Street paving and disaster preparedness are big issues among District 6 residents this November as they vote to choose the replacement for their councilmember of 16 years.

But perhaps the bigger issue in this race is the ideological difference between the two candidates.

Councilmember Betty Olds is retiring this year, leaving her seat open for competition between her longtime aide, Susan Wengraf, and Peace and Justice Commission member Phoebe Anne Sorgen.

Sorgen was also a member of Code Pink, a group that protested at the Marine Corps recruiting center.

Some residents said Sorgen's liberal activities would make her unpopular within the district, which is one of the most conservative in Berkeley.

"The Marine recruiting center protests were not only waste of time and money, but an embarrassment to the city," said Elmer Grossman, an 18-year resident of the district.

But Sorgen said her first priority as a member of the council would be representing her constituents.

"It is important for Berkeley to have our proud tradition of free speech when doing so does not cost the city time or money," she said. "Our first priority is to take care of the practical needs of our constituents."

Wengraf is considered to be the favorite in the race, having received support from both mayoral candidates and a majority of city council members. As of Sept. 30, Wengraf has raised about $27,000 and Sorgen about $12,000.

Wengraf said her fundraising success is proof of her electability.

"People know about my commitment to this city and I just sent out a letter and I got a tremendous response," she said.

Despite ideological differences, both candidates stressed a commitment to addressing important issues for residents in light of a tight budget.

Because of the area's location, fire and earthquake emergency preparedness are key issues for residents. Currently, some residents have access to caches of useful supplies in the event of an emergency.

But Wengraf said there are no more caches to hand out, which could be remedied by homeowners paying into an account to fund additional caches.

Wengraf suggested a similar neighborhood-funded approach to putting power lines underground, which is another important issue to residents.

"A lot of people would like to see a serious effort made to underground utility lines, not only for aesthetics, but because in the event of natural disasters, wires come down, which is dangerous," Grossman said.

Wengraf said she would explore an approach similar to Berkeley's solar panel financing program, in which homeowners pay for panels on their property taxes over 20 years.

Sorgen said she would motivate individual homeowners to store essential preparedness supplies and have block parties to educate residents.

Street paving is also a big issue for area residents, who said numerous potholes made some roads unsafe.

"The streets are a big thing in my district, there are a lot of potholes that need to be taken care of," said Maggie Gee, a 40-year resident of the district.

Wengraf said the city will be able to make fewer repairs this year because of the rising cost of oil-based asphalt.

"Some of our roads in District 6 are almost impassable, it's like you need a Hummer or something to get over those potholes," she said. "It's very frustrating for all of us, but the reality is people are going to have to be patient."

Tags: LOCAL ELECTIONS 2008, CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2008