THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 1, 1996 TAG: 9512290006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Del. Leo Wardrup's proposal to bring partisan politics to local elections makes as much sense as adding ice to roads.
Adding either one - partisan politics or ice - would cause collisions and retard progress.
Partisan politics is on display in Washington, where a Democratic President and a Republican Congress would hotly debate the time of day, if the question arose. In the recent Virginia General Assembly election, the most conservative Democrats were labeled by their Republican opponents as big-spending liberals. In a recent congressional contest in California, Democrats attempted to label the moderate Republican candidate as a Newt Gingrich clone.
Of late, then, partisan politics has driven the truth, and certainly cooperation, out the window. Hence the widespread desire for a third party.
Last week Virginia Beach City Council unanimously and wisely passed a resolution opposing Wardrup's idea to submit a bill next month making local races politically partisan. ``Enactment of this bill will severely undermine the council's efforts to keep partisan politics out of the local governmental process,'' the resolution states, ``and will be contrary to the best interests of the City of Virginia Beach and its citizens.''
Wardrup, a Republican delegate to the General Assembly from Virginia Beach, says his bill would bring forward better candidates for school boards and city councils, ensure that successful candidates won the support of more than 50 percent of voters and spark voter interest.
But a case can be made that highly partisan races might discourage competent private citizens from running for office, despite their desire to improve their communities.
Even if partisan yapping made for better elections, it could make for less-effective government afterwards. The two sides might squabble over matters like trash pickup having nothing to do with either party's philosophy. Members of the party holding a majority on a local governing body might reject even good ideas from the other party's members.
It is not surprising that a Republican would favor politically partisan elections in Virginia Beach, since that city, like most suburbs, is predominantly Republican. Back when most Virginians voted Democratic in local elections, almost by reflex, Republicans opposed such partisanship.
Experience shows that local governing bodies work best with members cooperating rather than competing. We'll give the last word on this matter to Virginia Beach Councilwoman Louisa M. Strayhorn, since we agree with her:
``We are just beginning to really work together. I would hate for partisan politics to get between us. For all the time we spend making sure we act civilized, I think it's ridiculous for us to lose that.'' by CNB