us.

in alphabetical order from left to right they are, peter diamondstone, chris ericson, dan feliciano, scott milne, bernie peters, an independent, emily peyton, an independent, and peter shumlin is the nominee of the democratic party this year. our format is straightforward. i asked the question, everyone gets a minute to respond. if needed i might ask one or more to rebut, but we will try to keep things moving. our timekeeper is sitting at my right. we will have time for a closing statement as well. questions from vermont pbs viewers, and in our studio we have high school and college students from across vermont participating. we welcome them, too. let's begin. some of you are well known to the people of our state. many of you, i daresay, are not. why do you begin by telling us a little about yourself and how you have prepared for the top political office in the and? mr. diamondstone?

>> i am a revolutionary nonviolence socialist. i'm a secessionist. i am a member of the american legion, a member of veterans for peace. i've lived in vermont from was 50 years. my spouse and i reside in brattleboro. all four of my children and most of my grandchildren live in lincoln county. a couple have moved away, but most still live at home, in the county. as a revolutionary socialist, i have to tell you that most of what we have to discuss tonight will not be relevant for me, because most of what i will be talking about is how we overturn what is destroying our society and our environment, which is capitalism.

represented, i guess, by this bottle of water on my table here. >> thank you. ms. ericson? >> when i was a child i thought vermont was the garden of eden. it was beautiful. you could drink from the streams. lake champlain was perfect and clear and beautiful. during my married years i lived in los angeles. one time i was riding the bus across los angeles, a 12 mile trip from santa monica to downtown l.a., and an old lady set next to me and said, look out the window. that used to be all wheat ields and orange groves. when my husband died and i moved back to vermont in 1995, i was determined that would not happen to vermont. and we have got to stop things. stop the f35 strike fighter jets from being based year, and stop the natural gas pipeline from being built underneath

lake champlain. thank you. >> mr. feliciano? >> i am dan feliciano. a father, a husband, a veteran. i have three children. i live here in essex, and i was determined to get into the debate because my wife and i were having a conversation. now that our son is 16, we have to think about what to do differently, because he will be leaving and never coming back. the prospects for a young person in vermont are horrible. and i thought i needed to do something about this. i have a background in health care and a background turning around and fixing large government agencies as well as arge businesses. and i felt that my skills would be applicable to turning the state around and doing things to make the state more affordable to my family, providing better health care, reducing property taxes, and providing school choice that so many young parents you're in

for. >> thank you. mr. milne? >> my name is scott milne. i'm a third-generation, born in vermont -- take that back, i was born in brooklyn, and about 90 days after i was born my dad was in law school and my mom was a new yorker. i loved vermont. i moved back to vermont in the mid-1980's to take over a small part of a family business. that business was located in hampshire. because of the gratitude i felt toward vermont because of the love i have for vermont, i chose to live on the vermont side of the border. to bring my family up in vermont. to be closer to my parents and he folks i grew up with. but what i saw over the last 30 years is a continuing difference between new hampshire and vermont. the effect of tax policies and

government on the ability of people to prosper. that has drawn me into this race, and i feel i will offer a good voice for people who choose to support me. >> mr. peters? >> my name is bernie peters. i have been married for 47 years. veteran. retired from the transportation agency. i did construction all my life. i have been watching politics for quite some time, and i'm really kind of disappointed. that's why i am running. it has got to the point where what i see, whichever party is in power is not working for the vermonter. neither party seems to realize when they say they are working for the party, they are not working for the party. they are working for the taxpayer and the voter. they are the people who are boss, not the other way around, and it is time for somebody to go back and work for the people, answer these questions, solve these problems. and all it takes is a lot of common sense and hard work from

everybody. thank you. >> ms. peyton? >> my name is emily peyton, from the lower part of the state in putney. i am an earth activist. we live in incredible times. your generation will be facing erious predicaments. i consider myself what is known as a light worker. why i'm in the race is to bring forth very exciting solutions, hopeful solutions you have to make the earth a livable place, a place for you can drive. often the solutions are not being discussed by the two-party system. that's why i'm here, to talk about economic systems that can allow us to laterally grow the economy.

and things we can do to honor the earth and live in harmony with each other and our natural world. >> thank you. finally, peter shumlin? >> i have had the privilege of serving as your governor the last four years. i was born in putney, the first governor since dean davis who was born and raised in this state. my brothers and sisters live and work in vermont. i have raised two beautiful daughters in the state. i love vermont more than anything. iran for governor because after building successful businesses in vermont, employing vermonters, i felt i wanted more students, more young people to have the same opportunity i have had in this state. every day i focus on helping to build jobs, economic opportunity, improve the quality of life, and make this a state where our kids can stay and work and thrive. we have had great successes. i'm asking you for two more years to continue the work we have begun.

