COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- It's getting down to the wire for the Colorado Springs strong mayor candidates, and each one is still trying to prove they are the best representative for the city.
Tuesday night there was a mayoral forum where the seven remaining candidates sounded off on various issues, from taxes, to the sale of Memorial Hospital, even their faith.
Buddy Gilmore said safety is his number one funding priority, but transportation is a close second.
"Some of our citizens depend on transportation, city buses, to get get back and forth for health services, and certainly some of our folks who want to keep their jobs but are not able to drive," Gilmore said.
Brian Bahr said his priorities are public safety, infrastructure, and our parks. He said he would use managed competition to find savings for the city so all could be funded.
"We have city employees bid for the work against the private sector, or against the county, and that competition will create innovative, creative solutions that create efficiency in essence," Bahr said.
Richard Skorman also said public safety is number one, but that our infrastructure, including parks, needs to be maintained as well.
"I think there is a lot of ways to be more efficient, and I would take a long time to try to make sure that happens first, and then if down the road, if we have to ask permission to raise taxes I would be willing to do that too," Skorman said.
Steve Bach said he would urge the private sector and other non profits to participate more, and he would not raise taxes.
"That's a bottom up review of everything we're doing, and we need to focus on the essential services: public safety, infrastructure, and then of course the well being of our community," Bach said.
Kenneth Duncan said it's hard to pick which priority would be number one, but that mass transit and affordable housing are important. But he said the most important thing is how the city spends its money.
"We need to find a way to get funds and revenue within the city, and then we need to spend those funds wisely with a sense of ethical and moral responsibility," Duncan said.
Dave Munger said he would let the citizens decide what is important to them for the city to fund.
"What is missing so far from that discussion with our citizens, what do you want our city to pay most attention to? Is it public safety? Is it transit?" Munger said.
Tom Gallagher said the test for what's important to fund is simple.
"Does this directly benefit the public that we're supposed to serve? Does it make the lives of the people in this community better? Or does it feed bureaucracy?" Gallagher said.
Mail in ballots are due back April 5 by 7 p.m.
Voters will also be electing new city council members.
There will be a City Council Forum Wednesday at the Stargazers Theatre from 5:30-7 p.m.
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