In the state's fourth-largest city- poised to jump from 100,000 to 166,000 people over the next 30 years - handling growth is shaping up to be the campaign's hottest issue.

And development and real-estate interests are ponying up the bulk of the campaign cash.

Jensen Family Trust, which owns 350 acres of West Jordan farmland; the Salt Lake Board of Realtors; Foursquare Properties Inc., owner of Jordan Landing; the Salt Lake Home Builders Association; Savage Asphalt Paving & Construction Inc.; and T L Consulting, owned by land developers Terry Diehl and Lee Conant, are the biggest donors.

They have each handed off $2,000 or more to council candidates in Districts 2, 3 and 4, according to campaign-finance disclosures filed shortly before this month's primary election.

In District 1, which did not have enough candidates for a primary election, incumbent Kim Rolfe and challenger Nathan Gedge have yet to report campaign donations. The next filings are due at the City Recorder's Office Oct. 23-30.

City Councilman Rob Bennett, in a race against Jim Lems to keep his District 2 seat, notes that most donors are either supporting incumbents only or challengers only. He chalks that up to a desire among some developers to install a City Council that's more sympathetic to them and high-density housing.

"The council has taken a stand: We're not interested in being the starter-home capital of Salt Lake County. We want to increase [the quality and size of new homes]," says Bennett, who has accepted money from developers.

"Developers have balked because they've never been forced to be held to a standard like this before."

Bennett acknowledges he has taken $1,000 from the owners of Jordan Landing, the city's largest retail center, and another $1,000 from Diehl and Conant, which has developed Jordan Hills Villages, a 2,646-unit subdivision on the city's west side that has both single- and multifamily homes. The pair also received approval last month to move forward with Maple Hills, a single-family housing project nearby.

Bennett attributes Foursquare Properties' and T L Consulting's support to getting a "fair shake" from the City Council.

But challengers disagree with Bennett's assessment of their contributors' motives.

"Rob's actually missed the boat here," Lems says. Donors to challengers' campaigns "just want to be treated more fairly by the city." As an example, the muffler-store manager points to the cumbersome and lengthy city building-permit and inspection process.

And, as all of the candidates do, he emphasizes his vote on the council won't be swayed by campaign donors.

"I will vote my conscience [and for] what my constituents would like," Lems says.

Ben Southworth, who is running against Councilman Mike Kellermeyer in District 3, also questions Bennett's charges.

"His money's coming from developers, as well, so it's an interesting comment to make," says Southworth, a small-business owner.

Southworth says he plans to support growth that is "smart, well-planned and deliberate." And he welcomes comments - and donations - from anyone who wants to participate in his campaign, not just landowners and development interests, he says.

"The reality is building a successful city will require input from everyone in the community."

Kellermeyer suspects that of the donors, at least one - the Jensen Family Trust that donated $6,250 to six non-incumbent candidates in the primary election - wants to overturn the current City Council.

"All you need is four votes to push through a development," including a high-density project, Kellermeyer says.

The trust owns about 350 acres of farmland in the western part of the city, according to Jensen family spokesman Robert Bowman. At one time, the family held thousands of acres, but has sold the bulk off to home builders and the Jordan School District.

And yes, Bowman says, the Jensen family does want new leadership in West Jordan - but that has nothing to do with developing the family's ground.

"We just see the city heading in the wrong direction," Bowman says.

Bowman says the city has failed to adequately plan for transportation needs and has played favorites with developers. He also says the council has resorted to "finger-pointing" instead of cooperating with the Jordan School District to get new schools built.

"We're concerned with the city, where we have historical roots of almost 100 years," Bowman says, noting that challengers can expect more family cash.

"We want to see [West Jordan] get on the right track before we would even consider developing."