Bell and Gammage on the Issues

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Chris Bell and Bob Gammage are more at odds with Gov. Rick Perry than with each other. Both candidates support:

• Expanding the state business tax and closing loopholes to finance education.

• Ending the high-stakes nature of educational competency tests: Standardized tests should serve as a measuring tool, but overall competency should be based on a rigorous, well-rounded curriculum. Both oppose state-funded private-school vouchers and the teaching of "intelligent design" in science classrooms.

• Raising minimum wage: Gammage supports increasing the wage from $5.15 to $6.50 an hour. Bell would prefer to see a federal minimum wage indexed for automatic increases.

• Passing ethics reform measures that would cap individual campaign contributions and close the "revolving door" lobby system in state government.