North Las Vegas election

A heated City Council race has significantly raised the profile of next week’s North Las Vegas municipal election.

Ward 4 incumbent Richard Cherchio, a retired mail carrier, was appointed to his post two years ago after voters elevated Shari Buck to the mayor’s office. He faces dentist Wade Wagner in his first bid for election.

Mr. Cherchio has shown a great deal of courage and leadership in his limited time on the council by remaining focused on the biggest threat to the city: huge budget problems driven by unsustainable personnel costs. Because he has advocated reining in generous salaries and benefits and has voted to lay off city workers to balance the budget, the unions that represent North Las Vegas’ public safety workers have attacked him relentlessly and backed Mr. Wagner.

Last month, the council was forced to adopt a budget that eliminates 258 jobs because unions won’t accept the kinds of concessions necessary to avert more layoffs. If North Las Vegas doesn’t get some cooperation from its bargaining units soon — the kind of cooperation Mr. Cherchio seeks — more jobs will be lost, further harming the city’s services.

Our only criticism of Mr. Wagner’s campaign is the huge backing he has enjoyed from these unions. No doubt they’ll expect to have their way with him if he beats Mr. Cherchio.

North Las Vegas voters shouldn’t take that chance. The Review-Journal endorses Richard Cherchio.

In the Ward 2 council race, Pamela Goynes-Brown, an elementary school assistant principal, faces Linda Meisenheimer, a real estate agent and property manager, for the right to replace William Robinson, who is retiring. Ms. Goynes-Brown’s years in the community and administrative experience make here the superior candidate here. The Review-Journal endorses Pamela Goynes-Brown.

Finally, in Municipal Court Department 1, attorney Marsha Kimble-Simms and Catherine Ramsey, a North Las Vegas deputy city attorney, are seeking to replace the retiring Warren VanLandschoot. The Review-Journal endorses Catherine Ramsey for North Las Vegas Municipal Court.