>> thank you. a lot of issues in this campaign, but a couple certainly rise to the top. let's begin with health care. the state has struggled to implement the formal care act. the website tonight is off-line. there are many questions about whether we can proceed, how rapidly, to a single-payer system in base by the governor. we heard polling that vermonters are deeply divided on this. i would like you to clarify your opinions. >> i have come out strongly against single-payer. vermont health connect, which is separate, demonstrates the ineptness of the overnment. i think going to a single payer system does not drive down the price of health care.

i would propose opening up the market place to more nsurers. you will have a multitude of payers that would compete on premium for your business. i would focus on helping health care organizations, the patients and insurers, to implement a solution that would tackle the cost of health are. 75% of health care costs are from chronic illness and disease, and single-payer does nothing to address that. i'm against the single-payer system. free-market systems work best. you take your doctor, your hospital, your insurance. >> how does that sound to you? >> it won't surprise dan that we have different views on health care. as someone who wants to create jobs in vermont, i can tell you that the biggest obstacle to

income growth in vermont and job growth is the ever rising cost of health care. what universal access would do for vermont is two things. first, move from a system literally spending 20 cents on every dollar vermonters make, move to a system that reimburses for outcomes and quality of care instead of uantity of care. i want to move to a system where every vermonter is healthy because they are a resident of vermont, not because of how lucky they are r where they work. finally, a system that is affordable, universal, and publicly financed. this will help contain costs and move vermont to a more affordable state as well as create jobs.

>> thank you. mr. diamondstone? >> i support single-payer as a second line. i don't consider it a first line. the liberty union platform begins with a statement, xisting since 1978 with very little changes. it says, "the role of all governments is to provide a materially secure life for everyone on the planet, including socialized medicine, socialized health care, which is different than a single-payer." single payer is a mechanism. one thing we would do is get rid of private enterprise in the pharmaceutical business. that should be community owned. all workers providing would be on community payrolls. that's socialized medicine. competition is very, very wasteful.

in industry and business. > thank you. mr. milne, your plans for health care reform? >> first of all, i disagree with peter shumlin. unfortunately for vermonters, especially for the folks who believe this is what i would call a reckless march toward single-payer, who believed this ould be a solution for us. almost four years in, the number one priority has turned out to be his number one failure. this is a program we were sold as revitalizing our economy, create jobs, get us back on track, do all these great things for health care. almost four years into it, we have a technology system that is a disaster. we have median household income in vermont dropping 2% last year.

we have 3000 more people in poverty than the year before. if this is going to fix our economy, it clearly is not doing it. single-payer is dead. no possible way it will happen by 2017. i will tell you that now. i think peter will wait until he is governor to tell you that. >> ms. ericson? >> i will put out a statewide referendum and give voters a choice. up to 10%, say how much of your total annual income would be fair to pay as a tax for health care to pay for public health care clinics and public health care hospitals, which would be no cost when you use them because you have paid for them with your tax? just like a public school. you don't pay an extra insurance when you send your kid to school. you are to pay for it by tax. and anybody not satisfied with

the public health care clinics and hospitals paid for by taxes would buy their own insurance. but i would make certain that all insurance companies can sell their products in vermont. no more monopolies. >> thanks. ms. peyton? >> i would like to deal with the root causes of ill health. we need to look at financial stress, that there isn't enough money for people to participate in the economy, the types of ll health that causes. we also really need to create as pristine an environment as possible. we ought to ban monsanto, and understand that cleane clean-air, clean water, are why we are so healthy. those are our treasures. as far as dollars we spend in health care, some of those, they ought to go to the

healers, the doctors. we ought to look carefully where we are supporting a medical industry, a big pharmaceutical industry that really wants people to be sick. we need to make differentiations, and i believe we are to make sure anybody can go to the doctor. i don't think we should support profits of industry invested in sickness. >> thank you. mr. peters, how would you proceed with health care reform? >> i think right now we find out a lot of ideas to other states to cure our problems, and we have nothing to show for it. we spent millions, and have nothing to show for it. if you are going to of health care, who needs to be involved? your doctors, your nurses, and guess who, the patient. everyone ever think to ask the patient what they might like to go along with everything else?

as far as healthcare, we have some of the nicest schools on the east coast educating people. maybe we ought to let them do it as a school project. we could probably get good ideas from all the good schools we have in the state of vermont. >> thanks. he called you reckless, mr. shumlin. ow do you respond to that? it makes it sound as if you have been irresponsible about pushing this agenda that is so ivisive? >> vermonters i hear from would rather hear a candidate talk about what they would do as governor than call other candidates names. so i'll stay away from hat. what concerns me, the biggest threat to job growth is the rising cost of health care. if health care costs grow at the same rate of last decade, that number doubles.

that's why i'm so intent on getting this right. universal health care system where we contain costs, reduce cost for business. the rest of the world has figured out how to do this. we can, too. it takes courage to get it right. i believe we must. >> mr. milne, you have said it is dead in 2017, but is there a future in which you would say yes? >> thank you for the question. i got into this campaign, one of the promises i made was, a, i will always listen before i act, and we need to listen to what is practical versus some olitical agenda, which i would argue is what has gotten us where we are with health care. if we get through figuring out what we will do going forward, 2015 will be a year for cost benefit analysis, if the xchange does work.

