Allegations of a conflict of interest, and an attack on Wasilla's existing power and tax structure livened up an otherwise sedate "meet the candidates" forum at the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce Tuesday.

The usual platitudes about tight fiscal policy and economic growth dominated the conversation, but Wasilla Council Candidate Steve Stoll went negative, both early and often, with repeated attacks on his opponent, Colleen Sullivan-Leonard.

Sullivan-Leonard and Stoll are running for Seat F, which is being left vacant by exiting council member Don Bennett. Stoll repeatedly questioned whether Sullivan-Leonard had a conflict of interest by running for the council while her husband, Ted Leonard, works as finance director for the city of Wasilla.

Stoll's first volley was received by gasps from the audience, and ignored by Sullivan-Leonard, who talked only about her campaign goals when her turn came around, and sat straight-faced while Stoll spoke.

The second and third time Stoll raised the issue, some audience members were groaning.

Finally, a visibly angry Sullivan-Leonard spoke to the issue. She said that since Wasilla had a strong-mayor form of government, and her husband worked for the administration and not the council, there was no conflict. Then she reiterated her support for the current administration and her husband.

"I am very proud of my husband's work at the city," Sullivan-Leonard said. ". . . like many members of the community I am proud of the current mayor and council."

Stoll isn't.

The time Stoll didn't spend criticizing Sullivan-Leonard's familial relationship to city hall, he used to portray himself as an outsider and attacked the current council and administration.

"If you don't want anybody on the council to ask questions, then don't vote for me," he said.

Stoll's "then-don't-vote-for-me" speech was mostly a general attack on the status quo. There were two specifics in his list -- a pledge to support a 3 a.m. closing time for alcohol sales, and his allegation that Sullivan-Leonard has a conflict of interest.

Stoll first used Sullivan-Leonard's husband's job as a campaign issue in a letter to the Frontiersman in early August. The allegation was also addressed in an August Frontiersman article, and by Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin in a letter supporting Sullivan-Leonard's campaign.

For his part, Ron Cox, who is running unopposed for Seat E, kept his opinion on the Seat F race to himself, and spoke in general terms about future growth in Wasilla. Seat E is being left vacant by Colleen Cottle.

Cox is pastor of Word of Faith Assembly, and has served as treasurer of the Republican Party of Alaska's third district.

As for specifics, Cox addressed his own decision to run and pledged support for the current administration.

"I was asked to run, but I was not quite sure about being a pastor and running for public office at the same time," Cox said. The minister didn't say who asked him to run, but did say he consulted with members of the Word of Faith Assembly's board, and that the board members also encouraged him to run. Cox described Wasilla as "the greatest city in Alaska" and said the next council should focus on industrial growth, specifically manufacturing and tourism.

Sullivan-Leonard pledged to encourage new businesses to get involved in community affairs as Wasilla grows

"I will ask that (new businesses) look at Wasilla as a community to invest in, and not just a place to make money," she said.

She also touted her experience on the planning and zoning commission, and said she had been meeting with voters and spent time with Wasilla Police Chief Charlie Fannon to learn about public safety issues.

Sullivan-Leonard said she opposed a borough-wide sales tax. It's a stance she shares with the majority of Wasilla's current council members and the mayor.

"(The tax proposal is) not complete in its entirety," she said. She added that no caps on the sales taxes were in place, and that no enforceable property tax cap was included in the ballot proposition.

"The citizens of Wasilla are concerned, and so am I," she said.

The anti-tax stance is one place where Sullivan-Leonard and her opponent shared common ground -- but naturally, Stoll's reasoning was quite different.

When asked about sales taxes, the self-professed outsider seized the opportunity to attack Wasilla's status quo.

"I think it's a fair way to distribute the tax burden,"Stoll said, " . . . but the essentials should not be taxed. Groceries should not be taxed."

Stoll also said borough government should pursue education funding at the state level, which he believes is a constitutional mandate of the state.

"The system, as it exists now, pits property owners against the school district," he said.