With 12 days until the Salt Lake City mayoral primary, outgoing Mayor Rocky Anderson is criticizing the candidate he says would be a "disaster" as his replacement — Salt Lake City Councilman Dave Buhler.

In the process, Anderson — as he did in his last two successful mayoral campaigns — raised the specter that City Council members who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as Buhler does, do not make independent decisions but oppose changes to city ordinances that may find disfavor among church leaders.

Recent polls show that Buhler, a Republican who has been on the council for eight years, is neck-and-neck with Democratic Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson for the lead in the mayor's race.

The nine-person mayoral field, with four viable contenders, will be winnowed to two in the Sept. 11 primary. The final pair face off in the November general election.

Anderson has had his disagreements with Buhler. But the relationship turned nasty when Anderson sent a letter to the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce suggesting Buhler misstates some of Anderson's actions.

Anderson told the Deseret Morning News that Buhler is "lying" about several city issues, most specifically Anderson's failed attempt to prevent the Newspaper Agency Corp., the joint printing and advertising arm of the Deseret Morning News and the Salt Lake Tribune, from building its new printing plant in West Valley City and moving from the city. The NAC is now known as MediaOne.

Buhler said Anderson "dropped the ball" in acting to keep NAC in town. The firm's move to West Valley City "should not have happened," Buhler said.

Anderson says he worked hard and long to keep the facility in Salt Lake City. But in the end, West Valley City officials offered the newspapers too many economic breaks that the city couldn't match.

Anderson, a Democrat, backs former city councilman Keith Christensen. Christensen, a registered Republican until he changed to an independent a month ago, trails in the mayor's race, polls show.

Since Buhler and Christensen seek the same GOP/independent support, Anderson's criticism of Buhler could help Christensen.

But Anderson denies any partisan or political reasons for criticizing Buhler. "He just isn't telling the truth," the mayor said. "Characteristically, (Buhler) doesn't have his facts straight, then he points the finger of blame at others."

"This is just a political attack by Rocky against people who disagree with him," Buhler said. "He's attacked former staff members. He's attacked members of the council. People are tired of his verbal bullying. They want to see more civility and humanity from the person who holds this office."