TRENTON – “Transparency” is a word thrown around a lot when it comes to politics.

And so it was no surprise that one of the questions at Sunday’s Democratic gubernatorial debate focused on the demise of the Star Ledger, which printed its last edition on Sunday. While it will continue online, the disappearance of a “real newspaper,” is bound to impact the news site’s viability.

Curiously, with the exception of Steve Sweeney, most of the other candidates really have not been in office long enough to truly recall what a robust Jersey press corp used to be about.

For the record, others on stage Sunday were Ras Baraka, Steve Fulop, Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill and Sean Spiller.

“It kills me to see the press gone, pretty much gone,” Sweeney said.

Baraka noted that nationwide, news – through social media – is controlled by “tech magnates,” which was a pretty good observation.

Moving the conversation back to New Jersey, it was noted that the administration of Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, of course, has had a pretty awful record in regard to transparency.

Recall that it was Murphy who signed bills weakening the state’s election watchdog agency – ELEC  – and Open Public Records Act.

None of the candidates supported those moves.

Fulop saw some “good” news in recent events. He noted now-Senator Andy Kim’s successful lawsuit last year against the county line, the indictment of George Norcross and the conviction of Bob Menendez.

His point was that there’s hope for the good guys and for “good government.”

State finances remain the top issue.

A student at Rider University, where the debate was held, noted – like many Republicans do – that the state budget has skyrocketed under Murphy. So how are the candidates going to keep that from happening again if elected?

Gottheimer reiterated his plan to reduce income and property taxes. It is on his website.

Spiller talked about overhauling the procurement process.

Fulop said the state budget needs better oversight – noting that it often gets very quickly-approved at the last minute.

Sherrill talked about her success in bringing money back from Washington.

This was a very polite debate, but that comment prompted Sweeney to say:

“Expecting more federal money from this administration is a pipe dream.”

Donald Trump was not in the room – although he has a golf club in Bedminster.

There was general agreement among the candidates that deportations must be based on the constitution and not done en-masse.

Spiller said we can’t lose sight of who we are, as a nation.

Sweeney said that Barack Obama and Joe Biden deported many immigrants. but that they did it with compassion.

Baraka said Trump’s moves are based on “white supremacy and racism.”

Baraka, the Newark mayor, was the most rhetorical, saying at another point in the debate:

“We can’t fight extremism with moderation.” (Was he channelling Barry Goldwater?)

On the issue of transgender rights, most candidates expressed support for athletes.

Sherrill, however, suggested that this issue – a popular one for Republicans – can take time away from more substantive issues like education and reducing costs.

She said Democrats should not take the bait. In fact, she called some of the hoopla around the issue, “bullshit.”