five years down the road, if things look great and other states have been successful with single-payer or some sort of government run health care, i am more than happy to do it. but it will be based on facts. >> let's be honest here, right? the economy has been stagnant, pete. it has not grown. if you were so concerned about the economy growing you would start reducing health care costs. prison healthcare costs are the second highest in the country. if you want to demonstrate you could cut costs, you would have proven the inmate system would be the place to start. you have not done that. >> anybody else want a final word should we bring in our tudent audience? >> we ought to have used the money we spent on the health connect website, we are to have given it to champlain college.

because we have the intelligence here, and we are to contract within state as a ay to build our economy. >> last word? >> you can't finance this in any way other than an increase in taxes, and that has to come from decoupling from the federal income tax with all the loopholes built in it, so we can now tax the wealthy who are currently paying less than their fair share. see how much social security tax they pay for on their earnings on dividends and interest in bonds. >> final word? >> the problem was, you have no lemon law phrase in your contract. if you had a lemon law phrase and the website did not work out, you could have said, give us the money back.

>> we had some of vermont's finest high school and college students, and some have questions. the first concerns college tuition in this state. go ahead. >> colleges in vermont are not appealing to vermonters and students around the world because they are expensive. how will you lower tuition and attract students? >> start with mr. peters. >> good question. + schooling has always been very expensive in the state. it takes the biggest amount of tax dollars. something that takes a lot of tax dollars is really hard to change. it will have to be examined closely. the total answer, i cannot give it to you right now because that is a question for how long school tuition, school tax -- it is still a problem. it will take new, serious get-together from the

legislators and senators. they know what's happening. they could help cure this problem if they really wanted to. >> mr. feliciano? >> my uncle's president of a college in new york city. we had a conversation about what has taken place in academia. one of the problems we're seeing is students are not prepared when they go into college, so that adds an incredible cost burden upfront to the student going into college, to get them ready to take college courses. we need to make sure our primary education system is doing a good job of preparing our students to move into the cademic world. we need to have a different approach. you need to think differently. which classes are you going to take? which make sense to you? i went to college as an adult. i dropped out of high school, then went back to college. i started at community college,

lower cost, more amenable to what i had to do. so the choices we have to make -- of course, education is expensive -- we have to look at what is driving the costs. we will look at that. >> all right. ms. peyton, how do we lower college tuition costs? >> we can do tuition service exchanges. where we need health care professionals, we can give them the tuition. i think anyplace we are contracting for sending contracts out-of-state, we have to be training people within the state. there debt-free methods of education. then we need a system of accrediting that learning. there is a university online called the people's university hat is a debt-free system.

along with that and increasing food independence by giving people your age land to make us food secure. we need to do these things, and e can. i wish i had longer to tell you ll the things we can do. >> i think the state of vermont gives something like $44 million a year to the university of vermont. that is an outrage. university of vermont is a private for-profit college, and they raise the tuition every year because they did greedier and greedier. the state of vermont should not be giving one penny to a private for-profit college. the money should go to the state colleges. for that $44 million a year we could have free online college courses.

>> mr. shumlin? >> this is one of the great challenges vermonters are facing, the affordability of college. with all the money we spend on education, we have not moved the needle one bit in terms of moving first generation students beyond high school. you cannot succeed if you don't move past high school. the first thing i have done, early college dual enrollment, which allows any high school student in vermont to get one year of free college in the state while they are in high school, taking college accredited courses in high school or in one of our nine participating colleges. we have made it possible through my vermont scholars program, if you stay in vermont and work for five years, we will pay for an entire year of college tuition if you do it in a field where we need you, or an entire semester for an ssociate degree.

in a sta with one of the lowest in employment rates in america, our employers need trained workers. this is the key to get there. more vermont students moving beyond high school. i am proud of the progress we are making. >> mr. milne, how does that sound to you? >> sounds like the same old story of trust me and elect me, and i will do something different. nobody has been able to take advantage of the two years of free college peter has been talking about on the campaign trail. the fact that vermont is 49, maybe 50 in the country in -- i think that if you look at the children, the young people in the audience, my father was able to work as a bus

boy and pay cars at night and he came at a school with no debt. i was able to pay for most of my own college. now we see kids coming out of college with massive debt. we need to lower the cost. we need to be able to be more general is with people who want to go to vermont colleges. paying to go to school begins with an absurdity. if you accepted, you have accepted the absurd. we should be paying people to go to school. every economist, from the far left to the far right agrees that the level of education is part of its wealth. someone goes to school and learns, they should be paid. what do you call someone who

theiroom and board for work? slaves. fully half, is ripped off from them by the capitalists who are owned the industry. we start with a rip off systemic and every part of our society that has to be correct that. not just the education part. people should be paid to go to school. any idea how much it would cost? >> it does not matter. to a system that is socialist in the economy, people have money to spend because they have not been rip off. we are capitalists, as you know. >> you are watching gubernatorial television. we have all seven candidates here in the studio and college

and high school students in our audience. our next question lays off those themes and concerns the economy and wages that have proven stagnant for the last five years or six years. we hear that unemployment and vermont is lower than many states, but it has started to climb up and to the census bureau tells us that so has the number of our citizens living in poverty. what would you do to improve the wages in the state? >> one of the first things that we need to do is change the town governor'sp in the office. i believe vermont has strengthened its reputation as not being a business-friendly state over the last four years. there are many examples i can

