It was a full house at the University of Puget Sound rotunda Wednesday night for the second debate in the Tacoma mayor's race. The CityClub was the sponsor and the League of Women Voters was the moderator.

No fireworks on the cusp of the Fourth of July. But it is starting to become clear how the candidates are positioning themselves for the one-on-one race to replace term-limited incumbent Bill Baarsma.

City Councilwoman Marilyn Strickland repeated speaks of her experience in the private sector, non-profit sector and as an elected official – with emphasis on the elected official part. Sure, she has just two years on the council but that's two years more than Jim Merritt who has never held public office.

But that forces Strickland to defend nearly all policies and decisions made by the city including the large pay raises given many workers and the proposal to ask voters for money to repair streets and roads. In a year when voters seem uneasy over the economy, that has its perils.

Merritt pounces on it, using Strickland as a foil for his message that city hall isn't listening to the voters. While many are losing their jobs and absorbing pay cuts, the council gives raises. Rather than talk to voters first about what to do about roads, the city creates a top-down solution.

But Merritt has his own problems when he seems to overpromise what a mayor can do. Under the city charter, the mayor is part of the legislative branch – a council member with a gavel. The council hires a city manager who is the chief executive of the city.

But Merritt referenced "my administration" and even complained that the city manager was overstepping his bounds by developing policy such as the proposed downtown parking plan. In Merritt's worldview – or perhaps cityview – the mayor should be doing that and the manager should carry out the work.

That might work under a strong-mayor form of government but not so well in the council-manager form Tacoma has.