Support the Democratic team on Tuesday

History will judge this decade as a time of political transition in Long Beach. What direction the city will take remains uncertain, but this year’s City Council race may offer a hint.

After years of Democratic rule stretching back to the 1970s, the Republicans took control in 2003, and the majority has since switched between parties. The GOP, which bills itself as a bipartisan coalition, now holds a 3-2 majority.

Even though this is an at-large election — with the top three vote-getters winning seats — both sides are running as teams. One-term Republican incumbent John McLaughlin has joined with newcomers Maureen Doherty and Marvin Weiss. They are opposed by Fran Adelson, Mike Fagen and Len Torres, all first-time candidates, who tout themselves as new, fiscally conservative Democrats.

We believe the Democrats have the better overall team.

McLaughlin has helped bring some positive changes and may need more time to come into his own, but he is running with two candidates who, while promising, lack the Democrats’ experience and creative ideas.

The reality is we’re still in troubling economic times, and there’s the distinct possibility that, in some ways, things could get worse. With economic issues looming, the Democratic candidates seem more attuned to what the city needs to do to maintain its financial health. Much has been made of the 25 percent tax increase under the last Democratic administration. No matter its cause, the broader question remains how best to address taxes — and spending.

We agree with the Republicans’ plan to further slash taxes, but it must be accompanied by spending cuts. Otherwise, the tax burden merely gets shifted elsewhere or must be paid later. The administration’s plan to cut overtime in city departments is well and good, but if the Republican party, supposedly the party of small government, is unable to lead in finding ways to make more substantial and potentially unpopular spending cuts elsewhere, then what exactly does the party

stand for?

We like the Democrats’ ideas about streamlining some services and seeking other revenue streams, like Fagen’s proposal to partner with businesses to sponsor major projects such as the boardwalk, the Recreation Center and the ice arena to offset taxes. And we expect the Democrats to build on these much-needed ideas.

We also support Adelson’s talk about transparency, calling on the city to take advantage of technology to podcast council meetings. True, these aren’t exactly innovative ideas, but they make us wonder why the city hasn’t already gone down this road.

While we support McLaughlin’s goals to address coastal engineering and other measures, in general, the Republican ticket offers a comparative lack of experience and more toeing of the party line. Sure, they should get behind the administration’s efforts to promote part-time employees, for example, but we wanted to see more creative, independent thinking from them.

Political neophytes Doherty and Weiss showed genuine concern and made an effort to learn more about the issues facing Long Beach. But Adelson and Torres have between them decades of experience on the library and zoning boards and in local real estate and educational administration that gives them more of a foundation to be effective council members.

We’re confident that with more time and experience, Doherty and Weiss can become more viable candidates.

The problem with the coalition is that its bipartisanship — McLaughlin and Doherty are registered Democrats — leaves many observers wondering what the Republican-coalition leadership actually believes in. Is it for greater fiscal responsibility and less government? If so, how is it working toward those goals in a way that is different from the Demo-

crats? How exactly do Democrats fit into the coalition?

We think the Democrats offer a clearer, more dynamic vision for the city. Give them your vote on Tuesday.