Neither of the candidates in the 1st Ward City Council race are native to Ann Arbor - both migrated to Tree Town years ago and never left.

Democratic incumbent Sabra Briere came here in 1972 from Indiana, while her opponent, independent candidate Mitchell Ozog, fled Poland as a political refugee in the 1980s.

Both are passionate about seeing Ann Arbor remain a vibrant city. And both are asking 1st Ward residents to vote for them on Nov. 3 in one of two council races to be decided that day.

"Those of us who've moved to Ann Arbor, for whatever reason, know a good thing when they see it, and Ann Arbor is such a good thing that we don't want to lose what's good about it," Briere said. "We want to know how to keep a good thing going, and that's my job on council."

When Briere joined the City Council two years ago, her first task was crafting a citizen participation ordinance.

Sabra Briere

"That enabled the planning department to notify citizens first thing if a new development was on the horizon," she said. "It required developers to involve citizens in the planning process and that's really changed planning in the city."

Briere, now finishing up her first term, said the actions the City Council takes in the next two years will dictate the future of development in Ann Arbor.

"Really watch what the council does with rezoning the entire city, because that's the thing we're doing right now and that's going to change the face of the city," she said. "When development picks up again, we're going to see some real changes in how people see the city responding to their demands about what goes on in their neighborhoods."

Ozog declined requests to be interviewed by AnnArbor.com but spoke about his campaign platform at the League of Women Voters candidate debate Thursday night. Like Briere, he said he opposes a city income tax and favors keeping Argo Dam intact.

Ozog said two of his priorities in office would be repairing neighborhood streets and addressing homelessness.

"I have to tell to my fellow residents of Ann Arbor, if I would be on the City Council, I will fight for you. Not for money or big business, but only for you," Ozog said.

Mitchell Ozog

Ozog holds an associate's degree in graphic design from Washtenaw Community College and is working toward a bachelor's degree at Siena Heights University. He also is a Bonisteel Masonic Library board member.

Briere has a degree in history and works for the Corner Health Center, a nonprofit agency in Ypsilanti. She said she has worked with 1st Ward residents on their concerns about safety, parks, new development and city services.

"I'm a neighborhood activist who became politically active, so I represent the people in the neighborhoods," she said. "My job is to make certain that I listen to what they're telling me and that I represent their views on council."

Briere said she still has a lot of questions about the city income tax proposal.

"It seems that we're stuck about how to find income, how to get an increase in our revenues," she said. "I'm not certain a rigid, non-graduated income tax is the way to go. But the question is whether to put it on the ballot and let the people decide."

Ozog's campaign Web site states that he is a "political progressive" who supports fiscal responsibility, transparency and truth in government, expanded support of affordable housing and day care, solutions for fixing the homeless problem and multi-culturalism.

"I am the action candidate," his Web site states. "I bring a new perspective to the Ann Arbor City Council. I am not afraid to take a stand and I am not afraid to change my mind. When elected, I will be the action councilman."

Briere said although Argo Dam is in the 1st Ward, it's an issue that affects the entire city. She said she personally is "dam-in" but would support removing the dam if there was valid science to prove it was the better option.

"The embankment, the berm and the footing drains need to be fixed and it's really upsetting to me that that issue has languished for years," she said. "The problem we've been talking about is how to use the river for recreation and the problem we should have been solving is what to do about the earthen berm and the footing drains."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.