Mayoral Candidate Spotlight: Carl DeMaio

San Diego city Councilman Carl DeMaio has campaigned as a reformer, taking on pensions, unmet structural repair needs and downtown special interests.

The message appears to be resonating, with the District 5 councilman leading the way in polls throughout the mayor's race. Fellow candidates U.S. Rep. Bob Filner and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher gained ground during the campaign, but still fall behind him in recent polling. If none of the candidates—which also include District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Tobiah Pettus—receives more than 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday, the top two vote-getters will face off in November.

Here's a look at what DeMaio had to say in the official voters guide about his plans for San should he win the race:

We need a WATCHDOG to CLEAN UP CITY HALL.

Carl DeMaio: A Record of Reform

Carl built two successful businesses that specialize in improving performance and cutting costs in financially-troubled organizations. He is alos the taxpayer watchdog who helped expose the city's financial crisis.

Carl DeMaio: A 90-Page Plan to Fix the Problems

• Balance the Budget: Implement performance audits and proven efficiencies in every city department and pay down the debt.
• Reform Excessive Pensions: Carl authored and led the citizens' effort to allow you to vote on the Comprehensive Pension Reform initiative.
• Fix our Roads and Water System: Enough potholes! Make sure infrastructure funds are used properly.
• Improve Neighborhood Services especially public safety, parks and libraries.
• Restore Accountability and Transparency at every level of city government.

Carl DeMaio: Standing Up to Special Interests

Carl is the only candidate who stands up to government unions and the downtown insiders who are squandering our taxpayer dollars.

They are spending big bucks to defeat him, because they know he works for YOU, not for them.