Patrick: Question 3 would bring more pain

Gov. Deval Patrick says the gubernatorial race is close because people have been "hammered" by the recession and it's rattled their confidence in the future.

Yet he says a good leader remains optimistic, as well as confident in his actions. And Patrick believes he's set the state on the trajectory to recovery faster than most other states.

Patrick spoke with reporters Monday following a poll showing the race tightening to a statistical dead heat. Patrick was at 35 percent in a Boston Sunday Globe survey, followed by Republican Charles Baker at 34 percent. Independent candidate Timothy Cahill was at 11 percent, and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein was at 4 percent.

Governor Patrick insists Question 3 would bring the state even "more" pain. 

A Globe poll finds voters split on Question 3 which would call for the lowering of the sales tax, from 6-and-a-quarter to 3-percent.

Patrick says public officials have to be honest telling people what the trade-offs would be.

He says the result would be a big hike in proeperty taxes and cuts in services.