Candidates outline views on a tax cut

What follows are excerpts from yesterday's Democratic gubernatorial debate on WGBH -TV 's Greater Boston program with host Emily Rooney and candidates Christopher F. Gabrieli, Deval L. Patrick, and Thomas F. Reilly.

ROONEY: Tom Reilly, you're the only one who favors an immediate rollback of the taxes to 5 percent as the voters said they wanted several years ago. You also have said you want to give more back to the cities and towns in terms of local aid, so that people can lower their property taxes. Isn't there a dichotomy there? Why not do one or the other? . . . Why not take one stand?

REILLY: We can do both. The next governor is, even after rolling back the tax rate --which, the people have very clearly said that's where they want the rate set, to 5.0 -- the next governor will still have at least $500 million in extra, additional revenue that the current governor doesn't have. I would --

ROONEY: But what difference is it going to make to the ordinary guy? Is it going to be 100 bucks --

REILLY: First of all, it's more than that.

ROONEY: Wouldn't they be more happy to say, `Hey, my property tax bill went down,' which, basically, only a fraction of 1 percent of anybody can say in any given year?

REILLY: That is a decision that they should make, particularly now, when they are getting hit from every direction, at the gasoline pump, utility, auto insurance bills. That's $200 that's in people's pockets. That's their decision as to how to spend that money. . . .

ROONEY: Do either of you disagree that you can do both?

PATRICK: I think it's not possible. I've tried this math. I'd like to, but, look, the tax to cut, in my view, is the property tax. It's a regressive tax. It's an inefficient way to raise money --

ROONEY: But that's done town by town.

PATRICK: But the way to do that, you cannot reduce the property tax unless you give cities and towns more local aid. You cannot provide local aid and at the same time, at least at the levels we need, and at the same time roll the income tax back. So I believe we should postpone that income tax rollback. . . .

ROONEY: OK.

GABRIELI: I think there's a responsible path to getting to 5.0, something that would provide relief to 5 percent of the income tax, would provide relief to middle-class families and follow the will of the voters. We can't do it all in one step. Even Mitt Romney doesn't think so. We've got a couple people in this race who think it's a good year to --

ROONEY: We're at the end of this. I just want to quickly go around, starting with Tom. Just on a personal quality you think that you have that's appealing that these two don't.

REILLY: First of all, I think they have tremendous qualities. I admire what Deval has done with his life from the South Side of Chicago, and Chris has been very successful. I think what I have that they don't have is the experience. I've done it. I have a proven record of getting things done, and, all due respect to them, I don't believe they can match that record. And I have a vision for Massachusetts that focuses on things that matter in people's lives. And I think the people of this state know I've been on their side for the last 10 years, and I'll match my record to where either of them have been for the last 10 years.

ROONEY: I'm looking for a personal quality. Got one, Chris?

GABRIELI: Yeah. Got tenacious commitment to results. Sticking with things. Starting off on this afterschool issue six years ago. Today, just a couple of weekends ago, announcing with Mayor Menino eight more million dollars for the kids of Boston. Getting the law actually changed in our state so that schools can actually run longer, two hours a day, in seven districts this fall. A commitment to not just talking about issues, but doing something about it and getting those results. And I think that's what people want in government. . . .

ROONEY: OK. Deval.

PATRICK: Well, I honor their accomplishments, as well, each of them, and as individuals. I think my quality is, that's different, is that I have the ability to hope for the best and work for it. And it's on account of that, and something I learned from my grandmother, as a matter of fact. I've had leadership experience in government, in business, in not- for- profits, in community work. And there isn't anybody in this race, Democrat or Republican, who has that range of leadership experience.