It was no surprise that the first question to Heath mayoral candidates was about their positions on traffic cameras. Heath has been fielding complaints about cameras used for speeding and red-light enforcement since they were installed in late spring. Residents banded together in the summer and placed an issue on the November ballot to prevent the camera usage.

Incumbent Mayor Richard Waugh was in office when the cameras were installed. He said since the cameras have been in operation, there has been a decrease in the number of accidents and speeding complaints. He said cameras were installed to improve safety and that, to that end, they are working.

He first heard of the Redflex traffic camera system while at an Ohio Municipal League meeting in October 2008 and said he brought the information back to Police Chief Tony Shepherd. After reviewing the city's speeding issues, Heath City Council decided to install the cameras, which he still supports.

His opponent, Mark Johns, said he would not have instituted the program, saying he understands the need but believes police presence could accomplish the same goal.

He said municipalities with strong police enforcement, such as St. Louisville and Kirkersville, do not have speeding issues, for that reason.

Each candidate was asked to describe his economic plan. Johns said the city is blessed with great transportation routes, with access to state Routes 79, 16 and 161 and Interstate 70.

He said he agrees that the city needs to install a water tower on the west side for development and he wants to go a step further, establishing an economic-development fund to provide low-interest loans to companies looking to move to Heath. He also wants to form a Heath Business Association to work with local government, he said.

Waugh said the city has a 500-acre commercial and industrial corridor along Thornwood Drive and is improving the road by upgrading culverts. The city also plans to widen the road to help attract development.

With infrastructure in place, he said, Heath will continue to work with the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority to attract more businesses to the city.

The two disagreed on the biggest hurdle facing the city in attracting jobs. Waugh said it is difficult in a down economy with lower income-tax revenues to keep infrastructure in good condition and look to the future. He said the mayor's role isn't to go out and solicit new businesses but rather is to work with local developers to make sure companies understand all the city has to offer employers and employees who work for them.

Johns said he sees the biggest hurdle as competition with other municipalities. He mentioned the economic-development fund, which he would like to create, saying that might be another way for the city to attract businesses.

Sharing their three top priorities for the city, Johns said economic development is critical to growth, increasing safety forces is important and better communication between the city and residents is needed. Waugh said economic development and infrastructure are key, planning for the future retirement of five of the city's department heads is important and continuing to increase the city's capital-improvements fund would keep the city's infrastructure in good shape.

Pataskala mayoral race

Only three of the four candidates for Pataskala mayor attended the meeting: incumbent Steve Butcher, Mike Fox and Terry Beekman. Richard Frost was absent.

Again, the candidates were asked about the most controversial topic first: whether they support an income tax or a property tax. Pataskala has an income-tax issue on the November ballot, but city residents have not supported the past seven ballot requests for an income tax.

Butcher said he has supported an income tax and that the 525 acres being earmarked for industrial development between Broad Street and U.S. Route 40 will produce income-tax revenue through an agreement with Newark and Harrison Township, called a joint economic-development district (JEDD).

Butcher said he does not like increasing property taxes in the current economic environment but said he would have supported it had that been Pataskala City Council's decision.

Fox said he opposes the income tax and said a property tax would have increased people's taxes less than the income tax because they already are paying for a police levy, whose collections end in December.

He also said the income tax would not generate enough funding for police and streets, which no longer have property-tax levies funding those departments.

Beekman said Pataskala is unique, in that it doesn't have an income tax, and he thinks the city should remain that way. He said he does not agree with raising property taxes to an unreasonable level.

Candidates were asked about their roles in helping to attract development to the 525-acre site Butcher had mentioned.

Beekman said he supports bringing more jobs in and said the mayor should encourage that.

Fox said he supports development of the site but fails to see how the residents would benefit from tax relief because companies coming in would receive 100-percent tax abatements for 15 years and because the property is in a tax-increment-financing district (TIF), which allows increased property-tax revenues from development to be diverted for infrastructure costs.

He said that in a perfect world, a developer would have paid to put infrastructure in place on site.

Butcher countered that tax relief would be realized when development comes to the site, saying the income-tax revenue created through the JEDD would benefit the city and its ability to provide services. He said the acreage is anticipated to hold companies with 1,000 to 1,800 employees and create $47-million in total tax revenue.

When asked the biggest hurdle they face in attracting companies to Pataskala, Fox said the 525-acre site might not be the best site, considering the Etna Corporate Park to the south and widened state Route 161 corridor to the north.

"We need to center our time on small business and enhance zoning for small business," Fox said.

Butcher disagreed, saying state officials have called the 525 acres a premier site, recognizing it as such with a $3.5-million grant to put infrastructure on site. He said the biggest hurdle the city faces in attracting jobs is its own issues. City officials already have pushed to clear up environmental and historical concerns on the site and have established a Web site to begin attracting company site selectors to the area.

Beekman said that area would require more infrastructure improvements on Broad Street, at the entrance to the development.

As for top priorities, Butcher pointed to continuing the success of the 525-acre site for tax relief of the city's residents, finding a way to fund and retain the city's full-time police force and reducing issues within the city to provide a strong government structure.

Beekman wants to prevent the mayor from presiding over mayor's court and listen to residents' concerns about speeding and other issues.

Fox intends to stop threatening residents with potential cuts, get residents behind a permanent funding solution and enhance business opportunities.

Newark treasurer race

One of the two candidates -- Jeff Hall or Cary Rader -- will replace Robert Lehman, who is stepping down as Newark treasurer.

Both cite different reasons for running.

Rader said he is a retired math professor who has devoted his life to numbers. He said he plans to create better government efficiency by upgrading the city's computer systems and eliminate some of the need for data entry. He said upgrading systems and income-tax forms would eliminate some questions from residents and reduce the need for data entry, allowing more time for the city workers in that department to pursue delinquent accounts.

He said his background in problem solving and quick learning through teaching makes him the best candidate for the job.

Hall, a self-employed accounting and business consultant, said he would use his experience of working with large tax agencies to motivate the staff for better efficiency. He, too, said upgrades are important and said his past leadership and past job experience best qualifies him for the job.

Rader said he sees the biggest challenge the treasurer faces as modernization of the office.

Hall said it is in working within the city's budget. He said the treasurer, who oversees income-tax collections, is the first department to know when revenues are down.

Hall said long-term investment strategies include investing in safe ventures, such as government securities and CDs.

Rader said the treasurer is associated more with short-term investments of up to six to eight months and the investment options are governed by state law, limited to CDs.

The forum, sponsored by the Hopewell Federal Credit Union, was at the Granville Inn.

lwince@thisweeknews.com