Update/Wrap-Up | 10:05 a.m. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes began what was billed as a gubernatorial candidate "forum" this morning, and it was best that organizers used a word other than "debate."
The rivals, fellow Democrats and sitting officials in Springfield's executive branch, offered little clash and often vague descriptions of policy proposals, differing more on their records than on their positions regarding policy issues.
If there was one defining distinction between the candidates, it came on the issue of the state's pension system for government employees.
Quinn made clear that he supported a "two-tier" system in which new employees, such as teachers, would receive less generous benefits than workers already in the pension system. The governor presented it as a way to cut costs.
Hynes, after dancing around the topic, finally came out against Quinn's proposal during a press conference following the debate. He said Illinois officials need to examine other ways to balance the state budget before looking to teachers and other employees' retirement benefits.
With candidates limited to one-minute answers, the forum shed little light on how, exactly, they would fix a woeful budget deficit that places Illinois among the worst states in terms of financial health.
Both Quinn and Hynes favored a long-term shift to a progressive income-tax system. But while Hynes accused Quinn of taxing the middle class, Quinn said Hynes' proposal to raise a cigarette tax, cut corporate tax loopholes and raise revenues from gaming would fall short of balancing the budget.
The candidates also agreed on moving prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a maximum-security prison in Thomson.
Hynes said he is "open" to the idea because he trusts that President Barack Obama would put the state's security concerns first. Quinn has personally visited officials in Washington to give them a green light on using the Thomson facility to house suspected terrorists.
Original post: Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes are about half an hour into what is expected to be an hourlong debate on various issues facing Illinois.
As Hynes put it, the Democratic candidates for governor have at least one thing in common: Neither has been elected governor.
Based on the debate so far, Quinn and Hynes appear to have similar stands on many issues, including instituting a progressive income tax, moving prisoners in Guantanamo Bay to Illinois and sustaining mental-health services in the state.
There are some differences, however.
Quinn, for example, has said he supports a two-tier pension system that would offer new government employees less generous benefits than employees who are already in the system.
Hynes says government employees such as teachers want to have a secure retirement, avoiding a direct answer on whether he supports such a two-tier system.
Follow breaking tweets from the debate on Twitter: @AdrianCurrent.
Windy Citizen 