Salt Lake mayoral candidates share their views

Reviving downtown has been a flash point in this year's Salt Lake City mayoral campaign. Few issues ignite more passionate responses from the candidates during debates and press conferences.

That shouldn't come as a surprise, considering a recent Deseret Morning News/KSL poll showed the future of downtown as being the top issue among voters.

But when it comes to whether downtown is in trouble and how to help, candidates Molonai Hola, Frank Pignanelli and incumbent Mayor Rocky Anderson have widely differing opinions, according to their responses to a Deseret Morning News questionnaire.

The questionnaire seeking their views on various issues comes in advance of the Oct. 7 primary election, which will trim the candidates to two finalists who will compete for the mayoral seat in the Nov. 4 municipal election. The candidates' complete, unedited answers can be found on the Deseret Morning News' Web site, www.deseretnews.com.

Asked what the top three issues facing the city are, Hola and Pignanelli listed reviving downtown among them, while it wasn't on Anderson's list.

The mayor has been defending his role in reviving downtown throughout the campaign. When his challengers and critics say downtown and Main Street are in trouble and need help, Anderson responds with a list of accomplishments — bringing KUTV Channel 2 to Main Street along with other small businesses like Curry in a Hurry, Big City Soup and Sprinkles — that have turned downtown around and headed it toward a brighter future. s

Downtown has been an easy target for challengers with high profile business like Old Navy and The Globe Cafe by Midnight exiting Main Street for lack of business. Also, the many and often boarded up store fronts on Main Street are eyesores causing consternation throughout the city and business community.

Instead of downtown, Anderson listed urban and growth planning, public safety and inclusiveness as the city's primary concerns.

In addition to downtown, the two challengers listed the isolation of Salt Lake City in their top three issues. Both contend Anderson's combative approach has burned bridges with other city, county and state leaders, thus harming Salt Lake City economically.

"We need to welcome our neighbors back to Salt Lake City," Hola wrote.

In response to questions about how they would revitalize downtown and Main Street in particular, the candidates gave sometimes similar and sometimes different answers. All three said they would subsidize small businesses.