Higher education is a key priority in the state, but as the cost of college has spiraled out of control, the state needs to create more need-based assistance, Snyder, an Ann Arbor businessman said.

“We have our natural resources, (and) we have our higher education system,” Snyder said. “Those are the gems we have, but they’re being threatened. We need to ask (the universities) to look at new ways of doing things.”

Improving education is inseparable from improving the economy, said Bernero, Lansing’s mayor.

“We’ve been talking about economic development as though it’s just bricks and mortar. … But, we also have to recognize that education is economic development,” Bernero said.

“That’s where it begins.”

The candidates also discussed the Michigan film incentive, which was passed in April 2008 and created tax credits in an attempt to draw filmmakers into the state. Bernero said although he does not like offering tax breaks, they are necessary sometimes.

“I wish it was that we didn’t need tax incentives,” Bernero said.

“I may not like the global economy we’re in, … but it’s where we are. I believe it’s a question of math, not politics, and if the economic incentives are working, we’re going to use them.”

A broken tax system is the underlying problem that necessitated incentives, Snyder said. He proposed replacing the Michigan business tax, which took effect in January 2008, with a flat 6 percent corporate income tax.

“It is a math problem, and the math problem is you don’t create jobs by buying people into our state and giving out huge checks,” Snyder said. “The incentives have largely been a political gimmick.”

Both candidates also addressed the government’s role in creating jobs.

Although the government does not create jobs, it has an important role in creating a friendly tax structure in which businesses can flourish, Snyder said.

“We need to start a new era in our state, … getting back to our roots of entrepreneurship,” Snyder said. “We will create more and better jobs. We will keep our young people in this state, and we will be a great state again.”

Bernero agreed that the government does not directly create the jobs that Michigan needs but works to make the state open to jobs.

He said he already has proven he can bring jobs to an area as mayor of Lansing and that he will do the same thing at the statewide level.

“We’ve cut the bureaucracy,” Bernero said. “We’ve put down the welcome mat for businesses.”

During the debate, Bernero also charged Snyder with shipping jobs to China because of his involvement in a company called Discera, which builds clock oscillator systems using silicon. Snyder said Discera never has exported jobs; rather, the company is based entirely in Ann Arbor and San Jose, Calif.

The debate was interesting for any voter who chose to watch, but it was not the most informative exchange of ideas, MSU assistant professor of political science Matt Grossmann said.

“The candidates were delivering mostly platitudes,” Grossmann said. “No one (was) being very specific about the true challenges the state faces.”

Neither candidate won the debate outright, but their styles differed tremendously, Grossmann said. Much of the difference stems from recent polls, showing Snyder holds about a 20 percent voter support lead over Bernero, he said.

“The clear difference is that Snyder was trying to say almost nothing about Bernero, whereas Bernero was trying to make charges against Snyder,” Grossmann said.

“When you’re ahead, you have the benefit of not having to go on the attack.”