Most Dubliners have never had it so good, as Harold Macmillan might have observed. But even among the contented classes there are growing concerns about traffic and transport, housing and planning and, ultimately, where the city is going.
One of the difficulties facing all the parties is that it's been so long - eight years - since the last local elections. Thus, anybody aged between 18 and 25 has never had a chance to vote, and many of them on the doorsteps need a quick civics course on the relevance of local government.
Sleaze is an issue, especially among older voters. Some long-time Fianna Fail supporters are shattered by recent revelations, in much the same way as they had their faith shaken by the Bishop Casey affair. Whether this will translate itself into negative votes is a moot point.
Throughout Dublin, people are concerned about high-rise or high-density developments, maddening levels of traffic congestion, the bind of having to drive their children to school because there are no safe alternatives, and continuing delays in improving public transport.
There is a sense that the city is spinning out of control and, with house prices still rising, people fear their own children may not be able to afford to live in Dublin in the future. As it is, many grownup children can't afford to move away from home because of high rents.
Fianna Fail and Fine Gael performed poorly last time out, particularly in the county. The 1991 local elections coincided with a major controversy over haphazard land rezoning and 12 of the leading rezoners - including Mr Liam Lawlor TD - lost their seats.
Labour, Democratic Left (now merged) and the Greens were the principal beneficiaries. On the City Council, they joined Fine Gael and Independents to form a grand coalition with the aim of denying Fianna Fail the Lord Mayor's job. It fell apart half-way through.
Even before Dublin County Council was broken up into three local authority areas in 1994, a new pro-development majority, comprising Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, often with PD support, took control and forced through numerous controversial land rezonings.
To the chagrin of Labour, the Greens and the Socialist Party - represented on Fingal County Council by Mr Joe Higgins TD - land rezoning no longer seems to be such a hot issue, perhaps because people feel it might help to relieve the housing supply crisis in Dublin.
That is not to say the voters are no longer interested in what may happen in their areas. There is huge concern in the Stepaside area of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, for example, about the impact of plans for high-density housing on 200 acres of land stretching to Kilgobbin.
In Lucan, where more than 500 acres of land has been rezoned under the new South Dublin plan, a coalition of residents' associations called ALARM (All Lucan Against Rezoning Madness) has made it a live issue, which may partly explain Mr Lawlor's decision to stand in Clondalkin.
One of ALARM's organisers, Ms Anne Finnegan, is standing in Lucan, while her husband, Mr Michael Finnegan, is standing in Clondalkin, both for the Workers' Party. He has been threatened with legal action over a "scurrilous" leaflet about councillors and brown paper bags.
They are not the only couple running for election. Mr Sean Ardagh TD (FF), an outgoing South Dublin county councillor, has opted to stand in the Terenure ward for the City Council while his wife Maire is hoping to retain his previous seat across the invisible county line. Fianna Fail's onetime standard-bearer in Clondalkin, Mr Colm McGrath, is running as an independent, having been deselected by party headquarters after he admitted accepting contributions from the developers of the Liffey Valley shopping centre at Quarryvale.
With Mr Lawlor and Ms Therese Ridge (FG), another prominent rezoner, in the race, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top here. Mr John O'Halloran, who left the Labour Party to join the pro-rezoning majority on the council, is a notable absentee this time.
In Fingal, Ms Anne Devitt (FG), who worked closely with Mr Cyril Gallagher (FF) in proposing dozens of rezonings, had to be added by her party headquarters after her own constituency organisation did not reselect her. Mr Gallagher is retiring under the "scrappage scheme".
Others who have decided to retire include Ms Mary Muldoon, who resigned from Fine Gael three years ago because she was unhappy about the behaviour of her one-time colleagues. Not so Mrs Nora Owen TD: she is back in the field, seeking to regain her old seat in Malahide.
Other former ministers reverting to the lowest level of government include Mr Pat Rabbitte, who is standing for Labour in Tallaght South. Mr Eamonn Walsh, who lost his Dail seat in the 1997 General Election, is hoping to remain on the council for Terenure-Rathfarnham.
One flash issue in this area was the decision by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, to approve plans for a Travellers' halting site in Ballyboden. Up to 800 people packed the community hall, with Senator Ann Ormonde (FF) pledging to lie down in front of the bulldozers.
The PDs have been hit by defections and by the absence of its most powerful figures in Dublin, Ms Mary Harney and Ms Liz O'Donnell, both now in Government. But Mr Alan Robinson, who replaced Ms O'Donnell on the City Council, could hold on in Rathmines.
Neither of the Green Party TDs, Mr Trevor Sargent and Mr John Gormley, are standing this time because of their policy opposing dual mandates. But outgoing councillors such as Mr Ciaran Cuffe and Mr David Healy, both of whom have high profiles, should do well.
Family dynasties may also be in the making, with sons of both the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, and his brother Niall, the MEP for Dublin, in the running in Blackrock and Pembroke, while a daughter of Mr Des O'Malley is standing in Stillorgan.