Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidates Ed Rendell and Lynn Swann faced off last night in a debate that addressed issues such as the state's higher education.

"Young people are going through our colleges and paying more," Swann said.

"We have to be fiscally smart and responsible -- we can save money in other areas and then funnel them into education," Swann added.

Rendell cited an increase in the maximum grant money given to students by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency as well as a decrease in rising tuition cost for state system universities during his term.

Penn State, however, is a state-related university and not part of the state system.

Swann said state-related schools like Penn State could still see improvements in lowering tuition.

"Outside of those [state system] colleges, cost is still unnecessarily high," he said.

Some Penn State students said they would like to see tuition increases stop completely.

"If we have that large of a budget, there shouldn't be increases at all," said Sarah Nelson (junior-nutrition). "There has been no living expense increase, so there should not be a tuition increase either," Nelson said of the budget.

Other students said they think drastic change in tuition costs is not such a simple issue.

"I am reluctant to believe Swann, although change would be nice," said David King (graduate-genomics). "I understand state universities are a business so the people working for them would always be in favor of a tuition increase."

Jerry Saddle (junior-information science and technology) said out-of-state tuition is still a pressing issue.

"I'm paying $30,000 instead of the $26,000 that I started paying when I came here," he said.

"Coming up with a plan where tuition increases do not raise much is not enough because it is still too expensive for middle class families," Saddle added.

Rendell said the improvements he's made in the Pennsylvania economy have made life easier for graduating college students.

Swann countered by saying changes should be made to make the Pennsylvania job market more appealing to recent graduates.

"One of our greatest exports is college students," Swann said.

"More kids are getting a college education here and leaving Pennsylvania," Swann added.

Rendell also addressed the issue of a statewide smoking ban, one that hits home with many residents of State College.

"I'm all for the [statewide] smoking ban because I go out to impress the ladies and I don't want to smell like an ashtray," Saddle said.

Rendell voiced his support for a statewide ban on smoking in public places based on the "harms of second-hand smoking."

Swann said such a ban is too restrictive.

"It crosses a serious line when we tell businesses they can't allow their patrons to smoke," he said.

Yesterday's debate at Point Park University in Pittsburgh was the first of two scheduled between the candidates.

The second debate is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m Oct. 10 in Philadelphia.