OAKLAND >> The race to be the city’s next mayor finally heated up Tuesday, with the stage cleared for candidates Barbara Lee and Loren Taylor to explain for the first time why either would be a better choice than the other for Oakland’s top political office.

The first public debate ahead of the April 15 special election limited participation to campaigns that have raised at least $75,000, placing Taylor, a former City Council member, and Lee, a retired veteran of Congress, head to head for the first time.

The two candidates, who are widely believed to be clear front-runners in the 10-candidate field, did not find very much room for disagreement over specific city policies. Both called for hiring more police, prioritizing businesses, celebrating the town’s diversity and fighting back against Donald Trump’s administration.

But they drew a clear line between their approaches to leadership. Taylor, an engineer and business consultant, touted his willingness to make hard choices in fixing a “broken” Oakland, and Lee promised to unify a city whose political divisions appeared to become more pronounced under ex-Mayor Sheng Thao’s administration.

Their diverging visions for Oakland’s future may take shape most prominently in how they would handle a perilous deficit in the city’s budget, which in recent months led to layoffs of city workers and deep spending cuts, following warnings of potential insolvency.

“Every mayor will be able to bring people into the room — that is a given,” Taylor said. “The question is what happens inside of that room? Will you be able to look your friends and allies in the eye and say … ‘We have to make hard, necessary choices today, so we can preserve our tomorrow’?”

Labor groups have independently raised tens of thousands of dollars to support Lee, who said plainly Tuesday that “cutting jobs, of course, would be the last action I would take, because jobs mean services to the city, (which) needs good, quality services for our residents.”

The two also emphasized different strengths: Taylor sought to demonstrate his know-how of city government, and Lee focused more on her record of wrangling state and federal funds for Oakland.

But without much further to disagree about policy-wise, the candidates attempted to best each other in pitching their leadership qualities.

The gloves first came off when moderator Dave Clark, a KTVU news anchor, asked the candidates to address the specter of ex-Mayor Thao, who was recalled by 60% of voters last November and now faces felony charges of bribery and conspiracy.

“We have to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, those who propped up and backed Sheng Thao — they don’t want me to be mayor.” He then went further, accusing Lee of being “recruited by some of those same backers of Sheng Thao to run.”

Taylor’s last comment drew cheers from activists in the crowd who had organized the recall effort against Thao.

Lee, though, was quick to note that she had support from some pro-recall people. Two prominent voices in the recall movement, Carl Chan and Derreck Johnson, were among the earliest supporters of Lee’s mayoral run.

Addressing the point about who recruited her, Lee then added, “If we’re talking our labor union brothers and sisters, our activists, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce — I’m not sure who Loren is talking about, because I’ve put together a strong coalition in this city, as an example of how, as mayor, I will govern.

“I will not take cheap shots at people who support him,” Lee continued. “I’m talking about bringing the city together — not dividing us.”

Later in the debate, Lee did target Taylor with her own criticisms, comparing him with someone applying to be a “city staffer” instead of a mayor with a broader vision, and accusing him of being responsible for some of Oakland’s current woes because of his past service on the City Council.

Taylor, who served as council member from 2018 to 2022, issued a second closing statement to defend his voting record as being cast in dissent to the city’s past budgets. He gave up his council seat to run against Thao in the 2022 mayoral race.

Whoever emerges victorious in April would be expected to immediately begin developing a budget proposal for the city’s next fiscal year, which begins in July. The next mayor will have to balance an expected $130 million structural deficit.

Taylor called for getting the city to 800 sworn police officers, up from the current 683 on the force, assuring the crowd that a hiring spree, via new police-training academies, is achievable because it would offset hefty overtime pay generated by the cops.

Lee, on the other hand, said “we have to be honest with ourselves: We’re not going to be out of this by April 16,” referring to the day after the election.

She has been more keen to reference policies that are already in the works, such as Measure NN, a voter-approved parcel tax that will guarantee a minimum 700 sworn cops, and a new sales tax, Measure A, that will appear on the same April 15 election ballot and could deliver an estimated $30 million annually if approved.

Both expressed cautious optimism toward the city’s not-yet-completed deal to sell its share of the Oakland Coliseum complex. Lee touted her strong relationships with small businesses, and Taylor promised to eliminate a licensing tax for businesses earning less than $1.5 million a year.

The 47-year-old also pointedly acknowledged wanting to be mayor for the next “six or 10 years,” alluding to the absence of such a commitment from Lee, who is 78. Whoever wins the race will serve what would have been the rest of Thao’s term in office, which lasts until November 2026

Ranked-choice voting may allow the eight other mayoral candidates — including ex-Thao staffer Renia Webb, plus former Olympic skier Elizabeth Swaney, Bay Area Council staffer Suz Robinson, paralegal Tyron Jordan, plus four perennial candidates — to shape the outcome of the election, which is just over a month away.

But after Tuesday’s first debate, Lee and Taylor’s campaigns, which have not sought any voting alliances under the format, appeared ready, at last, for a one-on-one showdown.