Instead, Workman's two challengers focused on the issues - an element they say has been missing so far in the race.

"The scandals are a tragic distraction to the campaign," said Democrat Peter Corroon. "Unfortunately a lot of focus isn't on the race. It's unfortunate the public can't hear about the issues."

They did Friday.

Corroon and unaffiliated candidate Merrill Cook - Workman did not attend the event - discussed social problems at an intimate gathering of residents at the Crossroads Urban Center-sponsored forum. Workman, who has been at nearly all such forums, had been invited but "had some other engagements," according to her re-election campaign.

Cook said he was a "little left" of Corroon when it came to a ban on charging application fees to people applying to rent apartments. The former congressman supported a complete ban on the fees. The county last year allowed landlords to charge minimal fees for tenants in unincorporated areas - a move Cook dislikes.

"They don't need a little fee that sometimes is really burdensome," Cook said.

Corroon, a landlord himself, said he wanted to ban fees for low-income residents, but wants landlords to be able to charge fees to others. Without that ability, he said all rents would have to be raised to cover such expenses as the cost of credit and legal checks of prospective tenants.

Both Cook and Corroon say they favor lowering or eliminating sales tax on some food items. "We need to understand that basic food in this country is not a privilege, it's a right," Cook said.

Corroon supported a living-wage proposal - to ensure that county contractors pay at least $9.06 an hour.

"Unfortunately I think we've started to create a new class of the working poor - as I call it," Corroon said, noting that employees need to be able to pay for basic needs.

Cook wouldn't go that far.

"I want to do anything I can to bring wages, salaries up," he said. But he added that a living wage could be harmful to some companies, driving them out of business and causing layoffs.

Asked how the mayor's office could improve communication to residents about available social services, both Cook and Corroon said they would work to let residents know how to access programs such as food stamps, property-tax relief and energy-bill assistance.

Cook took a shot at Workman, saying he would "plaster" such important notices over stickers on county buildings that proclaim her as the mayor. Corroon said he would promote the services through fliers, health fairs and on television.

Workman campaign manager Chris Bleak says the mayor opposes a "living wage" because Workman believes in a free-market system.

The mayor, "like most people, would like to see the complete elimination of sales tax on food," but that tax needs to be accounted for in another way, Bleak said. Workman would support removing sales tax on some items, such as those for babies and children, Bleak added.

As for informing residents about programs, Bleak says the mayor has made a "real effort" to do so in her administration and would continue to do so in a second term.

"The mayor certainly supports making these services known and making them available to residents who need them," Bleak said.

Bleak welcomed a chance to talk about the issues, which he agrees have been sidelined.

"We're confident a race [which focuses] solely on the way the mayor has run the county will be a positive for the mayor," Bleak said.

Green Party candidate Diana Lee Hirschi withdrew from the race this week.

tburr@sltrib.com

Workman in court Monday

Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman is scheduled for a status conference Monday in 3rd District Court on her attorneys' motion to dismiss. Her attorneys requested the hearing, set for Monday at 11 a.m. before Judge Robert Hilder. They have filed a motion asking a judge to toss the case and to remove special prosecutor Michael Martinez. Workman, who is on paid leave, has been charged with two felony counts of misuse of public money. She denies any criminal wrongdoing.