WIVB TV, Albany: November 2, 2018

"We need to build public housing to deal with the affordability crisis. The rent is too damn high. Health care costs are going up," Hawkins said.

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ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - The four people who are challenging Gov. Andrew Cuomo in this year's election squared off in a debate Thursday night.

Republican Marc Molinaro, Libertarian Larry Sharpe, Independent Stephanie Miner and Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins criticized Cuomo for not showing up for the debate in Albany.

They also discussed how to rejuvenate the upstate economy.

"We need to build public housing to deal with the affordability crisis. The rent is too damn high. Health care costs are going up," Hawkins said.

Miner said "This is how you grow an economy, by building infrastructure systems that everyone can use."

Molinaro said "Upstate New York needs to be shown the respect of state government that it hasn't gotten for the last eight years and what that means is making upstate more affordable."

Sharpe suggested private companies pay to build and maintain roads, like tech giant Google does in California.

"Why aren't we putting a Google road right next to I-80?" Sharpe said. "Google has the road, put whatever they want on it. Their maintenance fees are keeping up I-80."

Cuomo did take part in a debate last week with Republican Marc Molinaro, but again, he did not attend this debate in Albany.

A spokesperson for Cuomo said he's spending his final days before the election speaking directly to voters, and helping elect Democrats.

Election Day is on Tuesday.