Student moderators posed questions to three of the four Louisiana gubernatorial candidates Wednesday night, addressing issues related to education, infrastructure and the economy.
Republican Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, Republican Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne and Democratic state Rep. John Bel Edwards squared off at the historic Columbia Theatre in downtown Hammond.
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., did not participate.
Student moderator Alexis Quackenbush kicked off the forum by asking what each candidate would do to solve the $20 million budget deficit the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students faces.
Edwards addressed the TOPS shortfall by saying the “double-digit increases” in tuition are what run up the costs of TOPS. The program started as a $60 million program and ballooned to its current $280 million budget over years of tuition increases, he said.
Dardenne and Angelle both said TOPS would remain a priority if they became governor.
“TOPS has been a wonderful way to give people an opportunity to move from the poor house to the school house,” Angelle said.
Dardenne said TOPS has been the most popular piece of legislation in his lifetime, but he added that a TOPS cap is necessary because of tuition increases.
All three candidates agreed the state needs both merit-based scholarships, such as TOPS, as well as need-based programs, such as the Louisiana Go Grant.
Angelle called K-12, TOPS and Go Grant funding his No. 7 priority.”
The candidates pointed to college graduates as a resource for economic stability and job growth.
On job prospects for college graduates, Edwards said programs like dual enrollment and Fast Start are important to create and fill jobs, while Angelle and Dardenne highlighted government’s role in creating an atmosphere conducive to private industries.
Dardenne said coastal development and natural gas have created “unprecedented opportunities” for Louisiana residents.
“Education is a priority, and our young people will have jobs right here in Louisiana,” Dardenne said.
Edwards said reductions in higher education funding “inhibit people from graduating.”
Student moderator Aaron Johnson said of the 200,000 college-aged residents of Louisiana, only 78,000 are registered to vote. He asked the candidates what they would do to engage young people in the political process.
“There’s so much apathy because for years, people have lost confidence in their elected leaders to effect change,” Edwards said, adding college students will vote for him because he will fund higher education.
Angelle said his family will factor into his policy, and he understands college-aged people because his children recently went to college.
Before their closing statements, the candidates participated in a “lightning round,” where they responded to questions with a one-word answer.
Angelle broke the one-word rule when asked who he would vote for today in the 2016 presidential election.
“Undecided,” Angelle said. “We don’t need another governor talking about presidential politics.”
Edwards answered “not Bobby Jindal,” while Dardenne said he was “undecided.”