site. thatesses will realize dollars open, and let's give vermont to try with the scott millman administration. we need to do tax incentives to stimulate business. to move forward with the robust revitalization of our economy. >> first, i want to correct the facts. refute.e difficult to we have the lowest unemployment rates. ton i go out and talk employers, which i do all the time, they tell me we need more trained workers. -- thisto grow jobs,

recovery has been spotty. americans have not seen that the type of growth that we wish. we have more work to do. state edge of, i have now done it four times. we have increased the number of -- poorly paved roads. we cut that in half. workforce retraining. we're succeeding in moving more folks into a prosperous future if we get them beyond high schools. finally, health care. nothing to those jobs than the ever increasing rate of health care. >> how would you improve wages and the state?

i would start by overhauling so that people could get paid a fair wage. pharmaceutical is a good place to start. good place to start. but to continue to talk about adding jobs even at a higher level is part of a rip off. it's as make more money so the capitalists can take more money from you. it does not say make more so you can keep it. to completely convert to a socialist system of manufacturing, production, and distribution. including in health care. miss payton, how do you

improve wages and the state? >> i was thrilled when the occupied movement happen. i thought finally, everybody got it. problematicnks are for our company. they are waging economic war against us. the answers come in how can we create a monetary system so that the economy starts from the ground. investing in micro-business. making sure we're contracting within the state. to have a vermont branding, where our brand is that the quality of our craftsmanship is as high as swiss and german standards. last. that are made to we can circulate money from the ground up. trickle down economics do not work. to latter lies our economy.

i will leave my website up so you can learn more. because vermont is not business friendly, businesses cannot afford to pay wages that they would like to. students need to know why. vermont is not business-friendly and federalstate government are passing laws saying that administrative officials may make rules and regulations. federal government, u.s. congress, and state legislature are passing laws that are like blank homework papers. it is the equivalent of letting the janitor fell them in. they say administrative officials who are not officials -- administrators who are not officials can make rules. byy get wind and dined lobbyists, but that is not reported because they are not elected officials or candidates.

>> the economy is not very good in the state of vermont. you have got to make business come to you. have all of these rules and regulations where it takes 10 years to set a business up. ,f a business wants to set up that when a higher people, they want to get into business. if you have to go through a process that takes all of these years, they're not going to come. we're like roadkill on the interstate. we are spending thousands of dollars to educate our young people. everybody loves gets the benefit of the money we invested in our young people. that is bad when the money you put to educate your kids goes somewhere else. there are waiting because we do not want to tell-up and do what we are supposed to. governor just said, we

have expensive health care. with high taxes. education costs are on your watch. if we cut spending, we can reduce tax, that will give businesses an incentive to grow. we need to ease some of the agislation which creates spike where businesses cannot grow. with high taxes preventing growth. 250 which prevents expansion in the local area. if we focus in on cutting spending, reducing health-care costs, and producing a more createenvironment will an incentive for businesses to grow, and more opportunities. i am not sure if it is a salary

issue, but i think it is more of a spending issue. once we cut costs, which i am promising to do, we will have a growing economy again. like to bring some of our e-mail questions that viewers have submitted the seating. there is one about climate change. scientists have warned that carbon emissions from burning --sil fuels

>> it is not the sharpest tool in the drawer. i think we should look at everything we can do to look at climate change. as governor, i will continue to be a leader in this area. but no divestment. my view is that it is not the sharpest tool we can use. as you know it is not a simple responsibility. i have it as governor. we need to get the highest return we can on engine plants. there is a reason it is not as simple as it looks, but i will look at it.

>> one good reason to have fossil fuels is to hedge our on renewable energy programs that lead to a industrial -- wind turbines across vermont and other things. the job of governors is to make choices. there is no need to look at the investing from those stocks right now. there are bigger problems. >> we need to do everything accountsto ensure our are generating revenue. right now, our retirement systems are $3 billion out of -- actuarial balance. we cannot afford to further increase that rate. i do not support that the vest to chair from fossil fuel.

back to spending, we have spent $600 million in subsidies for renewable energy. energy sources are only producing 2% at most of energy sources. we are spending money on the normal stuff that is not renewing anything -- doing anything for us. that is not the best portfolio will need to pay back the retirement funds that are $3 billion in debt. i can definitely say those numbers are correct about subsidies. i have been educating about agricultural hemp, about ofdings that use a quarter the funeral. that is a hopeful way of dealing with the climate change. i think we should divest. we have been sending our young people to war for oil. we have the technology to get off battle.

