Democrats clash over taxes, crime, education

The three Democratic candidates for governor picked apart one another's positions on taxes, education, and crime in a robust debate last night, but avoided the rancor that dominated a similar face-off last week.

In their final appearance together before Tuesday's primary, Deval L. Patrick, Christopher F. Gabrieli, and Thomas F. Reilly offered primary voters strongly differing visions of how to roll back the state income tax and bickered over the value of charter schools and whether their campaign had taken an unecessarily harsh turn.

Patrick, who has taken a lead in recent polls, appeared at times defensive and off balance. His two rivals targeted him in the debate, suggesting he was vague in his proposals. Gabrieli asked Patrick at one point: ``You have been in the race a year and a half; got any specifics?"

The only personal barbs came when Patrick asked about his two rivals' character, saying Reilly and Gabrieli had been waging a ``nasty and negative" campaign in recent days. Patrick charged that Reilly and Gabrieli, in last week's debate and in recent days, have crossed ``over that line," referring to an early agreement among Democrats to conduct a civil campaign.

``And I just wonder what that says about your character and your leadership," Patrick asked.

Gabrieli in particular has aired ads and leveled tough rhetoric against Patrick, pointing to Patrick's opposition to an income tax rollback and his support of in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants.

``I do find it ironic to say . . . we shouldn't be catty," Gabrieli told Patrick. ``You know we have both been spending millions this summer. You've been spending it on a summer home, and I've spending it on something I care deeply about; that's fighting for Massachusetts."

Gabrieli was referring to the multimillion dollar summer estate that Patrick has built in the Berkshire town of Richmond. He has taken out a $4 million loan on the 77-acre lot to build the house, along with a carriage house and a pool.

``I don't think people who live in glass mansions should throw stones," said Gabrieli, himself a multimillionaire who lives in tony Louisburg Square on Beacon Hill.

``A well-rehearsed line," Patrick shot back.

``No one is picking on you," Reilly told Patrick. ``You have taken stands and positions that we disagree with. What do you think is going to happen when the Republicans get a shot at you? This is tame. We are being really nice."

Reilly also told Patrick that he had ``legitimate concerns" about his and Gabrieli's refusal to release their tax returns and ``honor the will of the voters" by rolling back the state income tax.

``Those are comparisons; those are fair questions," Reilly told Patrick. ``Just because someone is asking the question doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it."

Reilly suggested it was the first time that a major Democratic candidate has not released income tax returns. But Patrick said that Senator Edward M. Kennedy has always refused to release his tax returns.

The debate also turned contentious on the issue of the 5.3 percent state income tax rate. Reilly, using the populist rhetoric that he hopes will distinguish him from his wealthy rivals, attacked the other two over the 2000 ballot vote to roll back the income tax to 5 percent.

``Neither one of you get it," Reilly chided his rivals. ``The debate is over. The people have voted. . . . It is not up to you. . . . You just don't get what is going on in average peoples' lives."

Patrick insisted the state needs the money to restore local aid to curb property taxes and and pay for education, fix crumbling roads, and restore other spending that had been cut.

Gabrieli criticized Patrick for suggesting there could be a rollback in the future, but not providing details. Gabrieli touted his own plan, which calls for a gradual rollback of the income tax rate, which he said could lower from the current 5.3 percent to 5 percent by the end of his first term.

The Gabrieli proposal would phase in the cut, diverting 40 percent of each year's revenue growth above inflation to a tax cut.

Reilly called Gabrieli's plan bogus, saying it is unlikely that the economy will improve sufficiently to set off the triggers. ``It's one of those things," he said, ``now you see it and now you don't.

``You have to be straight with people," Reilly told Gabrieli. ``You can't kid them. . . . The plan does not roll back the income tax except when you want it to."

Patrick also used Gabrieli's income tax formula to portray him as a theorist: ``I would just say first of all that the concept of a gradual income tax rollback is right," said Patrick. ``The problem or the difference I think between your view of that and mine, Chris, is that you love the world of theory and I live in the real world."

Countered Gabrieli: ``For a guy who spent his whole life in business doing stuff, I don't know when I became the theoretician."

Reilly and Patrick also sparred over the Public Safety Act of 2006, which Reilly said would allow the purging of criminal background information known as CORI records.

Reilly said drug dealers and others would have their records cleaned under the proposal and it would allow criminals to get out of prison early.

But Patrick insisted he would not allow the proposal to become law without amendments. ``Tom, did you just hear what I said?" he said, his voice rising in exasperation after Reilly pressed on.

Gabrieli and Reilly also singled out Patrick's opposition to lifting a cap on new charter schools. But Patrick responded: ``Chris, you're wrong that I don't support charter schools. You've again overstated or understated my position. My view is . . . we need to come up with a different and better funding mechanism before we raise the cap. It's just that simple."

Still the debate had far less tension than last week's event when Reilly went on the attack, primarily against Gabrieli with accusations he had leaked confidential documents about state Representative Marie St. Fleur, the attorney general's choice as lieutenant governor, who was forced off the ticket because of her financial problems.

Last night's debate was broadcast live from CBS4 and moderated by the station's political analyst, Jon Keller. By the end of the event, each candidate's attempt to carve out a niche in the race was clear.

Reilly, the two-term attorney general and former district attorney, played up his experience in government, describing himself as a ``proven and tested leader" who at times has gone up against the political establishment, including pushing to remove William M. Bulger as president of the University of Massachusetts.

Gabrieli, who has not held public office but has been a successful venture capitalist, cited his background in business and hit his recurring theme that he ``gets results" and is far less partisan than his rivals.

Patrick, a former top Justice Department official and corporate lawyer, said his candidacy is distinguished from the others because he has broad-based experience in both the private and public sectors. He argued that as an outsider with grassroots support, he can change the entrenched political culture on Beacon Hill.

In response to a question posed by Keller, all three promised to serve out a four-year term and not explore other political options while governor.

Keller noted that two of the last three governors left office before their terms expired and that Governor Mitt Romney is traveling the country to seek support for a presidential candidacy in 2008.