The typically well-behaved audience at a City Council candidate forum Wednesday evening burst out laughing when Paul Bustamante started to answer a question about the Soldiers' Monument.

"I was afraid we weren't going to be asked any emotionally charged questions tonight," he said to a round of mirth, segueing into an answer about how the decision should be put to voters at the ballot box.

The fate of the obelisk was one of more than a half-dozen questions eight council hopefuls were asked at a forum hosted by The Santa Fe New Mexican and local radio stations KSFR and KSWV at Santa Fe Community College, the first of two forums the partners are holding during this year's municipal election. A subsequent forum for mayoral candidates is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in the college's J

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