Those who spent the summer arguing against a city income-tax increase now contend that services aren't being restored fast enough.

And at a candidates' forum last night on the North Side, those who supported the increase urged patience among city residents who want their leaves picked up this fall.

"We're really sorry for the inconvenience," said Democrat Priscilla R. Tyson, an incumbent council member who touted six new drop-off sites where Columbus residents can take leaves starting Oct. 31.

"The only reason we had to stop yard-waste pickup was the lack of city funds," said Tyson, who supported the tax increase approved by voters in August.

Democrat Eileen Paley, who was appointed to a council seat in January and endorsed the tax increase as well, echoed Mayor Michael B. Coleman's yard-waste stand and said that weekly, citywide service will be restored in April, when the contract for a subsidized subscription service expires.

The city ended a $4 million yard-waste program in February but restored $1 million for the subscription program after residents complained. Since the tax vote, some neighborhood leaders have accused Democrats of ignoring a promise to restore service immediately.

City officials insist that no such promise was made.

Four challengers seeking council seats, all of whom opposed the tax increase, said Columbus should pick up residents' leaves this fall.

"Forgive me for not believing anything that comes out of City Hall," Republican Matt Ferris said of projections that citywide service will resume in the spring. "It's another broken promise."

Republican Roseann Hicks said some of her North Side neighbors have been burning yard waste, which is neither safe nor legal in Columbus. Republican Alicia Healy also accused Coleman of reneging on a yard-waste promise.

Joseph A. Motil, an independent write-in candidate, ridiculed the city's suggestion that people fill their cars with bags of leaves and haul them to drop-off sites around the city.

He suggested that people drop them off at City Hall instead.

Six of the seven candidates seeking three council seats in the Nov. 3 election took part last night in the question-and-answer session hosted by the Franklin County Consortium for Good Government and the Northland Community Council.

Tyson criticized tax- increase opponents for demanding more from city government, saying that services would have been slashed further had voters rejected the ballot issue.

Ferris, however, said the city's budget troubles are a result of misplaced priorities, not a lack of money.

rvitale@dispatch.com