we have enough hydro in vermont if we'll reclaimed it. it would give us enough power. my household, my partner just put in air-to-air heat exchangers. we're off of oil. we need to get off oil, look at solar roadways, we need to make our earth a priority. our relationship with a earth is how we're going to thrive in the future. i know we can do it. think we should divest all capital investments and open a state bank so that all investments of pension funds, which i understand where close to one billion behind in that to many can use that money invest in vermont. we do not need to invest in big

corporations to make money. to invest in vermont. the other thing is, capitalism not only rips off workers, but it lets off the planet. you are aware of fracking, and so on. those things are destroying our planet. we're missing in our own home. , now.as to stop that means getting away from competition, which is wasteful. there is always a loser. there is always a bankruptcy. >> thank you very much. please.ted question >> do you think the states should divest their investment in fossil fuel companies? >> no. i know that they are hoping to use it to get money to have

something to live on for retirement. as far as climate change, we lost a mountaintop subregion of green energy. then they took the energy credits and sold them to somebody who still pollutes. everybody made money, except the weight-baylor. hydro is the cheapest right now. they talk about climate change, they act like the average person is to blame. corporations are doing a lot of damage. look at the air. look at our military. look at how much the military uses in fossil fuels. rightis climate change, there. >> various pension funds have been in the news in the past couple years, particularly with cities. if i'm elected governor, i will do a complete forensic examination of the pension funds

to sue if there has been any fraud going on. it is something you cannot ignore. we havete change, fighter jets based in vermont. when they are flying, they give out nanoparticles of aluminum. that affects the climate. >> thank you. we're bringing in another student. ae interest, you have question about drug problem. the existingnk penalties are doing enough about drugs? if not, what do you propose? >> i think it is very important that we look at our pharmaceutical and prescription ductus is. we are overprescribing opiates.

95% of the prescription practices to only 25 percent of the population. we should reduce how many opiates our dock those are prescribing. we should replace them with other methods that are used , includingworld marijuana for pain. i know many people who have become hooked on heroin through oxycontin that has been described. we need to bring back our prescription practices and begin to look at hypnosis, meditation, marijuana, different methods of dealing with pain for starters. thank you. >> thank you. message then, how do you feel? the candidate for attorney general for the liberty union party, posted two days ago that

you are shamblin was given money -- snowblowerlue and that could have been used to build a new drug facility. did you do that? ex is it my turn yours? >> i am done. >> you have a lot of young kids. if you do not buy good amount, or you do something wrong, you can be held liable. we have drug dealers coming into the state and they are doing drugs to young kids. if you were in them at 13 years old, that will never be a productive citizen. yet take a drug dealer, and when you get him, you come down hard. you let it be known that if you come to vermont and you let god, you do the time. we need judges and district

attorneys. make it that they are so scared that the that will and part of your problem right there. >> i tend to go along with what emily said, while i think it is in the correct direction. it is not enough. i have a socialist libertarian view of this. on the socialist side, i say all drugs, whether it be kind to a man or heroin -- whether it be or heroin or whatever. you will notice that there was no heroin in the country when the taliban was here. if you use your head, you'll see why it is that those drugs get into this country. everybody ought to be able to

take that they want and to get it from a government service and pay cost. because, if the government taxes it, that will leave a gap in canh private enterprise enter. the one thing we want to eliminate -- >> thanks. this is the one area that can area ofestroy vermont's life. heroin and opium addiction. focusing on family this challenge. we're not doing enough. teams toassed and all make it tougher for drug dealers to put this prison in our state. if they get arrested, there to do time. second, we have a law enforcement challenge. were saying, that is not fair. theeed to deal with it like

health-care crisis it is. vermont is leading the way in dealing with opium addiction by saying we are going to close the road. if you want to be a treatment center you can go to. will removeested, you out of denial and into recovery. this plan,you follow will move you back into a productive member of society. finally, we need prevention. we need to come together to figure out how to redo it with us on every street, every corner. we're going to make great progress. >> mr. feliciano. -- a lot ofrnor pain toa lot of people look up the governor. i think it is a good approach. i would not do anything

differently right now. i am hopefully optimistic that the results will prove to be effective. i would not change it. see what theto outcomes are. i know it is hard to say i agree with him, but on this one case, i do. >> i think it is also something that i applaud peter four. we could monday morning quarterback some of the nuances, but we need to follow the data and see what is going on. i do not think it is all a law enforcement issue. i do hear that people are moving to heroin from other drugs. an economy that is creating great jobs for young people, a friend about education that keeps people engaged, and if we can get back to some of the more moderate ways of to the

group vermont living, that would be a good and a blur. opiates are a big problem facing the department for children and families. there was a deaths of two young vermonters early in the air. lots of ideas for reforming the agency. is the best idea you if it's a far, mr. feliciano? i am not sure if i have a good idea yet. wholed to reorganize the structure so that the kids are getting these services. we need to protect children and our future vermonters. i have a special needs daughter. me. is very close to i want to make sure kids are getting appropriate treatment, their families are treating them well, and we need to figure out by putting more people on the streets, more officials on the

streets, and less in the statehouse to focus on the problem and make sure that when we find a potential case where children are being held -- harmed, that we intervene appropriately and take right action. that is the appropriate place to take action. when organizations are that many people are managing cases and ensuring that children are being protected. >> have you heard any good ideas? >> i have an excellent one. we increase community involvement with families in poverty. moneyd to circulate more so that we do not have such poverty are only half of a living wage. we can engage the community and mentorship. this is important for people in recovery who are coming out of

the criminal justice system. people need to make new choices when they are making up bad choices. in order to make new choices, they have to be around people who make the choices so they can understand how it is to make good choices. when we create a mentoring , then, and couple people we can gauge the community and bartering or renumeration for that service. you feel about reforming the department of children and families? best idea i came up with, and i do not want to make money out of a dire situation, but i believe that it the agency of human services is the biggest chunk of the state general fund.

