KNIGHTDALE - The next mayor of Knightdale will be an active leader for local schools, a recruiter of industry and an advocate for Knightdale's Public Safety department.

The candidates - incumbent Russell Killen and local businessman Jun Lee - shared an audience of about 15 people at the Knightdale Recreation Center last week, where in an hourlong question-and-answer session they provided voters a glimpse of how they plan to tackle some of this town's most important issues.

Killen, an attorney with the Raleigh firm Parker-Poe, and Lee, owner and operator of the Knightdale Tae-Kwon Do studio Black Belt World, each pledged to intensify efforts to attract commercial business without raising taxes.

But they disagreed on how to continue to improve Knightdale schools, which have a history of lagging behind the rest of Wake County.

Lee, who promoted himself as a business-oriented leader with fresh ideas, suggested Knightdale allot a percentage of its revenue toward Knightdale's eight schools.

"Perhaps 1 percent of the budget," Lee said, adding his proposal would mean the Knightdale Town Council appointing a committee to decide how the money would be spent in each school.

Killen argued that "throwing money at the problem won't necessarily solve anything."

"I believe in boots on the ground," Killen said. "One percent of the budget is not going to make a difference. We would have to give it to the county anyway."

One percent of the budget is about $120,000, Killen said.

Killen billed himself as Knightdale's proven "voice" who has "tried to leverage relationships and partnerships."

"That's where I see the bigger value ... and that's what makes me the better candidate," Killen said.

The candidates also differed in their approach to the current structure of Knightdale's Public Safety Department. The department, where most officers currently serve as firemen and law enforcement, should be split, Lee argued. Lee said some of the public safety officers told him they were overworked and understaffed. "Knightdale is the only town in Wake County where (the departments) are combined," Lee said. "If it's that good, how come other towns aren't going to that model?"

The Public Safety Department saves money and is not understaffed, Killen said.

"I don't think we are understaffed. We added four (new officers) over the past year," Killen said. Lee's retort: The public safety officers "are the ones who came to me. Do you know how hard it is to train for both (fire and police work)? They are having less time to spend with their families."

Killen said splitting the Public Safety Department would be much more costly than keeping it intact. He said Knightdale couldn't afford to spend money on such an organizational shakeup.

"Sure, I'd love to have more officers, but how would you propose we pay for these changes?" Killen asked Lee.

Lee said the changes would not necessarily be made right away. "Perhaps when the economy is in better shape," he said.

Killen and Lee are scheduled to appear at a formal televised debate 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at Knightdale Town Hall.