Earlier this week, we asked our audience to let us know what issues mattered most to them ahead of State Sen. Marisol Alcantara and challenger Robert Jackson debating on "Inside City Hall" in their Democratic primary.

Here is a look at what some of you had to say, and what the candidates had to say about the issues.

Alcantara's time with the Independent Democratic Conference

Your comments

Paul Rigano: Marisol, with the end of the IDC, can you confirm that you will actually work with Democrats in the senate and support a more progressive platform? You will not have my vote if you don't.

Christopher Moore: For her: Why would Democrats (the people voting in a Democratic primary) support someone who refused to caucus with her fellow Democrats? For him: why does this whole IDC thing matter, and what tangible impact did it have on the last legislative session?

Thomas Buczkowski: I have a question for Marisol: Since you recently chose to caucus with the Republicans, why should we believe that you won’t do it again? #NOIDC

What candidates say

Jackson: Marisol Alcantara is one of the individuals that we're trying to replace because of her affiliation with the IDC, which has basically allowed the Republicans to stay in control of the New York state Senate. And when you look at the record, all of these issues have been passed by the New York state Assembly and not passed by the New York state Senate. What issues? The DREAM Act, the Liberty Act, the rent laws, women's health care, education reform — all of these things have been held up by the Republicans, and the IDC has basically allowed that to happen.

Alcantara: I broke with the IDC [Independent Democratic Conference] to keep the charter cap. Plastic bags — banning plastic bags in the state of New York. I broke with the IDC in providing taxpayers' money to bail out nuclear power plants. I broke with the IDC when it came to accountability for law enforcement agents. I broke with the IDC on other environmental issues because I believe that it is important to protect our environment. If you look at my record, I have passed 12 bills that have been signed into law by the governor.

Homeless shelters and concerns over drug use

Your comments

Rosa E. Andersen: Shelters and drug programs in my community especially by an elementary school! I live in Washington Heights 182 Amsterdam Avenue! Its not safe for our kids anymore! I have some sympathy for addicts but i don’t want them near children! It’s not safe nor a good example for kids to be around!

Petra Scott: Gentrification, nycha and affordable housing. Enough with the shelters and drug programs in the upper west side.

What the candidates say

Alcantara: It pains me because the city has a record number of folks that live in homeless shelters, about 80,000. Right on 168th St., right across from Columbia-Presbyterian, we have one of the largest men's shelters in northern Manhattan. What we need to do is to provide more mental health services in that shelter, to provide better security. But we as a society have a responsibility to take care of folks that have less than we do….If these folks are hanging out and [Rosa] feels that it is a threat to her safety, we would more than love to work with her and meet with the folks that run the shelter and the drug treatment program so we can find a solution.

Jackson: I think from a school environment, there needs to be a certain distance from a school, for sure. But then that's where you deal with the community, with the community planning board, and the NYPD, and other groups in order to make sure the environment of the immediate school is safe. And as Marisol said, if people are hanging out and there's a threat to the children and parents, then that needs to be addressed. And you do that through intervention and resources in the community.

Concerns over the future of small businesses

Your comments

Katherine Hoffman: Whatever it is that's causing so many businesses to close and leave so many empty storefronts. We're losing services like dry cleaners and laundromats.

Debra Given: Addressing commercial rent issues so that small family run businesses can stay in the neighborhood.

What the candidates say

Jackson: The Small Business Survival Bill in the New York City Council, I shepherded that and fought the administration in order to make sure that bill was being considered. The bottom line is: The City of New York was against it. But everyone says, they talk and talk, saying, "Small business is the backbone of our great city." But when it comes to making sure that small businesses stay in place, I don't see the action….I put forward the Small Business Survival Bill, where bottom line is if the owner and the landlord didn't reach agreement on lease renewal, a mediator would come in and mediate between the parties and see if it could be resolved. And if not — binding arbitration.

Alcantara: What my bill did is that instead of the city — before it was allowed to give you a contract up to $20,000. With my bill, the city could arbitrarily just give you a contract up to $150,000, which is great for women- and minority-owned businesses. Number two: I passed a bill in both the Senate and the Assembly, and it was signed by the governor, which is to create more workers' co-op. The more workers, the more you feel that you have an investment in the business, the better it is….We need to work that our small businesses stay in the neighborhood.

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