it needs a full-time governor picking aing to be man or woman to run that agency debt that will have a close working relationship with and really pay attention to details. we have all kinds of problems in the headlines all bedtime from the agency of human services. i attributed to a governor who is out of the state 25% of the time. he has not been paying attention to business. >> being governor is an extraordinarily tough job. one of the toughest things i have to do is governor is talk to the folks whose children were lost to these tragedies. we can debate whether it is order to be a drug addict, be the parent of a child who is a drug addict.

no matter which tragedy, when these things happen or when adults do things to kids, it is almost always as a result of addiction. as workersreased working with each family. we have more caseworkers on the ground. child can be reunified with their family without the sign-off of a supervisor. here is the point. these are the most difficult challenges imaginable. the last stop on the train. we've got to do better to kids withrmont's opiate addictions, heroin addictions, other addictions. it is a challenge but i am committed to doing better. more staff, better communication, more transparency, better service to vermonters.

>> appearance of families who have lost children, is sad. of children iss also being broken. euros ago, 30 adults were arrested. the photographs were put around town. store owners put up signs saying "not in our town." hadle who were arrested and their names plastered around, they were pre-trial detainees. not convict did. think of the children said. were broken. now, springs of-vermont, you walked downtown and store after store is closed. go to the plaza, radioshack is out of business. friendly boss is out of business. when you humiliate and to remain a town, that does not help. we have an up session with

violence. killing all over the world. we are bombing people whenever we feel like it. injured inwho are our battlefield are the dead and injured in our battlefields, whether they are adults or otherwise. i use that expression, i do not think we should let anybody into the military is under the age of 26 years old. that should be the dividing line. it affects both the environmental issue, went to the top. tank ones to run a mile. we have to stop the military. zero military budget. stop the bases. close the factories that build the equipment.

off to the zionist regime so it can defend itself against the gigantic gaza military. about question was reforming the department of children and family services. >> more personnel. do we need more personnel or do we need more training for the ones we have. what should we be aware of? cases,y, a lot of the people who went there and listen to them knew it was wrong, but their hands were so tired that could not do anything at that particular moment, which would've probably saved someone's life. the person who committed this probably should not of been around children. if they have a criminal record that bad, something bad is going

to happen. the people check on them should not have their hands tied. they should be able to call the police or do something immediately. i think that probably would've saved a few people. >> and reminder that you are watching the gubernatorial debate. next week, candidates for lieutenant governor. in two weeks, candidates running for the u.s. house of representatives. we invite you to join us each thursday night this month. we have in our studio has grown and college students, some of whom have questions for our candidates. , anoday's economy alternative to food stamps have been created. electronic benefits transfer cards. the legitimacy has been questioned. what do you think would make them be more effective?

where should vermont look for other options? governor,ve, if i was if people are working, people are paying out of social security to support people who do not want to work, that to you should not be able to buy or lotterybacco, tickets from what is giving to you from what you're supposed to be using to take care of yourself and your family. if someone is working to support themselves, you should not be able to learn more if you are not working. if you're not earning your money, and someone else's earning a salary, you should not have all of the good things, and they should not be going without. need,each according to

from each according to liabilities. that should be the catchword, the watchword of what we do. months,do it with 1000 you can do it anywhere you want. it will need to make sure that everybody has the minimum standard they need for shelter, clothing, education. when i first went to college, it cost me $10 per semester. when i came back from the army, i had to pay $10 per point. roy, was i angry. we need to understand that education is part of the essentials of life, along with clothing and shelter. to use that,able when we should be able to make adjustments. we need to tax the people at the top to pay for it. they do not pay their fair share of taxes. let's make them pay their fair

share in vermont. if that does not work, we should secede and do it that way. >> i would like to germinate an idea. accountingmply an system. right now, it is a system rigged by the wealthy. welfare system is keeping people in a state of helplessness by suggesting they are so helpless. i want to see an exchange. giving people welfare dollars, they need to be giving back in some way. and we need a livable wage. not just a minimum wage. havingh people not enough money to pay their heat and car. most of our problems are caused by an first poverty of too little of an income. that is all i have time for.

for people who need food stamps were families and individuals, they get so little they are not able to afford enough vegetables and fruits. problem. low income people are overweight and obese, many of them, and it cost taxpayers more because there are more muscular and doctor visits and diabetes and childhood diabetes because the cost of vegetables and fruits so need foodpeople who stamps cannot afford vegetables and fruits. so if they take a couple of the food stamp dollars to buy a lottery to get, maybe what they want to do is win the lottery so they can afford foods and vegetables. would like to separate this into two issues. there are people who, for one

reason or another, cannot work. we're not going to throw vermonters out on the street. we want them to live a decent of theirt is no fault own. i think there is some abuse in the system. what we need to do is create more jobs. if we cuting back to, spending, every letter of property taxes, if we do a better job in our school systems, inc. who have opportunities to grow and learn. opportunities to earn. that is what we need to do. >> thank you. the societyhat needs to take care of people who are least able to take care of themselves. the elderly, the young, those are need help for a short time and i arrives. lot of bigre a

problems in vermont as we look into the next millennium. $100 billion deficit. we need to resurrect a working system with an economy that is in the take. is that theding food stamps and the electronic funds transfer system is federally regulated. my priority list would be to about the federal issue. we do not want to lose track of taking care of those who need help. >> let me talk about what we have done. we have taken the card and made it possible for vermonters to buy food at to farmers markets in vermont. good, wholesome, grown by local farmers. getting food grown locally by farmers into the cards.

