Moriarty takes GOP reins

      For the first time in 40 years, Long Beach Republicans have handed their party reins to a new leader.
      Former city councilman James Moriarty was elected chairman of the party, succeeding John Scaduto, who stepped down from the post at a special party committee meeting on Sunday, Feb. 11.
      "It is with great pride, humility and enthusiasm that I accept the challenge of leading the Long Beach Republican City Committee," Moriarty said. The new party boss said that he will waste no time revitalizing the party for a strong run for council seats in November. Democrats currently hold all five council seats and have a nearly 3-1 edge in local registered voters.
      Moriarty, though, believes a rejuvenated Republican party can overcome that disadvantage. At the very minimum, he hopes to bring about legitimate two-party competition and debate.
      "I believe the people are best served when both parties run aggressive and competitive campaigns on the issues, giving voters a real choice in how they wish to be represented," Moriarty said. "When one party totally dominates, government becomes less accountable. When both parties thrive, it is the people who benefit."
      Long Beach Democratic leader Gene Cammarato says he is ready for a new adversary on the other side of party lines.
      "I worked with John [Scaduto] for years," Cammarato said. "Some of it was adversarial. Not angry, but adversarial. Jimmy and I go back a long way together and I wish him the best."
      While Cammarato's party could potentially be enmeshed in a September primary because of a slate of candidates backed by Superintendent of Recreation Bob Carroll, the current party leader does not believe either Carroll or a GOP challenge will affect him or his City Council candidates.
      "I wouldn't think it would, because I plan on winning any primary that would be held," he said. "I think the public is satisfied with the work we've done."
      Moriarty is not inclined to agree.
      "Democrats would like us to believe the only reason this city is great is because of the 'Democratic clubhouse,'" he said. "The truth is, they didn't create the beach, they didn't create the bayfront and they didn't create our best resources, the people."
      However contested a November election may become, though, Moriarty is determined to keep the discourse civil and constructive.
      "Real competition, without rancor, is good for the city," he said. "I'll do everything possible to direct the party not to engage in any negative campaigning. I have respect for Gene, and I hope will work out an agreement not to engage in personal attacks."
      The fall election will be for the seats currently held by Denis Kelly, Barbara Mosca and Ed Buscemi, who is expected to step down well before campaign season hits.
      As for whether Moriarty would throw his own hat back into the ring and seek a return to the council he served from 1991-95, the GOP leader said he would never say never.
      "But that's not my objective. The goal is to provide viable choices. Certainly I wouldn't rule out running again, but it hasn't crossed my mind."
      Former Republican council member Francesca Capitano did rule herself out of another run for office after a half-dozen previous campaigns.
      "I would certainly lend my expertise," she said. "But I think I'll sit the next one out."
      Moriarty said it was not beyond possibility that he would reach across party lines and endorse Democratic candidates for the council. He believes that party labels have become less valuable, which is why he is not unwilling to reach across party lines in support of candidates.
      "When you get to the local level, there probably isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two parties," he said. The priority, he said, is to elect people with vision and ideas for Long Beach. One of Moriarity's major criticisms of the city government is what he feels has been a lack of planning.
      "Around election time, a lot of old ideas get dusted off," he said. "The fact is, there has not been proper planning. I have called for a planning department for years. We called for a master plan for road improvement. The plan they developed is a sham. Their plan is not comprehensive at all."
      Moriarty's plan, he said, called for a grading system to determine which roads were the priorities for repair, information that would be public so the whole community knew the criteria for road repairs and the schedule.
      The Republicans would also like to take a closer look at the city's financial situation, Moriarty said.
      "It's not enough to say we've had zero percent tax increases and we're not like Nassau County. We want to take a closer look at all aspects of the city financial condition and practices."
      Long before that is undertaken, the immediate task for the new GOP leader is to pump what is believed to be some much-needed life into the party. While Moriarty praised the work of Scaduto, saying all residents owe him gratitude, he said the party needed to be rebuilt internally.
      "It will be good for us, and good for the Democrats," Moriarty said. "It will make them accountable and do a better job."
      Scaduto did not return calls seeking comment for this article, but at least one former GOP council candidate said Moriarity's leadership will be a definite plus for the city.
      "I think it's great for the party," said Rita Alberti, a three-time unsuccessful candidate. "Jimmy has a long history in Long Beach and is very familiar with the community. I think the party has a very good future in Long Beach."
      Moriarty said he has already been approached by potential council candidates, and had others recommended to him. But one of his first steps, he said, will be boosting the party's registration in a city that's long been owned by the Democrats.
      "Democrats down here have been good at identifying their most loyal voters and getting them to the polls," Moriarty said. "We have to do a better job at that."