Voters in three Fresno City Council districts will choose representatives on June 3. The next council will face a particularly difficult set of tasks in a period of desperately tight government budgets: Maintaining public safety, promoting economic development, making good planning decisions, pushing downtown revitalization and more.

Against that backdrop, The Bee recommends incumbent Larry Westerlund in District 4, along with newcomers Andreas Borgeas in District 2 and Lee Brand in District 6.

District 2

In District 2, Andreas Borgeas offers the better choice. An attorney, Borgeas is bright and articulate. He has worked hard in the campaign to connect with voters, walking precincts in the district since last August. Borgeas combines a progressive outlook for the city's future with a commitment to fiscal prudence.

He supports efforts to consolidate public safety services with the county as a means of both enhancing those services and saving taxpayer dollars. While stressing the need to meet the nuts and bolts of district representation, he has a clear understanding of the regional nature of many of our problems, and would work effectively with other council members and with county representatives.

He also takes a rational and measured approach to the use of eminent domain, one of the hottest of buttons in the current political climate. He regards it as a "last resort," but says he would be willing to use it under limited circumstances for clear public benefits.

Borgeas sees job development as crucial, and called for bringing the various job creation and training efforts in the city under a single umbrella to make them work more effectively.

District 4

Larry Westerlund, the incumbent in District 4, has earned a second term -- despite the oddity that he will not be here when his first term expires. Westerlund, a member of the U.S Navy Reserve, has been called to active duty and will report shortly. While he is serving, lawyer Paul Caprioglio, who was chosen by the council, will fill in as District 4's representative.

Westerlund has been energetic both in meeting the needs of his district and in serving the broader interests of the city. He has been an active supporter of downtown revitalization. Westerlund believes the city has made strides in economic development, but knows there is room for improvement.

He has been good at the details, focusing his attention at times on curbs and gutters, new rules for sidewalks in the city and tree trimming. He's also worked on larger issues, such as addressing the needs of blighted neighborhoods.

Westerlund's energy sometimes leads him in the direction of micromanaging. But when he keeps his focus on the job of the City Council -- making broad policy decisions -- he has much to contribute.

District 6

In District 6, Lee Brand has a lengthy record of service to the community. He has served on the city's Planning Commission and with a large number of other public and private sector community organizations. His list of endorsements is one of the most impressive ever mustered by a candidate for office in Fresno, and spans the entire spectrum of local political, education and business interests.

Brand understands the opportunities for better service and savings that come with consolidation of public safety resources. He has a pragmatic approach to city problems, saying there are no silver bullets or quick fixes. Rather, he says, the city needs to make solid commitments in a handful of areas and then aggressively follow through to the finish.

He also regards planning as an issue that must be addressed regionally. He was a member of the Planning Commission when it approved a new general plan that wisely seeks to change Fresno's growth from outward to upward.

Brand has criticized what he calls "disengagement" at City Hall, and promises to support "comprehensive, well thought out policies and decisions."