In the one-hour debate Friday night, the two main candidates for Wisconsin governor discuss jobs, taxes, education, health care, high speed rail, and the nearly $3 billion state deficit. Republican Scott Walker wants to waive corporate income taxes for the first two years an out-of-state company sets up shop in Wisconsin, something Democrat Tom Barrett opposes. “That is going to be an outright assault on education, on health care, on property taxes.”
Barrett says his plan would focus on giving tax credits for job creation. Walker says his plan would create 250,000 jobs, and he’d kick start it on his first day in office by declaring an economic emergency and bringing in the legislature for a special session. Barrett claims Walker’s plan would decimate education in the state, but Walker says he wouldn’t put his or anyone else’s kids at risk. “Obviously I think it’s ridiculous to think that someone who has two kids in public schools right now is going to do something to harm kids in public schools. That’s just ridiculous.”
In the third and final gubernatorial debate before Tuesday’s general election, questions were asked by citizens from Madison, La Crosse and Wausau — some of whom wondered whether two candidates from Milwaukee would really care about the rest of the state. Recent polls show Walker ahead of Barrett among likely voters.