Mallahan vs. McGinn on the issues

Here's a look at where the two candidates stand on the biggest issues in the Seattle mayoral contest.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct

Mallahan: The state and city should move forward with plans to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel. The tunnel is critical to traffic flow and needed for commerce, he says, and promises that as mayor it would be his job to make sure the $4.2 billion tunnel project is on time and on budget. He also says he would work with the state Legislature to reverse a provision that makes Seattle responsible for cost overruns on the project.

McGinn: Centered his campaign around his opposition to the state's plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel. He says the plan is too expensive, and advocates replacing the Viaduct with surface streets, better transit and upgrades to Interstate 5. But last week he said while he'll continue to ask tough questions about the project and the potential for cost overruns, he won't fight the project because of a city-state agreement the City Council approved Monday.

Taxes and business

Mallahan: Supports repeal of Seattle's "head tax," which charges businesses $25 a year for employees who drive alone to work. Also criticizes city's commercial parking tax, even though it is one of the sources slated to pay for the deep-bore tunnel project he supports.

McGinn: Does not support new tax breaks for business, citing the city's budget deficit. He does not want to repeal the "head tax." Seattle should focus on creating great schools, transit, nightlife and other amenities, he says, that make the city attractive to businesses.

Budget cuts

Mallahan: Instead of seeking money from parking taxes and other business taxes, he says he would probably go to the Legislature to seek permission to raise car tabs. He proposes cutting 20 percent of the city's $125 million per-year in consulting costs, saving $25 million in the city's overall budget. Mallahan also says he would cut by half the number of high-paid managers.

McGinn: Wants to reduce the size of city government by cutting 200 "strategic advisers" — a job classification that doubled under Mayor Greg Nickels. McGinn also says he would reduce duplicate positions. For example, city departments have internal human-resources workers, and there is a Department of Human Resources. Wants an independent budget-forecasting office.

Public safety

Mallahan: Supports adding 100 patrol officers, with emphasis on Southeast Seattle neighborhoods; expanding the police gang unit; improving outreach to at-risk youth; replacing current police-department software. Questions whether the ban on guns in city parks is legal or effective.

McGinn: Supports current ban on guns in city parks; expanding police department's gang unit; improving outreach to at-risk youth; asking Legislature for tougher penalties for juvenile gun crimes. Wants improved access to crime data.

Building a new jail

Mallahan: Does not think the city should build a new jail. Instead, the city should use psychiatric and mental-health courts, drug-dependency courts, family courts and other diversion programs to cut down on its jail needs. In addition, the city should negotiate with the county to continue a partnership that allows the city to use county jail space.

McGinn: Does not think the city should build a jail. The city should use diversion programs, such as drug court, to reduce jail population. And the city should negotiate with King County to use the Regional Justice Center in Kent to accommodate city inmates. A regional solution that involves the county and other cities in the area is more efficient than the city going it alone, he said.

Limits on panhandling

Mallahan: Supports city legislation that would ban panhandling while people are getting in and out of cars and using ATMs, and would make it illegal to touch people while asking them for money.

McGinn: Is skeptical of legislation that would seek to limit panhandling. He says there are so many cars and ATMs downtown that the proposed law could effectively bar people from panhandling there.