Smart, aggressive, determined and disciplined are but a few of the words used to describe both Sam Katz and John Street.

Those who've watched them both grow over the last two decades, as I have, almost always added arrogant to that list. Maybe you have to be a bit arrogant to get to the point where you're a few weeks away from being elected Philadelphia's Millennium Mayor.

Street's arrogance these days stems from a "Been there, done that" attitude. As Mayor Rendell's partner over the last eight years, he basically believes that almost everything practical has already been proposed by both of them.

Street's message to the voters is simple: Elect me and you'll get four or eight more years without the risks inherent in voting for someone who's never served even one day in elected office.

Katz points out that, despite the best of intentions, the Rendell/Street record leaves a lot to be desired unless you like high taxes, lousy schools and unsafe streets. He suggests that eight more "Been there, done that" years could replicate the loss of 150,000 people that Philadelphia has suffered during the last eight years.

Instead of embracing the Rendell/Street Five Year Plan, Katz endorses the leadership style and strategy of other mayors around the country as the key to Philadelphia's future. He points to Republican and Democratic mayors in Indianapolis and Milwaukee who've both lowered taxes while improving service levels as the only evidence needed for how he can deliver on his tax-cut proposals.

To be sure, there's a certain arrogance in his attitude about what is and isn't possible for Philadelphia. But isn't that healthy?

He seems to be challenging us with an implicit question: "Are Milwaukee and Indianapolis, or their mayors, or their citizens and public employees better than us in Philadelphia?"

Far from believing that his proposed 2 percent cut in city spending is radical, Katz probably believes that's a minimum target to be established. After all, as Andy Casell of the Inquirer observed the other day when commenting on Katz's plan, even the U.S. Postal Service increased productivity by 3.5 percent in one year. Is a 2 percent goal over four years irresponsible, or irresponsibly low?

With Milwaukee and Indianapolis in mind, Katz is probably arrogant enough to have an entirely different "Been there, done that" idea in mind. Looking ahead four and eight years, he probably believes other mayoral candidates from other cities should be coming to Philadelphia in a few years to discover how he applied 21st century answers to 21st century problems.

Is that a mere dream? Perhaps. But who's to say that Philadelphians shouldn't do a bit of dreaming when they go into the voting booth on Nov. 2?

If they're happy with today, then "Been there, done that" John Street should be their man. But if they see a future where Philadelphia is once again leading rather than following the nation, then Sam Katz is clearly their choice for mayor on Nov. 2.