Risch, who lost his bid for reelection to the city council in 2003 in a bitter race, is going on the offensive this time against his opponent for council Seat 1, Tony Spitaleri.

The website www.thetruthabouttony.org--paid for by Risch's reelection group--lists 23 items that Risch says reflect poorly on Spitaleri's past, including unpaid income and property taxes, illegally receiving veterans benefits, breaking campaign laws and accusations of using "strong-arm, storm-trooper tactics" in Palo Alto political issues.

The website provides links to a number of newspaper articles related to each accusation.

The list was also mailed as a flier to residents across Sunnyvale.

"The information I provided also is presented to ensure that the voters have complete and factual information about the candidate, so they can draw their own conclusions," Risch said in an email to The Sun. "The financial issues are relevant in determining whether a pattern of bankruptcy, lawsuits, judgments and tax liens is appropriate for someone seeking to be elected to the Sunnyvale council," Risch said.

In response to Risch's claims, Spitaleri held a press conference on Aug. 10 in front of city hall. He was joined by all the city council members except Otto Lee.

Mayor Dean Chu, who is endorsing Spitaleri, said he was at the event more to speak out against personal attacks in Sunnyvale politics.

"I'm just disappointed that one would stoop to personal attacks," Chu said. "I hope we can get back to the issues."

The only council member who did not attend the press conference was Otto Lee, who is also the only elected official in Sunnyvale who is not supporting Spitaleri.

Spitaleri addressed the claims with a packet of his own--court documents and statements addressing Risch's claims. The documents included a statement verifying that Spitaleri had filed tax returns for at least the last decade. There were also documents showing he had paid off debts he owed.

Spitaleri acknowledged that he had faced some financial problems in his personal life but said he doesn't think that it means he can't handle a city budget.

"It's all quite a bit different than dealing with your own checkbook," he said.

He said he can adequately judge situations and work with city staff to work on successful budgets for Sunnyvale if elected to the city council.

Risch, in his email to The Sun, also addressed the 2003 elections in Palo Alto. During the same time Risch was voted out of office--in part because of a massive effort by the Public Safety Officers Association--Spitaleri was in charge of the firefighters union in Palo Alto. Risch said that many of the tactics in the Palo Alto election echoed what went on in Sunnyvale.

Spitaleri's controversial actions in Palo Alto revolved around the proposed cutting of a seasonal fire station in the Palo Alto foothills.

"Mr. Spitaleri directed an extremely negative and 'distasteful' campaign in Palo Alto with the goal of protecting the union from absorbing its fair share of budget cuts," Risch said. "This is exactly what was done here in Sunnyvale."

According to a number of articles in the Palo Alto Daily News, the union told residents that positions were being cut, when in fact, people were being temporarily transferred to help the city save money.

According to the newspaper accounts, the union also pressured city council members and actively supported those who did not support the cuts. In the end, the council elected to make the cuts anyway.

But Spitaleri said his only concern was the safety of the city he served, although it may have been perceived differently.

"That's just how a reporter, or reporters, wrote the story," he said. "I don't believe I was threatening anyone, my concern was with public safety. I have no control over how the press writes it."

Spitaleri, in a telephone interview with The Sun, also addressed questions of a possible conflict of interest if he sits on the council.

Spitaleri--a retired Palo Alto firefighter--has served as an arbitrator between the Sunnyvale City Council and the Sunnyvale Employees Association and was appointed to represent the Public Safety Officers Association in March of 1999 during negotiations with the city. Although he was appointed, Spitaleri says he never took part in any negotiations between PSOA and the city.

"I know for a fact that I never sat in a room with an arbitrator," Spitaleri said.

Risch is concerned about this possible conflict because of the current council's pattern of agreement.

He thinks the current council has moved "in lock-step" in the last two years, and that there has not been a strong independent voice during hearings. Risch said he sees this continuing if his opponent is elected, because the council is almost unanimously supporting Spitaleri.

"I think the greatest danger is--based on his 'inflammatory' and 'combative' record in Palo Alto--a further poisoning of politics in Sunnyvale, a reduction in civility, and the lack of an independent voice who will ask the tough questions on the council," Risch said.

Spitaleri said that he can be that voice, regardless of any past affiliations.

"The job here is to administer the city with the help and direction of city staff, and make the best possible decisions," Spitaleri said. "When you sit on the dais, you've got a look at all sides, and I can do that."

The Nov. 8 election is less than three months away, and both men say they expect the battle to continue through the rest of the campaign.

"I totally expect Tim to continue conducting a dirty campaign, but I'm just not going to into that," Spitaleri said. "I'm running my straight-forward campaign, and if he continues to throw mud, I'm going to duck."