Mayoral candidates clarify positions

AUSTIN (KXAN) - With early voting starting on Monday, Austin's top three Mayoral candidates, according to a recent KXAN Austin News poll, continued their campaign Friday.

Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Brewster McCracken kicked off the United Way of Central Texas Spring Day of Caring on Friday. The event featured more than 350 volunteers working on more than 20 community projects. Representatives from Lee Leffingwell's campaign spoke at the event as well.

All three candidates are campaigning in the increased exposure after the only major broadcast televised debate. More than 14,000 people watched the five Austin mayoral candidates explain their positions and stances on the issues in the hour and a half debate.

A KXAN/Constituent Dynamics Poll shows 27 percent of registered voters in Austin would choose Lee Leffingwell for mayor. 24 percent supported Brewster McCracken and 21 percent supported Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

The other two candidates, businessman David Buttross, and hotel employee Josiah Ingalls garnered four percent and two percent support respectively. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent. See the poll results below:

The issue that most influences voters, according to the poll, is business recruitment and job creation. Around 33 percent said they want to see a candidate's ability to recruit business and create jobs.

The candidate's ability to sustain growth and "Keep Austin Weird" influenced 26 percent of those polled. Transportation only garnered 20 percent of voters' interest.

However, during the debate Wednesday Carole Keeton Strayhorn identified transportation as the top issue for her campaign. "The top issue is getting traffic moving," Strayhorn said. "It relates to all the others, but that is the top issue."

Asked about her transportation comments Friday and how they relate to transportation's position in the KXAN poll, Strayhorn said, "There are three issues that I hammer all the time. Keep traffic moving. And that is number one. But all the rest [are] number one too."

Strayhorn said she also wants, "an Austin City government that Austinites can afford, and creat[ing] leverage and retain[ing] jobs right here." See the poll results below:

Asked whether he thought Strayhorn was a player in the race for Mayor, Austin Mayor Pro-Tem Brewster McCracken said, "I don't think so. I've seen the polling from a variety of sources."

McCracken and Council Member Lee Leffingwell did not address many of the issues Strayhorn brought up against them Wednesday.

"I didn't think the questions that she raised were valid," said Leffingwell on Friday. "I didn't feel like they were viable and not worth addressing."

Leffingwell and McCracken both continue to oppose each other on the idea of cutting salaries for public safety officials.

"We really need our public safety unions to share in the salary sacrifice," said McCracken.

He asked Austin City Manager Marc Ott to explore pay cuts for city employees, including public safety unions.

Leffingwell said he does not support cuts in salaries to police, fire, and EMS officials. "Public safety is the public's number one priority, and I've never talked about anything but the delivery those services," said Leffingwell. Below is what all five candidates said about budget cuts during Wednesday's debate:

Early voting starts Monday, May 9.

To see the full polling results, go here.