MANKATO — State Senate candidates Mark Piepho and Kathy Sheran gave about 50 area residents a taste of their priorities and philosophies during a nearly 90-minute debate Thursday night at Bethany Lutheran College.

The candidates are seeking to replace retiring Democratic Sen. John Hottinger, who spent 16 years representing Mankato and surrounding communities in the Senate — the second longest span of service of any senator serving Mankato in the city’s history.

Both candidates promised to support both K-12 and higher education, protect the environment, invest in transportation and look out for the interests of southern Minnesota families. But the always civil discussion — there was only one minor rebuttal in the entire debate — also demonstrated that the pair differ on social issues and on some key fiscal priorities.

Piepho, a former state representative and senator, came across as a pro-business Republican who believes a lean state government will boost the economy and provide prosperity to average Minnesotans through better jobs.

“I always believe that the best government is the least government and the government closest to the people,” Piepho said.

Sheran, a former four-term member of the Mankato City Council, focused on how Republican-initiated state policies have shifted more of the burden of financing government onto property taxes which she said has hurt middle-income Minnesotans and less wealthy communities.

“High property taxes are regressive, which means fixed-income persons, persons with lower wealth, rural communities with lower property wealth are harmed,” Sheran said.

A nurse educator at Minnesota State University and co-owner of a property management company, Sheran said Gov. Tim Pawlenty has portrayed cities, counties and other local governments “as the big spenders, as unaccountable.”

In turn, Sheran said Pawlenty has cut state aid to cities and counties which has forced property taxes higher, particularly in rural parts of the state. A better approach would be to collect taxes based on ability to pay — such as the income tax — and use the revenue to reduce property taxes, she said.

Piepho said that Pawlenty made the reductions in local aid in reaction to a massive state budget deficit, part of a budget solution that made it possible to eliminate the deficit without income tax increases.

“The state bit the bullet and did not raise taxes,” said Piepho, part owner of a local moving company.

The other most distinct differences between the candidates came from audience questions on social issues.

Sheran said she opposes a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions. The state constitution, she said, should be focused on the duties and responsibilities of government and not be used for restricting rights. She said she would support civil unions for gay couples.

Piepho said he would support a constitutional amendment restricting marriage and civil unions to heterosexual couples. The issue needs to be addressed in the constitution, he said, to block Minnesota judges from matching those in some other jurisdictions who ruled that gay marriage should be allowed.

If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade decision permitting abortions, which would leave the issue to state government, Piepho said he would vote to restrict abortions except in cases of rape and incest or where the life and health of the mother is at stake. He also said he would support the death penalty for certain heinous crimes.

Sheran said she believes the focus of lawmakers should be on preventing unwanted pregnancies, and women should have the right to decide whether to have an abortion. She doesn’t support capital punishment.

While there were disagreements, the candidates were roughly on the same page on many issues. Both said they would support an increase in the gas tax to generate needed revenue for road repair and expansion. Both also would like to address skyrocketing college tuition costs and make K-12 education a budget priority.

Each also pledged to avoid the partisan gridlock that’s prompted numerous special sessions when lawmakers couldn’t pass a budget on time.

Although Sheran would support shifting the source of tax dollars from property taxes and fees to income taxes, neither candidate called for an increase in taxes other than the gas tax. Both also declined to directly answer a question about where spending could be cut to make money available for education and other programs they support.

Piepho said he’s confident, however, that there is fat to be found, noting the state is the largest employer in Minnesota.

“We are definitely overspending,” he said. “It’s not a revenue problem, it’s a spending problem.”

The best way to help people is to make sure Minnesota has low enough taxes to attract the businesses that provide good jobs, he said.

Sheran said that after several years of budget cuts resulting from the state budget deficit, more cutting isn’t the answer.

“We’re already anorexic in some areas of government,” Sheran said. “And I really think that dog doesn’t hunt anymore.”

Minnesota’s tradition of investing generously in education attracts businesses because of the high-quality employees in the state, she said.

The debate was sponsored by Debate Minnesota, a nonprofit foundation supported by the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota. St. Paul Pioneer Press political reporter Jim Ragsdale and Free Press Editor Joe Spear served as moderators.