Modesto Bee recommendations

The Bee's recommendations in the Nov. 8 election are available at modbee.com/elections, as are news articles and letters to the editor about the various races and measures. Candidates also were invited to respond to questionnaires and those are available under the "biographies" tab on the site.

Modesto City Schools board (3 seats)

Modesto Irrigation District Division 1

John Duarte

Modesto Irrigation District Division 5

Nick Blom

City of Modesto ballot

• Mayor — No recommendation; we hope to see a runoff between Garrad Marsh and Brad Hawn

• Council District 1 — Philip Moyer

• Council District 3 — Dave Lopez

• Council District 5 — Stephanie Burnside

• Council District 6 — Dave Cogdill Jr.

• Measure N — Expand definition of telecommunications services subject to city utility tax, with slight reduction in rate from 6 percent to 5.8 percent. Vote Yes

• Measure P — Advisory vote on eventually extending city sewer service to Rouse-Colorado neighborhood; this measure does not deal with the cost, only whether it should happen. — Vote Yes

• Measure Q — Advisory vote for city to switch to a a defined contribution (401(k)-style) pension plan rather than the current defined benefit plan. The city does not participate in Social Security, so its retirees would not have a safety net. Vote No

• Measure R — Advisory vote to base city employee pensions on the average of the final three years' salary rather than the final year, to avoid spiking. Vote Yes

• Measure S — Advisory vote to raise the retirement age for city employees to an unspecified age "in line with the private sector." Does not distinguish between police, fire and other types of work. Vote No.