The three candidates for governor honed in on their final pitches to voters in MassLive candidate questionnaires, with Democratic candidate Attorney General Maura Healey saying she would appoint a transportation safety chief on her first day in office.

Healey emerged as the immediate frontrunner in the race for governor in January — as soon as she announced her highly anticipated candidacy for the corner office.

Healey is the sole Democrat remaining in the primary race even though state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz’s name is still on the ballot. Chang-Díaz stopped actively campaigning in June, telling supporters there was “no path” forward following dismal public polling and fundraising compared to Healey, a South End Democrat.

Former state Sen. Ben Downing and Harvard professor Danielle Allen bowed out of the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Meanwhile, among Republicans, former state Rep. Geoff Diehl — who’s been endorsed by former President Donald Trump — faces Wrentham owner Chris Doughty, a political newcomer.

MassLive sent identical questions — with response word limits — to all three candidates for governor to gauge how they would tackle pressing issues across Massachusetts, including tax relief and reproductive health care. Their answers, which have been edited for clarity, are below.

Early voting in the Bay State is now underway and ends Sept. 2. The state primary is Sept. 6.

If you were elected to office, what would you do on day one? Why?

I’m going to have my team get after it from day one to address the issues facing Massachusetts residents. That starts with reducing the costs that are hurting so many people in housing, transportation, child care, and health care.

I’ll be appointing a strong leader as transportation safety chief to conduct a full safety review of our transportation system. And we’ll start the process of submitting our first budget that will be a blueprint for economic growth across every region, reduce costs and taxes, and improve our K-12 schools and UMass system.

What is the single most important thing voters should know about you?

That I believe in bringing people together. When I played basketball, I was a point guard. When you are a point guard, the most important statistic is the assist. It’s about team success over individual success. Massachusetts is a great state.

We have the best people, innovation, and know-how in the world. As governor, I want to harness our tremendous resources to drive Massachusetts’ competitiveness and make it a place where everyone — and every business — can thrive. We’ll do this by embracing optimism, rejecting partisanship and division, and bringing people together to make a real difference.

Formal lawmaking on Beacon Hill ended on Aug. 1 without a compromise on the $4 billion tax relief and economic development bill, due to confusion caused by the Chapter 62F tax cap law.

What immediate, short-term and long-term financial assistance is needed to help Bay Staters deal with inflation and skyrocketing costs of living? Would you abide by the tax cap law or scrap it, as House Speaker Ron Mariano initially suggested?

Massachusetts residents need relief right now. That’s why I’ve called on the Legislature to reconvene and pass their economic development bill, which provides significant tax relief as well as critical funding in areas like housing and health care to reduce costs.

In particular, I support expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and rental deduction and increasing the estate tax threshold. I’ve also proposed an expanded Child Tax Credit to give families $600 per child. Additionally, if the 62F tax cap law is triggered, the taxpayers are entitled to those funds and should receive them as intended.

In the long term, we need to make Massachusetts more affordable by lowering the cost of housing, child care, education, and health care, and making our transportation system more safe and reliable.

Massachusetts is poised to be a beacon for abortion and reproductive health care following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Should the state do anything else to protect these services, beyond the bill Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed into law shielding abortion care providers and patients?

This is an important question as we head to this general election, as both Republican candidates for governor are pro-life and against reproductive health care access in Massachusetts.

As a beacon for health care, Massachusetts must do everything it can to protect patients and providers in a post-Roe world — especially against the reach of hostile states rolling back basic human rights. We will ensure that no Massachusetts provider can be criminally prosecuted for offering basic abortion care. And we will make sure women who need access to care are able to get it.

I’m proud to see our state leading at a time of crisis for patients and providers across the country. I want to continue that leadership in these challenging times ahead.

The Massachusetts Legislature recently allocated $275 million to jump-start the East-West rail project, linking together Eastern and Western Massachusetts.

What is your vision for East-West rail? What progress do you expect to make in your first year of office?

