From PolitiFact · Samantha Putterman · · 2m
Healey and Minogue clash on schools, spending and Trump
Massachusetts governor candidates debate affordability, education and federal policy in their first face-to-face meeting.
In brief
Massachusetts governor candidates debate affordability, education and federal policy in their first face-to-face meeting. Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Republican Mike Minogue faced off in Massachusetts's first gubernatorial debate on October eighth, with fact-checkers finding exaggerations on both sides about…
First debate in Massachusetts governor race
Republican Mike Minogue and Democratic incumbent Gov. Maura Healey faced off on October eighth, hosted by WBZ-TV and moderated by political analyst Jon Keller. The debate centered on affordability, education and President Donald Trump.
Healey links Minogue to Trump repeatedly
Healey invoked Trump's name dozens of times as she repeatedly linked Minogue to him and argued that the president's tariffs and war with Iran are making Massachusetts more expensive.
Minogue claims $1.7 billion in unclaimed tax credits
Minogue said Massachusetts could claim one point seven billion dollars if it opts into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program, with eighty-five percent of parents qualifying.Healey said he was making up numbers with no basis.
“Why would you not take the free money, Ms. Healey?”
Tax credit amount depends on participation
The one point seven billion dollar figure is not guaranteed but not made up.It depends on how many taxpayers participate and donate the maximum allowable amount.
Courthouse cost claim needs context
Minogue said Healey gave political insiders two billion dollars to build a Springfield courthouse. Healey said it costs four hundred sixty-three million dollars to construct. Both figures are partially correct but incomplete.
Courthouse deal includes forty-year lease
The Springfield Regional Justice Center costs around four hundred sixty-two million dollars to build, with high-end estimates around five hundred twenty-five million dollars.
Healey exaggerates Minogue's Trump donations
Healey said Minogue wrote a million-dollar check to Donald Trump. Minogue donated about nine hundred thirty-three thousand dollars to Trump and other Republicans combined across two thousand twenty-four and two thousand twenty-five, not one million…
“My opponent is somebody who wrote a million-dollar check to Donald Trump.”
Minogue's job growth claim is inaccurate
Minogue said Massachusetts is last in job growth.Washington D.C.ranks last with minus three point six percent change over the last year.
The big picture
Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Republican Mike Minogue faced off in Massachusetts's first gubernatorial debate on October eighth, with fact-checkers finding exaggerations on both sides about school funding, courthouse costs and campaign donations.
