Former state budget director David Riemer, businessman Joe Klein and Walker are vying for two spots in the Feb. 17 primary election to advance to the April election.

The candidates' agendas varied widely with different focuses at the Milwaukee Rotary Club debate: Walker relied on his 2004 budget and previous actions as county executive; Riemer's aim was the reduction of property taxes and health care costs, as well as reforming the county government; and Klein combined making the government more available to citizens with increasing the city's industrial development.

Walker, who was elected in April 2002 after F. Thomas Ament was ousted following a pension scandal, and Riemer clashed over such issues as the county budget, job availability and growth, and taxes. Riemer accused the current county government of "spending millions and millions of property tax dollars in an inefficient manner" through departments whose responsibilities overlap.

The county must "push to get local governments to get rid of duplication of services," Riemer said. "The challenge is to get rid of the waste, the inefficiency of the county government."

Klein's position correlated with Riemer's view of the county.

"People should be able to see what's going on in the county government," Klein said. He proposed an improved government Web page, which would allow greater understanding of how the government works and "maintain confidence in government."

Job availability and growth was another issue hotly debated by the three candidates.

While Walker argued "transportation ties into the larger goal of job growth" and a top priority was to "provide a county where people have access to good jobs," Riemer cited Walker's proposed 2004 budget, in which Walker plans to cut bus routes and raise bus fares.

"When buses are not in service, workers are not employed," Riemer said.

Milwaukee's "quality of life can't be maintained if the county is in decline," Klein said. "If we can invigorate industry and build new businesses" new jobs would be produced, and the county would have "revenue streams the county likes to maintain."

County taxes and costs incited more discussion between the candidates, with Walker proposing to "reduce overhead and lower the burden on taxpayers" and Riemer claiming more has to be done.

"I don't want to freeze the property tax (like Walker did)," Riemer said. "I want to reduce the property tax.

"We can have taxes driven way down if we get rid of the duplication and waste of services."

Riemer added health care costs, which are the "single biggest threat to Milwaukee," must be kept under control. "There is no reason why health care costs" should have gone up during Walker's term, he said.

When asked if confidence had been restored in the county after the pension scandal, each candidate reiterated their views and predicted positive attitudes in the years to come.

Despite "anger and frustration in some people" during the past two years, Walker said, there is "also a lot of hope" for the future.

"(Our ability to) make Milwaukee a well known, world-class community lies a lot within ourselves," Klein said.