We can’t have a functioning economy without a functioning transportation system. Our residents — from the Berkshires to Springfield to Boston — need to be able to rely on safe and affordable trains and buses, well-maintained roads, bridges, and tunnels, and accessible neighborhoods for biking and walking.

My transportation plan calls for urgently addressing safety failings on public transit, fixing our roads and bridges, and expanding rail and buses across our state. That includes building West-East rail. I’m going to create the position of West-East rail director within MassDOT to be laser-focused on achieving this complex project.

What should Massachusetts do to retain its competitive edge in a remote-work era, ensuring people choose to stay or come live in the commonwealth?

We need to make Massachusetts more competitive so that people and businesses want to come here and stay here.

That starts by making Massachusetts more affordable by delivering tax relief, improving public transportation, and lowering the cost of housing, child care, and education.

I’ll work to increase the housing supply in every region, including around transit stops, and expand pathways to homeownership to help people build wealth. We’ll make our public transportation system more safe, reliable, accessible, and affordable in every region.

We need to address the high cost of child care to help families get ahead and bring more women back into the workforce. I support a proposal that would ensure that no family pays more than 7% of their income on child care.

I also want to expand job training programs — particularly in our vocational schools and community colleges — to make sure every worker can get the skills they need at a price they can afford. And we need to continue to build up UMass and our other wonderful state colleges so students who want to go to a four-year college can get the education they deserve at a price they can afford.

If you were elected to office, what would you do on day one? Why?

On day one, I intend to re-hire all the state employees who lost their jobs for refusing to get a COVID vaccine. And, on day two, [lieutenant governor candidate] Leah Allen and I are going to give a pink slip to any middle manager who thought firing them was a good idea.

What is the single most important thing voters should know about you?

I am the only candidate in this race with the public- and private-sector experience and conservative credentials needed to make Massachusetts a better place to live and work.

In particular, my experience as a former state representative and as the co-owner of a small business give me the perspective needed to help lower the cost of living in our state.

Formal lawmaking on Beacon Hill ended on Aug. 1 without a compromise on the $4 billion tax relief and economic development bill, due to confusion caused by the Chapter 62F tax cap law.

What immediate, short-term and long-term financial assistance is needed to help Bay Staters deal with inflation and skyrocketing costs of living? Would you abide by the tax cap law or scrap it, as House Speaker Ron Mariano initially suggested?

There is no question — our state needs to give back money under Chapter 62F, now. It’s the people’s money, and it must be returned by the state. I also support additional tax relief, including tax cuts proposed by Gov. Baker and a temporary suspension of our state gas tax.

In fact, that’s how many people know me best. I was responsible for fighting against inflationary gas tax hikes back in 2014. We also need to make housing and education more affordable in our state, and we need to support small businesses and promote quality jobs to keep our residents from moving out of state

Massachusetts is poised to be a beacon for abortion and reproductive health care following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Should the state do anything else to protect these services, beyond the bill Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed into law shielding abortion care providers and patients?

I am personally pro-life, and I disagree with the Legislature’s action over the past few years to expand late-term abortions in our state and undermine parental consent (the so-called “Roe Act”). I choose to protect life whenever possible. I also do not support spending taxpayer funds on abortions.

How do you differentiate yourself from your own opponents? Give us specific policy examples.

I am the only candidate for governor who’s focused on freedom alongside trying to make Massachusetts more affordable. Our state went through difficult times during COVID due to unfair government mandates, and we can’t let that happen again.

We also need to get our state government’s values back on track, protecting taxpayers and respecting the rule of law. I am proud to have led the effort to organize and get signatures for a ballot question to repeal legislation giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, letting the voters have a say in rejecting this law at the ballot box this November.

If you’re elected to office, what would you do on day one? Why?

I will file legislation to lower the sales tax back to 5 percent, work to implement the small business bill of rights, and meet with business leaders so they know that our state is open for business.

I will visit the MBTA’s railyards to talk directly with workers and managers working on the maintenance and repairs of our public transit system. We must fix the MBTA. Lastly, I will start addressing the issue of high housing and utility costs.

What is the single most important thing voters should know about you?

