Now simply isn't the time to ask Missoulians to give their government more money.

That's the perspective of Kathy Greathouse, a Missoula City Council candidate who Tuesday shared her views on maintenance districts and other matters during roundtable discussions at the Broadway Inn.

"It's just a tax to cover what the city budget doesn't cover anymore," said Greathouse, running in Ward 6.

The Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce, Missoula Organization of Realtors and Missoula Building Industry Association hosted the forum. It was sparsely attended but still deemed a success by at least Councilman Dave Strohmaier.

"I love candidate forums that have microbrews," said Strohmaier, sipping on an India Pale Ale provided by Big Sky Brewing Co.

Strohmaier, running to keep his seat in Ward 1, also discussed more serious matters, including maintenance districts. Those are a kind of area tax linked to a specific improvement, such as a better street, and Strohmaier said he'd like to know more about how they would work.

"I'm intrigued by the idea," he said.

He said he voted a couple of years ago against the special improvement district for Hillview Way because he believes the city needed a sea change in the way it pays for large infrastructure. If maintenance districts offered some tax relief to people already paying for similar assessments, he'd be open to exploring the idea.

The forum focused on the relationship between businesses and local government. Renee Radcliff, executive director for congressional and public affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Northwest Region, told participants that businesses and the jobs they provide are the "cash cow" in a community, but are under duress from over regulation.

"Without a strong and vibrant business community, you really have nothing," Radcliff said.

John Quandt, a candidate for Ward 3, has owned a small business, and he isn't in favor of maintenance districts unless there's an offset for property owners. He said he'd rather see the budget squeezed.

"I really dislike the idea of having an additional tax," Quandt said.

He also suggested another way to maintain parks. Community members who care about their neighborhood can volunteer to mow the lawn, for instance.

Quandt also said sometimes the city addresses symptoms, but not underlying problems. He offered props to Strohmaier for working on ordinances related to panhandling, but said the causes, such as lack of jobs and inadequate help for people who have mental illnesses, need to be addressed, too.

"Long term, what are we going to do to fix this?" Quandt said.

Growth and development was one topic of discussion. Councilwoman Marilyn Marler said her neighborhood has seen an influx of families, and she believes the district, Ward 6, is ripe for continued growth, too.

"I think we're going to keep growing because it's a wonderful place to live," Marler said.

She said many buildable lots are available, as shown in a study known as UFDA, or the Urban Fringe Development Area. And relative affordability has drawn people there.

To house people, Missoula needs a wider variety of homes, Marler said. It needs smaller single family homes, and condominiums, as well as more rentals, she said. And creating those means jobs.

"Someone has got to build all those," Marler said.

Greathouse, trying to unseat Marler, said jobs are what Missoula really needs. She also has seen young families enter the neighborhood, but she doesn't believe the trend will continue if people can't find work.

"We have to have a business friendly environment," Greathouse said.

Candidate Ryan Morton, trying to oust Strohmaier in Ward 1, also spoke to maintenance districts. He is a proponent of decentralized districts, where neighborhoods can choose to pay for upgrading a street.

"I don't think the entire city should be covered," Morton said.

He also said a corresponding decrease in general taxes must be part of the package.

As for how neighborhoods should develop in the future, Morton suggested they should grow more densely where people already have access to services. He said more shops such as the Rattlesnake Gardens would help, giving neighbors a chance to get a gallon of milk without driving across town to a supermarket.

Ward 5 Councilman Dick Haines agreed paying for big-ticket infrastructure, such as a new Hillview Way, was a challenge. But he isn't a fan of maintenance districts.

"I don't see how we can tax people the way we do and then throw in a taxing district," Haines said.

In fact, he said he could lop $2 million off the city's budget in a heartbeat without taxpayers feeling like they aren't getting services. But he said minority members haven't successfully broached the topic.

"It's so hard to get a decent discussion going in council and committees about that kind of thing," Haines said.

As for growth, he said many people have told him they don't want to able to knock on their neighbor's door by opening their own window. In other words, people need their space.

Supporting businesses also was a topic, and it already is being done by the city, said Councilman Bob Jaffe. The city has and uses a strong branch for doing so. That's the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, the city's "corporate welfare" tool.

The city doesn't need to "roll over" for businesses that are considering opening offices in Missoula, he said, but it can do its part to make sure the city is an affordable place to live. Currently, Ward 3's Jaffe said it's too expensive here, and Missoula needs more affordable housing.

Impact fees also came up, and Jaffe said the formulas are sound. Commercial development gets charged impact fees, but it delivers the bulk of the impact, and it's also getting a deal at least on one such fee.

"We only pegged them at 50 percent of the actual impact," Jaffe said.

Roy Houseman, a Ward 2 candidate, said businesses also have to be accountable. If a business is putting in commercial space in an area where it will use a lot of roads and other transportation facilities, it's an opportunity to make sure infrastructure is built.

He wasn't keen on offering exceptions on impact fees, either. He's knocked on more than 1,000 doors, and people aren't telling him they have complaints about impact fees. Also, he said as soon as the city makes one exception, it's on the hook.

Houseman said one benefit the community provides is University of Montana graduates who want to stay in Missoula. He'd like to see businesses that start them at more than $7.75 an hour, which he once earned, and more like $14 or $15 an hour.

Reporter Keila Szpaller can be reached at 523-5262, keila.szpaller@missoulian.com or on MissoulaRedTape.com.