want to leave anyone behind. when i became governor, who are the only state you could stay on welfare, on assistance, for more than five years. my job is to make sure we're moving people from assistance to work. we put an end to that. we got rid of the five year requirement. we are training vermonters through work throughout labor department. despite the dam-and-glimmers, vermonters have jobs. whom and glimmers -- doom and gloomers. i have made it possible for the card to be used in farmers markets. it is a process that will service while going forward. dexia mentioned the hundred million dollar budget gap, we

don't know exactly where the number is going to be yet, but this is a question for everyone. if you are in the governor's accept anyd you revenue increase when would it all be spending cuts? >> thank you. is a little bit backwards. how did we get into the situation? four years of the rate of governor,ed by our about three times the rate of the growth of revenue. we have a governor who brags that he is not raise the income tax, has not raise the sales tax, yet behind the curtain there are all kinds of gimmicks going on. there is a continuing cost shift from other tax sources to property taxes. that is what has created the crisis of affordability that we need to figure out.

i do not see big spending cuts as a solution. we need to manage government intelligently and get back on track. there are some opportunities to be smart with our spending money. that i haved to say managed for consecutive deficit budgets without raising taxes on working vermonters. about to do another. the interesting thing about my opponent is he will never tell you how he was going to do it. he will just complain about what we have done. listen, i am proud of what we have done. picked priorities that were important. we passed the two biggest transportation budgets in the state. we drastically reduced in adequate roads, inadequate bridges. from 22% to 12% of our bridges.

i have invested in property tax reduction by dedicating more of the cell stacks to the education fund. pensionsecured our programs going forward by working with teachers to reduce long-term obligations. we have the best bond rating. aaa. the fiscal management we are employing. i am proud of bringing my business schools to state thernment to help manage ability of vermonters to pay. and that has helped to grow jobs. >> higher taxes. we have that available, as you know. onial security is not paid gambling from stock market. 13% of the resin come is free from that. dividend income.

bond income and interest income is free from that. let's tax it in vermont. if the feds do not want to do that, that is the problem. the republicans and democrats can get together on so many things. all of them are together on sending weapons all over the , including to the zionist -- rnment may i add another emily -- element? to look at our banking system. question, we have

a public and private element. in banking, where i was benefiting wall street up. we can take the benefit of our taxes and put it in a public bank, so that when we lend out to the value goes back to our treasury. right now, we are supporting the time sense. it is important to stop environmentally degrading. if we have a public one is a can circulate more money. we won't need as many of our government agencies. poverty was the reason we have so many governmental agencies. all, let us make marijuana legal and tax it. secondly, put back the rest areas on the highway that our current governor we named -- removed. heads up, peter, one people were

for the state department of transportation, interstate 89, you can go 74 miles without a restroom. he toldwith diabetes, anhe has the right to reasonable accommodation. he needs to go to the bathroom once an hour, but he cannot for 74 those no restroom miles and he works with the state department of transportation. peter, you're going to face a big class-action lawsuit for closing down the rest areas and denying your own employees in the right to go to the death room. you are on civilized. -- you are uncivilized. aoks i think it is combination of things. when i worked for the department

of transportation, usually you have a budget. unless they changed it, if you do not spend all your money you did not get back. they cut you. incentiveld be programs for any agency has zones money. that, i think the current fee is now, not taxes. i have paid a lot of fees lately. thing, we have all kinds of skiing, all kinds of snow machines, and where do people go in vermont? they go out of town to gamble. we can have that in vermont. you got your skewers, you've got everybody happy. most of all, the taxpayers because of taxes on that growing up. >> we definitely have to cut spending. our taxes are too high. our business environment is not as friendly as the governor would leave you to believe.

economy is not growing. that does not bode well for the young people. we need to cut from montel's connect. we need to cut and efficiency vermont. they are not doing much for vermont. i have had them to my property, they don't do much. we need it to stop this ridiculous single-payer that is only going to drive up cost and increase the cost of doing business in vermont. we need to create a more business-friendly environment. quickly, do you have a liability here with our lack of restroom facilities? have actually been adding facilities. i cut the ribbon on one recently. there is a new and coming into the state. we're trying to add one in randolph.

