Meet Jane Tappen, Howard White and Gerald Wilkie.

Like recent UW-Eau Claire graduate Mike Steffens, the three Eau Claire community members also are seeking election as City Council president.

Tappen has been a member of the Eau Claire City Council for the past 10 months.

She said she’s seeking the position because she wants to see more civility on the council.

Tappen also said she wants to see the council discuss the big picture for the city, and as council president, she’d be in a position to direct such a discussion.

Tappen views Eau Claire as a city that’s expanding too quickly around the edges while downtown is ignored.

“We just can’t afford that kind of development,” she said. “We’re developing a sprawling city with low-paying jobs.”

Tappen would like to revitalize downtown by adding new merchants and keeping those that are already there. Then, she said, more students could be attracted to the area.

“I think we need to make better connections between the inner part of our city and the university,” she said.

White, an attorney, wants to be council president because he said he would bring a positive approach to the council.

White is no newcomer to the council. He was appointed to serve in 1993 and was subsequently elected for two years to an at-large bid. He also serves on the police and fire commission and has served on other committees in the past.

White sees the wage issue as key for the city and as an issue that affects students.

“Students are staring at a job that is going to pay $5.15 to $5 and a quarter,” he said.

Wilkie, who works at Bolton Refuge House and has served on local committees in the past, also sees the wage issue as crucial.

“Eau Claire has the distinction of having one of the lowest paying wage scales in the state of Wisconsin,” he said. “I think it’s time that as a community we just put our focus on decent-paying jobs.”

He said he wants to keep property taxes down as well.

“When you see property tax going up, it does contribute to the problem of lack of decent, affordable housing,” he said.

Wilkie believes he offers students a good choice for representation.

“I’ve been there, done that, was a student at UW-Eau Claire and I’ve dealt with the same issues (students) have dealt with,” he said.

None of the candidates offered a clear solution to the parking problem at UW-Eau Claire.

“I really cringe when they say let’s buy up some houses and raze them to make parking lots,” White said. “I think it’s something we’re going to have to look at.”

Tappen believes city transit can help students from having to drive to class.

“We have to keep working with city transit,” she said.

As for off-street parking for students who rent, Tappen would like to see that issue discussed by neighborhood association.

“These kinds of problems have to be worked out with the neighborhoods,” she said.

Wilkie isn’t sure how to handle the problem either. As a graduate of UW-Eau Claire, he’s had to deal with the parking problem in the past.

“I remember having to park 12 blocks away,” he said, “I’ve lived that first hand.

“It’s a problem that has never been addressed adequately.”

Primaries for City Council president are Tuesday.