A Pew Research Poll shows 85 percent of voters rank the economy and jobs as very important considerations when they vote. Sixty-one percent say a candidate's stand on taxes is equally important.
Kevin McCarty is the incumbent in District 6. His plan includes cutting waste and possibly raising taxes.
MCCARTY: "Increase audits, looking to bring in good government measures like the whistleblower hotline to curb waste, fraud, and abuse. And also, for the City budget, we need to look at expanding revenues. I think one thing I'd like to do is explore going to the voters in November to see if they would like to assess themselves to bring in more monies for our core city services."
Mitch Netto was the Information Systems Manager for the Amador County Water Agency and is now an independent consultant. He opposes a tax increase.
NETTO: "I worked for Sutter Health and Hewlett Packard and I have a lot of experience dealing with large economies. This is just one of those economies. It's a simple fix here in Sacramento. You can't tax and cut your way out. By we can grow our way out of it by adding businesses and becoming more business-friendly we can actually change the environment here in the city.
District 6 includes the Elder Creek, Fruitridge, and Sacramento State neighborhoods.
District 8 is on the southern border of the city, encompassing the area from the corner of Freeport and Florin east to Broadway and south to Sheldon Road.
Bonnie Pannell is the incumbent. Her campaign declined numerous invitations to speak with us
Her opponent is Betty Williams. Williams is an employment recruitment specialist.
WILLIAMS: "I believe we should put some type of incentive -whether it's a tax incentive or whatever kind of incentive to make people want to come to the city, especially District 8. I have just along Franklin and Florin road 45 acres of empty land that's waiting to be developed.
As a guage of the effect of the economy on the willingness of people to run: in 2008, four city council members ran unopposed for their seats. In the four council races contested this year, there are seventeen candidates.
