As election day nears, candidates debate the issues As election day nears, candidates debate the issues (October 18, 2002)

By Faiza Hasan

Debates over the past 10 days at the Santiago Villa Mobile Home Park and on KMVT Channel 15 provided a chance for the 13 city council candidates to distinguish themselves from one another.

Santiago Villa residents asked questions of 12 candidates on Oct. 9. Seated around a long table, they talked about their campaign promises before answering questions from the audience.

Not surprisingly, one of the first questions was about the strong city manager form of government, which the majority of candidates said that they supported. Other questions dealt with issues that residents felt were important to them, like affordable housing, transit and lower rents.

Though the meeting was not heavily attended by residents, those who attended were happy for the chance to meet and talk to the candidates in person. In fact, most of them said that they made decisions on who they were going to vote for based on what they heard that night.

Santiago Villa resident Barbara Reynolds attended the meeting. Although she complained that the candidates didn't talk a lot about specific issues related to mobile home parks, she said that it was a good opportunity to meet the candidates, especially as she was unable to see the television debates because she does not get KMVT.

Those residents who do get KMVT saw a lively, two-hour debate Tuesday night in which candidates exchanged opinions on subjects ranging from campaign finance to whether the Council member Mario Ambra deserved to be removed from the city council. Those who missed the debate can see it replayed on Channel 15 at 9 p.m. on Oct. 19 and 26.