The race for King County executive was all about money and jobs today, as Metropolitan King County Council Chairman Dow Constantine called for a hiring freeze and his council colleague Larry Phillips said job creation would be his top priority.

Constantine and Phillips staked out their positions after state Sen. Fred Jarrett vowed to "flatten" a government he said was bloated with too many managers and too many employees earning more than $100,000 a year.

Jarrett also said he would put any expansion of the county ferry district on hold while addressing budget problems.

Constantine, who claims he saved the county $500,000 this year by not filling vacant County Council staff positions, introduced an ordinance that would freeze hiring for most vacant jobs. Sheriff's deputies, prosecutors, jail guards and court workers would be exempt from the freeze.

He said he will propose using the council savings to help pay for health, human services and court programs that will be cut this month if they aren't given additional funds.

Phillips, using Sound Transit light-rail trains as a backdrop for the unveiling of his "Jobs Now" agenda, said his first step in creating jobs would be to keep light rail, the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project and Highway 520 bridge replacement moving forward.

He said the first segment of light rail has stayed within budget and on schedule since he became chairman of Sound Transit's construction-oversight committee five years ago.

In response to Jarrett's claim that 1,100 King County employees are paid more than $100,000 a year, Phillips said, "I'm going to check Fred's math."

Also running for executive are state Rep. Ross Hunter, former TV news anchor Susan Hutchison and three candidates who have raised little or no money: engineer Alan Lobdell, disbarred attorney Stan Lippmann and investor and handyman Goodspaceguy.