Pubdate: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Randal C. Archibold Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?140 (Rockefeller Drug Laws) PATAKI JOINS CROWDED FIELD IN FIRST DEBATE Gov. George E. Pataki stood behind his record over two terms yesterday during a debate with six other candidates for governor that offered a range of solutions to New York State's ills - from cutting taxes to regulating marijuana - but little opportunity to scrutinize them. Mr. Pataki, in his first-ever debate as a candidate for governor, did not specify what he planned for a third term beyond saying, "We are not going to raise taxes next year" to close a budget deficit that may swell to up to $7 billion. The governor, a Republican, had insisted that the minor-party candidates be allowed to participate; he ended up sitting between the Right to Life and Marijuana Reform candidates. During the 90-minute forum, candidates were generally permitted to make one-minute responses. That meant each candidate had only 8 to 10 minutes of talking time, including Mr. Pataki's Democratic chief opponent, H. Carl McCall, who was limited to 10 minutes to rebut the governor's record and set out his own agenda. It also meant that with each candidate promoting his own sometimes quirky agenda, talk veered at times from substance to silliness. They discussed whether to cut taxes or raise them, what to do with the World Trade Center site, and whether a nuclear plant near New York City should be closed. But the forum also afforded obscure candidates like Thomas K. Leighton, of the Marijuana Reform Party, an opportunity to urge the state to regulate the marijuana market, and allowed Gerard J. Cronin, the Right to Life candidate and a teacher, to turn to the camera and greet his students not once but twice. Scott Jeffrey, the Libertarian candidate, even had a moment of confession when he responded to a comment by Mr. Leighton that marijuana users would not mind being taxed by the state if the drug were legalized. "Well, I am a pot smoker who does not want to pay more taxes," Mr. Jeffrey said, drawing a giggle or two from some of the candidates. Mr. Jeffrey had another, more serious moment of candor as he answered why he and the other third-party candidates were in the race, beyond sending a message. He admitted to viewers, "I'm not expecting to be elected," but urged people to vote for him anyway so his party could get the 50,000 votes needed under state law to keep its line on state ballots for the next four years. The session, sponsored by WABC-TV and The Daily News and held at the Midtown studio used by the morning show "Live With Regis and Kelly," was the first time since 1990 that a sitting governor participated in such a forum with a major party rival. Mr. Pataki has refused to debate unless all the candidates were invited, a turnabout from 1994 when he refused to debate Gov. Mario M. Cuomo because Mr. Cuomo insisted the third-party candidates be there as well. Mr. Pataki now says he will not debate Mr. McCall, the state comptroller, one on one. All the candidates, who were debating for the first time, are set to meet again on Sunday in Syracuse. Critics suggest Mr. Pataki insisted on this format to allow only the briefest of opportunities for partisan attacks, and to minimize attention on his main rivals, Mr. McCall and Tom Golisano, the self-financed billionaire and Independence candidate. The only candidate not present was Andrew M. Cuomo, who had won the Liberal Party nomination but quit his bid for the Democratic nomination a week before the Sept. 10 primary. Mr. Cuomo remains on the ballot on the Liberal line but has said he will not campaign. Although viewers did not hear Mr. Pataki articulate his plans for a third term, the governor used the word "proud" 12 times when describing what he thought of his record on issues like crime, education and transportation. He did offer views not often stated publicly. He answered yes when asked whether the state should ban smoking in public spaces and said that he would consider advocating the shutdown of the Indian Point nuclear plant 35 miles north of New York City if the evidence of its danger to public safety was credible. He promised to fight for term limits if elected for a third time. Mr. Pataki agreed that reforms were needed to address the ways state government does business, in which it is often said that "three men in a room" - the governor, the Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver - make key decisions on a budget that is chronically late. Mr. Pataki said he would support mandating conference committees to reconcile differing versions of the budget passed by the Senate and Assembly. Mr. Golisano said Mr. Bruno had shown him "the room" on a visit to Albany. "It's about 10 by 12," Mr. Golisano said. "It's got a table in it with four chairs and two windows. I said, `This is the way we run our state government?' " Mr. McCall, in turn, promised: "I'm going to seal that room so it'll never be used again. We've got to open up the process. It's dysfunctional. In fact, we've run out of adjectives to describe how bad it is." All the candidates but one, Stanley Aronowitz of the Green Party, said they would either cut taxes or avoid raising them. Mr. Aronowitz suggested wealthy people should be taxed more. "My plan would say tax those who are most able to pay and tax fairly and spend wisely so we meet the needs of our people," he said. "Unless we have new taxes, there's absolutely no way we're going to close the budget gap." To ease the tax burden, Mr. Leighton suggested the state allow farmers to grow hemp for industrial purposes. "This would not only save the family farm and preserve valuable farmland for the future, but it will also provide raw materials to revitalize manufacturing industries in clothing, textiles, paper products," he said. "And these new industries would affect the economies very directly. It would also help the garment workers down in New York City." Mr. Aronowitz was also one of two candidates - the other being Mr. Leighton - - who supported reinstating a commuter tax that until its repeal in 1999 imposed an assessment on people who worked in New York City but lived in the suburbs. All the candidates said they would prefer not to raise subway and bus fares but none would rule it out. Mr. Pataki said he would work to increase revenue by attracting more riders and supporting the proposed merger of Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road. Regarding the trade center site, most of the candidates said a combination of a memorial with new commercial or residential space would be appropriate. But Mr. Leighton said he believed the whole site "should be a totally open green space with a suitable memorial in the center," while Mr. Jeffrey said, "What would I know about that?" Mr. Pataki noted that Mr. McCall had originally insisted all the candidates be present and went on to say, "I think allowing this free discussion, allowing this open involvement by everyone who the voters have the option to vote for on Nov. 5 is the appropriate course to take." Mr. McCall said that a debate with all the candidates should be supplemented with one "where we have the candidates who have the most likely opportunity to get elected." He added, "And I think that kind of debate would be a little more instructive and a little more helpful to the public." - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D