UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont and Republican state Sen. Ryan Fazio met Tuesday night in their second and final debate before Election Day. Fazio repeatedly argued that Lamont's eight years in office had made Connecticut less affordable. Lamont defended his record on taxes and energy and said his challenger would not stand up to President Donald Trump.

WTNH News 8 and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities hosted the hourlong debate before a live audience of local officials at Mohegan Sun. Voters go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Lamont is a Democrat seeking a third term. Fazio represents Greenwich in the state Senate. The two first debated Oct. 22 on WFSB. A Sacred Heart University poll for WFSB and CT Insider, released before that debate, showed Lamont leading by 22 points.

Electric bills and taxes

The debate opened on electricity costs. Fazio said the people he meets around the state tell him their electric bills are "too damn high." He blamed policies Lamont signed for adding hundreds of millions of dollars in charges to bills, much of it going to subsidies for large energy companies. Fazio said he would eliminate the public benefits charge and other fees and cut electric bills by 20% in the long run.

Lamont said Connecticut was the only state where electric prices had fallen from a year earlier. He dismissed proposals to shift the public benefits charge from ratepayers to taxpayers. "There are a lot of cheap answers out there," he said. "That's not going to save anybody any money." Lamont said the answer was more power generation, including wind, solar, nuclear and natural gas, and holding utilities Eversource and UI accountable.

On taxes, Fazio said Lamont had promised to hold the line but had raised taxes by $3 billion over eight years. Fazio said his own plan would deliver thousands of dollars in relief to middle-class families. He would pay for it by cutting spending, including legislators' earmarks. Asked about a toll proposal from the conference's Citizens Assembly, Fazio said: "No new taxes for the middle class in Connecticut."

Lamont pointed to an income tax cut he signed, which he called the biggest for the middle class. He also cited increases in state aid to schools and towns, and said state funding for special education had nearly doubled. He said he had tried tolls before and would not do so again.

Property taxes and towns

With the municipal conference as co-host, much of the debate turned to property taxes. Fazio said property taxes had risen 30% or more in most towns under Lamont. He blamed unfunded state mandates on cities and towns and said he would eliminate hundreds of them. Fazio has pledged to cap property tax increases at 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is greater.

Lamont said the state would take the lead on special education costs. He proposed negotiating with private providers and creating an insurance pool for small towns hit with unexpected costs. He also said he was moving shared services such as building inspectors and town planners into regional offices. He criticized Fazio's proposed cap, saying a 2% limit on education spending would not help children.

ICE and the Trust Act

On immigration, Lamont said Connecticut works with federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to remove dangerous criminals. But he objected to ICE "seemingly arresting people guilty until proven innocent, if you even look Hispanic." He cited arrests in Danbury, Meriden and Cheshire and said the state's message should be "not on our watch."

Fazio said most residents support the state's original 2013 Trust Act, which keeps the federal government from directing local police. He said they do not support a 2019 change that he said bars police from transferring people convicted of certain felonies, including manslaughter, to federal custody. Asked whether ICE agents should be allowed to enter churches, schools or hospitals to arrest someone with a minor record, Fazio said, "No, absolutely not." Lamont said a state law already keeps immigration agents out of houses of worship, schools and courthouses.

On license plate reader cameras, Fazio said he had warned months ago that the cameras were spreading too fast and threatened privacy. He said Lamont shifted his position on them three times in about a month. Lamont said he does not support a permanent ban and would leave the decision to towns. He said he favors limits, including a rule that the data not be shared with ICE and be destroyed after a short period.

Health care and child care

Asked whether he still opposed using state money to replace expired federal health insurance subsidies, Fazio said the money could be provided through the normal budget process. He criticized premium increases approved by the state's insurance regulators in each of the last two years. He also promoted association health plans, which he said could cut costs by 10%.

Lamont said the Trump administration's changes had driven up prices on the insurance exchange, but that Connecticut had kept people covered. He said his proposed "Connecticut option" would pool small businesses, nonprofits, towns and state employees to bargain with hospitals and drug companies.

Lamont called the state's early childhood endowment, which he said holds more than $700 million, the most important thing he had done in office. It provides free pre-K to families earning up to $100,000. Fazio said no child care money had yet gone out the door. He proposed a credit paid directly to families.

Distance from Washington

Asked to name a Trump policy he would oppose, Fazio said he had long disagreed with the administration on tariffs, deficit spending and the war. "I call balls and strikes," he said. He also cited his endorsement by the Independent Party.

Asked to name a Trump policy he would work with the president on, Lamont pointed to natural gas. He then turned to Fazio: "He never stands up to Donald Trump." Lamont said Republicans of an earlier era would be "outraged" by the war, deficit spending and the halt to the Revolution Wind offshore wind project.

In closing, Fazio said he would cut taxes by thousands of dollars, cap property taxes and reduce electric bills by 20%. "It's time for a change," he said. Lamont said the state had moved from repeated deficits to one of the fastest-growing economies. He added that the war in Iran and tariffs were driving up costs: "The middle class is getting screwed."

In a lightning round, both candidates said they had not used artificial intelligence to prepare for the debate and had never bought anything at a Connecticut cannabis shop. Lamont said he plans to dress as Jerry Garcia for Halloween. Fazio named Clark Kent as his favorite costume.