As Oakland's special mayoral election approaches, campaign rhetoric is intensifying with about 30 days to go before the April 15 vote.

The gloves first came off when moderator Dave Clark, a news anchor for KTVU, 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.

One of the topics discussed at the Oakland mayoral debate was the city's significant budget deficit. We break down what each candidate had to say.