As Mayor's Allies Depart, Several Big Issues Remain

City finances have also been a target for challengers, including mayoral candidate Rosemary F. McDowell. "We need to get rid of the debt," said McDowell, who has been involved with government and business contracts and management for 25 years. She said she would find ways to reduce spending, though she had no specifics.

"I'd really need a complete briefing from the different departments," she said, adding that certain areas would be exempt from her cuts. "Definitely not the fire department, police department and the schools."

Mayoral candidate Cristina Lee Gaines said she is running to make the office more responsive to residents.

Planning Commission Vice Chairman William G. "Bill" Foster, a council candidate, said the city has to focus on finances and rewriting land-use plans. "You do the dull behind-the-scenes work to get the budget in good shape, to get the enabling rules and regulations in place so that when businesses start coming in, you're ready for them," he said.

The city has $184 million in debt, officials said, giving it a greater debt burden per capita than any of the communities it compares itself with in Northern Virginia, among them Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties and the city of Manassas, according to figures from last year.

Incumbents said it is precisely because of the challenging times ahead that their experience is valuable. Council member Joan W. Cross jokingly said that she and fellow incumbent Gary J. Rasmussen are the council's "long gray line."

"We're both very gray, and we both gave a few years behind us, and I think that's good," said Cross, in her third two-year term. She said recent spending made sense and reflected the will of the residents.

"I'm not going to claim responsibility for the economy, and I'm not going to claim responsibility for the housing market," Cross said. But, "I am part of the council that made the decision to improve our schools. I am part of the council that said, 'Yes, we need new police facilities.' All of these public improvements were approved by overwhelming numbers by the voters."

Council hopefuls offered a host of rationales for their candidacies. Among issues and interests:

· Incumbent Jeffrey C. Greenfield said he has focused on fiscal stewardship, including recent passage of the city's budget. Greenfield said capital construction will be limited under the current budget.