>> you live. you took them out. >> i can show that have been no restrooms taken away. not have a whole lot of time, but this next question will be 32nd answers. if you are elected governor, and you could, under cover of darkness sneak a law through the legislator that you would love to get past, which wouldn't be? it be?h would >> none for me. that is the beginning of fascism. darkness ised under the beginning of fascism. every transaction carried on by withovernment should be light. >> i would guess the repeal of

one that was passed last january. the lakeshore protection act. that is the biggest land grab by the state. it is a land grab. act 48. we need to stop the single-payer tax scheme. needed to focus our energy on growing the economy and not putting a boondoggle in place. we have no chance of implementing a single-pentax system. we do not have the skills to implement it as demonstrated by the poor implementation of vermont health connect. >> i like to make sure that every debate for public office includes every candidate. i have been running for three elections as an independent,

run oneess have never article about my platform so that you know what i have to offer. i think it is important to reform government so we have a level playing field at it elections. no motor boats on lake champlain. draw theirf us drinking water from that. lead is in our drinking water. secondly, no natural gas pipeline under the lake champlain. children can get killed swimming in lake champlain. number three, no more sewage in lake champlain. >> i would try to sneak in a

line item and go for the governor. >> sounds like a great idea. >> did everybody get a shot? we're running short on time. we have seven candidates that we need to move along to closing his statements. will begin with you. lastis is probably the time that i am going to be running, but i will leave my website up for anyone who wants to see the solutions i put up there. i want to our people to think about what is more important to you. if you can have all the money in the world, at one of few could have all of the love in the world? which has more value? money to avated godlike status.

it is just an accounting system. i urge the people of vermont to make your decision to improve the quality of loving in your life. and sisterhood, because it is the quality of the love in the community that gives a spiritual wealth. we are very spiritually wanting in this country. peace can be managed just as well can be managed with the appropriate monetary policy. we can grow and thrive. >> i want to touch on two things. [indiscernible] to a candidatego forum unless all of the other candidates were invited. from 1980 one. more and that he said, i will not come because

you did not invite everybody else. i think this is what we should do on every incumbent. do not go unless everyone is invited. secondly, violence. violence to brokers. violence to the planet. violence that we do to everybody all over the world. we need to stop sending -- spending out of resources on that and reallocated to the better of the lannett and the benefit of everybody living on this planet, because everybody is entitled to live. we need to make sure that everybody -- crux if you have of the army, i will do everything i can to get from the jets alone largest populated area of vermont. they are capable of carrying

nuclear bombs. they are not saved to be used in a large population citizen area. if one job to crashes in lake that would permanently destroy the drinking water for one third of the state. i will do everything i can to prevent a natural gas pipeline from being built underneath lake champlain. natural gas pipelines in the news for boasts, and explosions. this has got to stop. vote for me. and feliciano, libertarian. >> i am a husband, father, i have a lot of skin in the game. i went vermont to be more prosperous. i am disappointed at our government claiming all of these victories when the numbers do justified.

the governor keeps talking about the numbers and when you challenge him, he says let's not quibble about us. i am also disappointed that they republican standing next to me was not put forth a platform or plan. i am running because i think they need to have the single-pentax system and cut costs. my background is in cutting spending and improving efficiencies in local and state governments as well as private inch -- industry. we need to cut property tax. we need to move out school chores so younger families can generate more hub for their children. if you want someone who is going to make sure that vermont can't continue to grow, be more prosperous, and challenge the status quo by making bold statements and challenges, i am your candidate. i am asking for your vote on

november 4. candidate who is as grass-roots as you can get. i do not have business or corporations behind me. one from out of state is behind me. i am a vermonter running for a vermont office for the vermont people. when you get money from out-of-state, how can you say that you are a vermont candidate? an out-of-state candidate, because you have non-vermont money behind you. it should be so much money for each one, and when it is gone it is gone. i believe i am the right candidate. it is time to get a person with common sense. >> it has been a huge privilege to serve as a governor for the past four years.

i am asking for live vote for two more years. our great progress has been outlined tonight. we'll have more work to do. i ran for governor because i love the state more than anywhere else and i want to make the state a place where more young people can succeed, where we can grow jobs and have more opportunity and preserve unaware of life. when we wake up on the seventh, one of us will be governor. who your leader he is makes a huge difference for lamont. i am asking for live vote so we can continue the good work and we have more work to do. youre you will give me support. thank you for this privilege. >> our final closing statement. thank you, fellow candidates. i want to thank everybody for what i think has been a good, traditional vermont campaign. we're talking about issues and

positive things. and shout out to the audience, it is great to see young people engaged. i have been engaged in politics since i was very then. i want to give a shout out to my mother, who died about one half months ago. my mother ran for state legislature for the first time in orange county. she was handicapped, and underdog, they did not think she is going to get elected. the foundation of her legislative career and her life "i am just naive enough to believe i can make a difference to mom run that race. she did make a difference. herei went to ask everyone is to join me. being naive to believe you can make a difference. decide who you want to support. , and go vote.

>> thanks to all of you for being with us tonight. that concludes our program. us heree you to join next thursday night with a governance for lieutenant governor. that will be on the yard and :00. the following week, the candidates for the u.s. house of representatives. night, a weekly reporter roundtable starting at 7:30. here,then, from all of us we thank you and good night. campaign 2014 is bringing you more than 100 debates for the control of congress. stay in touch with our coverage and engage. follow us on twitter and like us at facebook.com/c-span. >>