SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The mayoral hopefuls met at the Palace Theatre Wednesday night for their first political debate. Panelists grilled the candidates on ways they would improve the city.

One key issue was tackling sky high property taxes.

"The primary reason our property taxes are so high is because of the way that the state has funded Medicaid and Medicare, share between the county and the state. Other states have the whole state take the burden," said Democratic candidate Stephanie Miner. "So let's talk about really sustained, meaningful relief."

"We need to radically change what we're doing in government. We have to decrease our size. We have to try to lessen that nut because taxes continue to go up each and every year," said Conservative candidate Otis Jennings.

"I can tell you in every organization I have run, and there have been many, I've walked into that organization, looked at the profit and loss statement, looked at the revenues, looked at how we could change things. And I have saved millions of dollars," said Republican candidate Steve Kimatian. "I have no reason to believe that I would not be able to do the same thing. And those savings go directly to the taxpayer."

The candidates also discussed ways to improve education, draw businesses and people into the city, and of course fight crime. It was a topic that fueled contention among the candidates.

"The curfew I propose is really an intervention for children. It's child protection," Kimatian said.

"Mr. Kimatian's curfew just shows how out of touch he is with the community. It's not effective, Jennings said. "We need to build relationships. We do not need to create a police state."

"We need to look at real alternatives. We need to look at prevention as well as suppression and not ask our police officers to be babysitters," said Miner.

Although they couldn't agree on a method, all of the candidates said improving the safety of the city is at the top of their lists.

Voters will decide on the city's next mayor during the general election on November 3.