Poizner, Whitman face off in first Republican governor's debate

Former eBay chief Meg Whitman and State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner engaged in their first face-to-face debate last night. The two are vying for the Republican nomination for governor.

As political debates go now days, it was a polite affair.

Much of it focused on tax and spending policies. Steve Poizner promised across the board tax cuts if elected.

“I’m proposing a 10 percent cut in sales taxes, income taxes, corporate taxes and a 50 percent cut in capital gains taxes," he said.

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Poizner's plan also includes a 10 percent cut in state spending, and the creation of a $10 billion rainy day fund for the state.

Meg Whitman warned Poizner's plan was irresponsible – and that it would add billion of dollars to the state’s budget deficit.

“The fact is until we reduce costs in the government, we cannot afford that kind of across the board tax cuts," Whitman said.

She touted her own plan to reduce spending by eliminating 40,000 state jobs and ordering targeted tax cuts on manufacturing and startup companies to attract businesses to California

Poizner countered that his more aggressive tax cuts would attract enough new businesses and jobs to produce higher revenues for the state.

“This is what the Republican Party is all about, right?! We’ve proven that across the board tax cuts work. Our taxes are way too high," Poizner said.

The one hour debate was held at the Orange County Performing Arts Center and closed to the public. A small group of Republican Party big wigs attended, including former governor Pete Wilson.

Poizner – behind by as much as 30 points in the polls – sought to appeal to conservatives. He reiterated his call to cut social services to undocumented immigrants that he said serve as a magnet to foreigners.

“These are wonderful people who come here for sure, and we have to be caring, concerned folks," Poizner said. "But the fact is we have to stop illegal immigration and the only way to do it is to turn the magnets off.”

Poizner said he’d work to change federal law that allows illegal immigrant children to attend public schools – a "radical" approach he admitted, but a necessary one because of the state’s deficit.

Whitman said she opposes cutting benefits to illegal immigrants, and prefers to push for a more secure border and to get tougher with employers who hire undocumented workers.

She also sought to quell reports that she once supported a pathway to citizenship for people illegally in the country.

“Let me be very clear. I am 100 percent against amnesty. No exceptions.”

Whitman also accused Poizner of once having a more lenient view toward illegal immigrants.

“And that meant a path to legalization and citizenship for illegals who were here, so Steve’s done a complete about face from where he was in 2004-2005.”

Poizner recoiled.

“Well I have to say something about Meg Whitman – all her negative attacks on TV, on radio, even at this debate – they’re nasty, they’re wrong, you’re misleading people," Poizner said.

He then pointed out that Whitman once supported Democratic U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer for re-election.

As former Silicon Valley executives, both candidates said they’d bring a business sense to the capital.

"I was successful in business for 30 years because I stuck to core conservative fiscal principles," Whitman said.

“Twenty years of starting and running high-tech companies from scratch," said Poizner. "But I also have eight years of success now in politics and public sector service. I’m not a rookie at this."

Both bashed the state legislature and promised more vetos. Poizner said he’d bypass it and go to voters with ballot measures to accomplish his agenda if necessary.

Joel Fox, a Republican political blogger with the Small Business Action Committee, said the debate was relatively lackluster.

“Meg Whitman has a 30 point lead and she had to trip up somehow. I didn’t see that happening. Not that Steve Poizner didn’t have a solid performance, but I don’t know that he gained any ground.”

A spokesman for Poizner counted the days until the Republican primary – fewer than 90 – and said there was plenty of time for his candidate to reach GOP voters – many of whom have yet to start paying close attention to the race.

Poizner, a multimillionaire, and Whitman, a billionaire, have promised to spend considerable sums inundating those voters with their messages.