I have a lifetime of experience building and running complex organizations successfully in the private sector. I am a problem-solver and a job-creator. I will make Massachusetts more affordable. I have released a 10-point tax-cut plan to lower your tax burden.

Since 1990, voters have chosen repeatedly practical Republican governors to serve as a balance to the Democrat majorities in the Legislature. That formula has worked well for Massachusetts. I am the only candidate who can defeat Healey and save Massachusetts from the disaster that would be a state completely controlled by one party.

Formal lawmaking on Beacon Hill ended on Aug. 1 without a compromise on the $4 billion tax relief and economic development bill, due to confusion caused by the Chapter 62F tax cap law.

What immediate, short-term and long-term financial assistance is needed to help Bay Staters deal with inflation and skyrocketing costs of living? Would you abide by the tax cap law or scrap it, as House Speaker Ron Mariano initially suggested?

The inability of the Legislature to deliver real tax relief to overburdened taxpayers is inexcusable. The Legislature’s loose talk about circumventing the will of the voters is disappointing.

The voters have spoken on this issue. That 1986 referendum is democracy in action. The auditor must certify the surplus. State government must return the current windfall back to the taxpayers. It’s their money, not the politicians’ money. The taxpayers are entitled to a refund.

I was the first candidate for governor to call for a suspension of the state gasoline tax. Even President Joe Biden came around on this vital short-term assistance vital and supports temporary gas tax relief — but Healey continues to oppose this much-needed assistance.

Last year, the state realized a budget surplus of more than $1 billion. This year, the surplus is expected to be about $3.5 billion. And, at a time of record-breaking surpluses, the Legislature has not enacted one tax cut. Almost every other state in America has cut taxes in the last two years.

I am proud of my 10-point tax-cut agenda. My plan will cut the state’s sales tax from 6.25% to 5%, increase the Earned Income Tax Credit substantially, dramatically lower the death tax and eliminate other anti-competitive taxes.

My tax cut plan will make Massachusetts more affordable and reposition the Bay State as a business-friendly state with a fiscally responsible government capable of competing with Tennessee, Texas, Florida, and Virginia for the new jobs of the 21st century.

Massachusetts is poised to be a beacon for abortion and reproductive health care following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Should the state do anything else to protect these services, beyond the bill Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed into law shielding abortion care providers and patients?

The Dobbs decision moved the abortion issue to the states and to the people. In Massachusetts, it’s clear the will of the people is on the side of abortion rights. As governor, I will not seek to change the abortion laws in the commonwealth.

The Massachusetts Legislature recently allocated $275 million to jump-start the East-West rail project, linking together Eastern and Western Massachusetts. What is your vision for East-West rail? What progress do you expect to make in your first year of office?

I am impressed by the energy and the passion of the supporters of this project. I am intrigued by the potential of the East-West rail project, but I am also concerned by the reality of the crisis at the MBTA.

When thinking about this project, we need to think about the quality of life issue. Should people be spending hours per day traveling to work? Or does it make more sense for the next governor to bring more jobs to the area, so people don’t have to commute long distances to make a good living?

My economic development plan is focused on building good jobs with good wages throughout the commonwealth. When we do that, not only will we make Massachusetts more affordable, but we’ll make our workers’ quality of life better because they’ll have good jobs that are closer to their homes.

What should Massachusetts do to retain its competitive edge in a remote-work era, ensuring people choose to stay or come live in the commonwealth?

We must aggressively reduce the cost of living in Massachusetts so our citizens can afford to remain here. We are now one of the top five most expensive states in America to live and top two most expensive to own a business. We will cut costs by reducing taxes and increasing our home construction and energy supply. We will also reduce the costs and burdens of overly complex regulations, which further drive up our cost of living.

Additionally, we will invest in high-speed fiber optics across the state until we are ranked in the top three for high-speed internet access.

We will implement a more tax-friendly environment so our citizens retain more of their personal income.

Lastly, we will make permanent improvements in the MBTA by investing in redundancies and backup systems to ensure long-term reliability.

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