INDEPENDENCE - Seven challengers and four incumbents are seeking six Independence City Council seats Nov. 2.

The two-year term pays $3,000 a year.

Would-be officeholders range in age from 33 to 70 and include newcomers to the community along with some who've lived there for decades. Many of the challengers say they were drawn into the race because of concerns about tax and spending issues in a city that saw its population jump 43 percent between 1990 and 2000. Other issues include better land-use planning, the relocation of the city building to a new center on Madison Pike, and focusing on road improvements, such as the completion of Ky. 17 and Ky. 536, so that more businesses will want to move to Independence.

As Kentucky's largest city in terms of land area, it takes police about 25 minutes to get from one end of Independence to the other. Most candidates agree that more police are needed to patrol the city's nearly 17 square miles, but differ on how to raise that money.

A group of candidates who fought an insurance tax last year - incumbent Donna Yeager and first-time candidates JoAnne Cobble, Jeff Hemsath, Mike Little, Margaret Cook and Kent Kelso - have called for fiscal responsibility and responsible growth. Marcus Cook has dropped out of the race.

Other candidates are incumbents Carol Franzen, Mary Pat Behler and Jim Bushong and challengers Jim Kudera, a former councilman and interim mayor; and Daniel E. Koch, a member of the city's board of adjustments.

Mayor Chris Moriconi is not up for re-election this year.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com

INDEPENDENCE