"Having served on the council long enough and having seen what follows a general plan amendment, that it opens the door and says we'll entertain things, I voted against it (this time)," she said. "Now I think if we're not ready to develop there, why change the general plan?"

Knecht had said he was running to be certain there was a strong alternative to Turley, whom he attacked as a developer with a council seat.

The YouTube video begins with remixed "Star Wars" theme music and a text scroll reminiscent of the start of the George Lucas films. The piece, written and edited by Knecht, includes an exchange between Turley and Knecht when both were on the council and Turley raised questions about a cost-of-living adjustment proposed for city employees.

Turley worried the COLA would put Provo ahead of other cities in pay. Knecht said the COLA wasn't a raise but an adjustment to help employee compensation keep up with inflation.

"This year," Knecht's text reads, "I will be voting for someone with a better understanding of our budget and the financial needs of our Provo City employees."

Turley said he hadn't seen the video but called Knecht a "great guy."

"He did a great job serving Provo," Turley said. "Some of the things he was blogging and expressing about me were halfway right. That also means they were half-truths."

Turley and Knecht spoke for more than an hour on the telephone a week ago, when Turley said he made his case that he has avoided any conflicts of interest while on the council.

Knecht announced he had abandoned his candidacy via e-mail.

"I visited at length with Christopher Stowe and Coy Porter and feel that Coy Porter has everything needed to be an excellent city councilman," Knecht wrote.

Turley said Knecht's decision to leave the race will focus the debate among the remaining three.

"There was an awful lot of distracting things being thrown out there, but now we'll be able to focus on fewer candidates and more relevant issues," Turley said.

One other primary race is under way, with incumbent Barbara Sandstrom challenged by Kay Van Buren, Howard Stone and Sherrie Hall Everett in District 4.

District 1 attracted but two candidates, incumbent Cynthia Dayton and Mark Sumsion, so the race won't be narrowed until the general election in November.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com