Salt Lake City mayoral candidates Ralph Becker and Dave Buhler broached all three Wednesday, debating the relative role of a downtown skywalk, a petition to scuttle Real Salt Lake's Sandy soccer stadium and the breach between Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah's capital.

They also weighed in on Mayor Rocky Anderson and whether it is appropriate for Salt Lake City's next leader to be a globe-trotting activist.

"I wouldn't," said Buhler, a city councilman and former state senator. Buhler, a Republican, argued the mayor instead should focus on being chief executive - to manage all city departments while working with other city captains and state lawmakers.

Becker, a Democrat, pledged to work with residents, steer clear of anti-war rallies - Anderson has participated in several at home and in Washington, D.C. - and resist hopscotching across the globe. But the professional city planner and House minority leader maintained the mayor should give voice to issues such as air quality.

"It takes leaders in the community to stand up and speak out to really raise the awareness," Becker said.

The hourlong dialogue at the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics - the last in a series of three featuring the major mayoral contenders - crystallized other differences between these two candidates.

For instance, Buhler insisted the proposed sky bridge for the LDS Church's City Creek Center is vital to lure shoppers and major retailers to the $1 billion-plus downtown development.

"It occurs to me that only in Salt Lake City is a bridge divisive," Buhler said.

But Becker argued skywalks take activity off the street and said granting one could create a bad precedent.

"I'm not convinced we are going to lose the whole development over the sky bridge," he said. "We don't need another insulated development. We need to open up our downtown."

The candidates also disagreed on the importance of City Hall experience - Buhler has it; Becker doesn't - and whether the capital ought to subsidize fiber-optics projects to propel high-speed Web connections.

The latter subject was raised by Pete Ashdown, a former U.S. Senate candidate and owner of XMission, an independent Internet service provider.

Buhler said no tax dollars should be tapped, while Becker suggested the city should step up with funding if the private sector fails to do so.

Both candidates took issue with how the Sandy soccer stadium won public money. The Legislature, led by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., agreed to funnel $35 million in Salt Lake County hotel taxes toward the $110 million project after County Mayor Peter Corroon rejected a previous funding plan.

Buhler argued the stadium should be at the Utah State Fairpark and - in a jab at Anderson and his stormy relationship with the Legislature - suggested the project would have landed in Salt Lake City if the capital had different leadership.

Becker said he was "thoroughly frustrated" with the way the stadium issue unfolded on Capitol Hill - although he ended up voting for the funding package. He defended his signing of a long-shot petition calling for a public vote on the Sandy stadium, arguing that residents should have a say on the issue.

Both mayoral hopefuls agreed civil dialogue is key to mending fences between a city isolated under Anderson and the Legislature.

Both also endorsed synchronized stoplights in the city and pointed to Portland, Ore., as a model for sound transportation planning. And both encouraged more conversations between Mormons and non-Mormons throughout Utah's increasingly progressive capital.

The latter came up after a questioner asked how neighborhoods still could be called "wards" and what could be done to bridge the religious divide.

"There are so many more things that unite us than divide us," Buhler said, calling for more dialogue.

Becker concurred, calling on residents to avoid name-calling and rather engage the other side and treat people with respect.

"If you see it [criticism], you don't condone it," he said, "you step on it."

The candidates placed a lopsided emphasis on party affiliation - despite the fact the mayor's race is officially nonpartisan. Buhler downplayed his Republican pedigree, saying city issues are nonpartisan. But Becker celebrated his Democratic status.

"In a city that is progressive like Salt Lake City," Becker said, "it is important that those values are reflected and represented."

Eight candidates are hoping to replace Anderson, who opted against seeking a third term. The field will be whittled to two in a Sept. 11 primary.

One high-profile contender, former Utah Democratic Chairwoman Meg Holbrook, dropped out earlier this week, opting instead to focus on her new appointment to a state transportation panel.

djensen@sltrib.com