A former mayor, two veteran council members and a handful of political unknowns are challenging incumbent Alan Arakawa in the Maui County mayoral race.

Arakawa, 54, has avoided any major missteps during his first term, helped by a booming economy and county coffers bulging with record tax revenues. During his first term, the county has been able to boost spending on public services and construction projects while cutting property taxes.

The top campaign issues for Maui voters — water, affordable housing and traffic — largely are related to development.

Arakawa is trumpeting administration actions that he says will generate more than 3,400 affordable housing units by 2008. The mayor also appointed the county's first environmental coordinator to expand conservation initiatives and respond to the county's environmental issues, especially invasive species such as the miconia plant and the coqui frog.

One of his chief opponents, Charmaine Tavares, 62, is daughter of the late Mayor Hannibal Tavares. She was expected to follow in her father's footsteps but waited until her five-term limit on the council was up to run for mayor. A former educator and county parks director under Mayor Linda Lingle, Tavares has been a low-key, moderate presence on the council and was top vote-getter in the past two council elections.

She cites renewable energy, efficient government and balancing a strong economy with preserving "aloha" and the county's natural environment.

Another key challenger, Wailu-ku Councilman Dain Kane, 43, has accused Arakawa of leaving lawmakers out of the loop on major initiatives, and failing to treat council members and others with "fairness" and "dignity."

Kane has identified water as the county's chief concern. He introduced a measure that would require developers, at an early stage in the approval process, to get written verification from the Maui water director that a "long-term reliable source of water" is available for their projects.

After his 2002 election loss to Arakawa by a margin of less than 3 percent, former Mayor James "Kimo" Apana, 43, was chairman of the county Democratic Party and underwent heart surgery in 2003, which he said gave him renewed compassion and appreciation for life. The former mayor said there has been little progress by Arakawa in solving traffic, housing and public safety problems Apana was working to address before being ousted.

Among lesser-known candidates are disabled Vietnam veteran William "Bill" Stroud of Ha'iku, who advocates turning over county land to Hawaiians for residential and farm use, and setting a two-year moratorium on large housing developments to allow infrastructure expansion.

Hana activist John Blumer-Buell, 59, said he favors reliable infrastructure, self-sufficiency in food and energy production and integrating community and Hawaiian values into planning decisions.

Candidate Lehuanani Aquino, 44, works for Polynesian Adventure Tours. The Lahaina resident said she wants to stop direct Maui flights from the Mainland and would seek restoration of stream flows for traditional uses.

Last-day filers for the mayoral race were trucking operator Nelson Waikiki Jr. of Wailuku and Kihei real-estate man Harold "Hap" Miller.

Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.