Keys Gate Charter School intended the Homestead mayoral debate to be a learning experience for its students, but that didn't stop things from getting heated between the two opponents as they scrapped over the city's budget, property tax rate, jobs and a proposed charter school.

Mayor Lynda Bell and her challenger Steve Bateman spoke in Key Gate's cafeteria Thursday to more than 250 residents and students.

City Council candidates also were given five minutes at the event to introduce themselves, their platforms and their stance on building the new charter school. Most council candidates were not aware of the proposal and were hesitant to go into detail, but they all said they favored building it.

After they spoke, the debate between Bell and Bateman began with a discussion on the city's property tax rate that goes up this fiscal year to $6.291 for every $1,000 of assessed property value -- 17.8 percent more than the last fiscal year's rate of $5.34.

Bell disputed whether that was an actual tax increase because many may will pay less in taxes after their property assessments dropped this year. The city also opted, she said, not to set as high a tax rate as state law would have allowed.

``That's a tax decrease, not a tax increase,'' she said.

Bell added that longtime homeowners, whose property assesments have been capped to 3 percent under Save Our Homes for years, may see a slight increase in property tax of about $40 or $50 this year. But she said the city offset that by not increasing other fees.

She then took a jab at her opponent: ``In fact when Mr. Bateman was in office, the millage rate was 8.5. Right now, it's 6.2,'' she said.

Bateman, a former council member, did not discuss the millage rate but responded by saying that the city's taxes still have increased. He added that that the city must market itself better and get more people to move into foreclosed homes.

``To fill these empty homes, you've got to market your city. You've got to bring new business to Homestead,'' he said.

He added that he would be responsible in balancing the city's budget. He called restricted funds ``hogwash'' and said that restricted funds could easily go back into the general fund to market the city.

The candidates were then asked how they would help increase employment in the city. Bateman reiterated his intentions of marketing the city.

``You market your community in a proper, proper way -- you're going to be able to govern and control economic growth,'' he said.

He said that developers are a good thing, but that they must be controlled. Bateman added that he wouldn't spend the city's money ``foolishly'' -- then took his first jab at Bell.

``I will not have to have a new office to set my awards on . . . ,'' he said.

Bell smiled and shook her head. ``I don't know if Mr. Bateman is living in the same town I'm in, but if anybody checked -- we're in a commercial building boom,'' she said.

She said the city had 323 new businesses last year that created 2,000 new jobs.

She added that she meets with new businesses and gets them to agree to a local-hiring preference. More jobs are on the way, she added, because of new DEA and FBI offices in Homestead.

On the next topic, the crime rate, Bell began by saying it has not increased. She said she's worked on improving lighting in parks and streets.

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