With the general election fast approaching, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and City Councilmember Ann H. Kobayashi spent the lunch hour yesterday stumping to students, faculty and staff at Leeward Community College.

Hannemann and Kobayashi did not square off in a debate, but took turns on stage in the student lounge.

After each was introduced, they were asked to answer three questions about their transportation plans, their economic policies and the future of the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill.

They did not speak to one another during the forum and following a brief greeting, Kobayashi left before Hannemann took the stage.

More than 100 students, supporters, faculty and staff attended, and a few asked questions.

Kobayashi opened by touting her EzWay transit plan, a mix of fixed guideways for buses and managed lanes. She said that with a price tag of $2.5 billion, it is an affordable solution to the traffic gridlock plaguing commuters going between West or Central O'ahu and town.

She said the hybrid buses used in her plan are even with the curb with doors that open in the middle. In Europe, this new-technology bus "is classified as a train."

"We do have a very bad transportation problem. … The traffic is just horrendous," said Kobayashi. But she said the ailing economy cannot support Hannemann's $3.7 billion steel wheel on steel rail commuter project.

"The state of our nation is not great and we're feeling that here in Hawai'i. We're working at pulling together and making sure we're not spending money we don't have," Kobayashi said.

She maintained that there is no guaranteed money to fund Hannemann's project.

Hannemann countered by saying that the Hawai'i congressional delegation is firmly behind the city's rail plan and that the law allowing for the general excise tax increase specifically states that it cannot be used to pay for Kobayashi's plan but can be used to pay for rail.

"It (rail) can be built with federal dollars. U.S. Sen. (Daniel) Inouye is on TV and radio right now saying it's now or never" to apply for and receive federal funding, Hannemann said. "It's not for buses, it's for a modern rail steel-on-steel system. It's ready to go and will be part of a multi-modal system."

Kobayashi stuck to her position that the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill can be closed and that new technology can convert most of O'ahu's trash into energy while recycling the rest.

Hannemann said islandwide curbside recycling is imminent. That and an expansion of the city's waste-to-energy furnace, plus plans to ship some trash to the Mainland, mean a landfill may not be needed in the future, he said.

Kobayashi said she will bring added scrutiny to the way the city spends money and taxes property owners. Hannemann insisted his experience as an executive with C. Brewer & Co. Ltd. and as the director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism makes him capable of guiding the city through tough economic times.

Both supported the state's planned West O'ahu campus for the University of Hawai'i.

Hannemann told the audience that he has always been attentive to the plight of Leeward O'ahu residents who must deal with traffic, the landfill and other projects that other O'ahu neighborhoods don't want in their backyards.

Kobayashi also played off Hannemann's refusal to commit to a full four-year term by promising to remain in office for the entire term if elected Nov. 4.

"I commit to four years of open and honest government," said Kobayashi. "I look forward to working with all of you. I believe in listening to people, partnering and collaborating."

Hannemann said he hopes voters will consider his experience as a legislator and as a businessman when voting.

"Who has the experience to hit the ground running? I trust you will recognize that me and my team have been on the job, 24-7 at times, working to make this place a better place to work and to live and to raise our families."

Audience members were divided on the candidates, some saying they knew who they would support while others were undecided.

Spencer Im, an 18-year-old LCC student and Waipi'o resident, said he did not know who he would vote for.

"I like everything Mufi says but I don't support Barack Obama and he does," Im said.

Michael Donato, a 20-year-old student from Newtown Estates in 'Aiea, said his support is firmly behind Hannemann.

"Looking past the rail issue, he's contributed a lot of stuff to Hawai'i," Donato said.