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Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 | 1:16 p.m.
Richard Cherchio
Sun Coverage
Sun archives
- North Las Vegas approves tentative agreement with police union (1-5-2010)
- Police union, North Las Vegas reach tentative agreement (12-16-2010)
- Federal grant to save 16 police officers’ jobs in North Las Vegas (12-15-2010)
- NLV Police Union offers to give up pay raises next year (12-9-2010)
- North Las Vegas OKs budget cuts that include job losses (11-1-2010)
- NLV reaches tentative agreement with Teamsters to avoid layoffs (10-28-2010)
- North Las Vegas announces proposal to cut 251 jobs (10-20-2010)
- North Las Vegas City Council votes to cut jobs at detention center (10-6-2010)
- Committee says North Las Vegas employee salaries ‘out of whack’ (10-6-2010)
- NLV City Council caught off guard by budget survey (9-24-2010)
- North Las Vegas to cut jobs as feds shift inmates to new facility (9-21-2010)
Election season is already heating up in North Las Vegas, even though candidates won’t officially file to run for office until the end of the month.
The North Las Vegas Police Officers Association and the North Las Vegas Firefighters Union will pass out more than 5,000 door hangers Saturday to condemn sitting Councilman Richard Cherchio for failing to list three of his four North Las Vegas residences on his official campaign finance forms in 2009.
The unions’ protest is also, and perhaps more so, about Cherchio’s perceived votes to cut public safety. He's become the target because he's up for re-election.
Cherchio claims the houses – two of which he bought to rent to his daughter and sister-in-law – were listed on forms during his bid for council in 2007. He didn't list them in 2009, he said, because a city staffer told him he didn’t have to.
“Regarding my oversight in listing all of the property that I own, I received advice from a city staffer when completing my disclosure form, but I should have verified that advice,” Cherchio said in a statement. “I accept full responsibility for that oversight, and have already filed an amended disclosure form.”
“Why would I try to cover them up if I listed them in 2007?” Cherchio asked during an interview. “That would be really stupid.”
In October, City Manager Maryann Ustick presented the council with the city staff’s budget reduction plan. The plan was drafted to help the city close a $35.1 million budget gap over the next two years.
According to the plan, 27 police officers and 33 firefighters would be laid off if no concessions were made.
That was a threat, said Michael Yarter, president of the police officers' association. He bristled at the idea that public safety would receive the same percentage of cuts as other departments because, he said, they’re not of equal importance.
“They just went across the board and made the same 15 percent cut to everybody,” Yarter said. “The citizens have voted … to keep officers on the streets. It’s what people want.”
But Cherchio, who was president of a mail carriers union in Florida for 23 years, sees it differently.
“If we can’t get concessions from the unions, we will have no alternative but to lay people off,” Cherchio said. “If they consider that to be a threat, so be it. How can you convey that to someone unless you explain that to them?
“All we asked them to do was to come to the table and try to save their jobs,” Cherchio said. “Obviously, they’re not happy about it.”
Jeff Hurley, president of the city’s fire union, said he simply disagrees with Cherchio’s decision-making.
The city’s fire union hasn't reached a concession agreement with the city, but it should soon, Hurley said. The fire union has made four rounds of concessions in the past four years, he said.
Yarter’s union entered into a tentative agreement with the city Wednesday, in which it gave up cost-of-living increases and sick-day sell-back, but no base pay. In exchange, the city agreed not to lay off union members for 18 months.
Cherchio has voted along with three other North Las Vegas Council members – Anita Wood, Robert Eliason and William Robinson – on votes that pressured unions to come forward. Mayor Shari Buck has refused to vote to make any cuts to public safety, aside from approving union concessions.
Wood went as far as to say the city would become a “police state” if all other services but public safety were cut. Eliason has said city employee salaries are too high.
But Cherchio is the clear target, the union presidents said.
He isn't the only one voting for cuts, Yarter said, “but he’s the next person who’s up for re-election.”
Vote for Cherchio if you believe in equality and what is right to do.
Lay off those overpaid firefighters!
I am so sick of the police and firefighters and their unions being the bullies of this city and Las Vegas. They are no better then the rest of us. To say that cutting their services is a "public safety issue" is simply fear mongering. And to target a councilman makes them look like the pack of wolves they really are. For the record, I do not personally know any council people or the Mayor. I am simply sick of seeing the police and firefighters use scare tactics to get their way. The economy effects us all.
Whether or not there is any wrong-doing by Cherchio, public employee unions should be utterly banned from participating in any way, shape or form in the political process. It is a huge conflict of interest for them to be exercising an influence over the election of officials who are responsible for approving or negotiating contracts with them.
Anyone the unions are against is someone I'll automatically support. The union's goal is only to maintain their membership so they can continue collecting dues. They never offer any solutions to fiscal problems. I hope Cherchio wins gets rid of the firefighters.
I love it. All of the bootstrappy teabaggers in this thread are adamantly opposed to allowing Unions to voice their concerns with elected officials, but turn around and support wholeheartedly the right for corporations (even foreign corporations) to flood elections with money, buy hours of advertising time on the t.v., and manipulate elections with PAC's and the like.
Yet you think that American workers - people whose jobs and livelihoods are directly impacted by the decisions made by elected officials - should be banned from having a voice in the political process.
Botfx, your anti-union rhetoric is completely illogical. This is America, and American citizens, whether Union members or not get a say in who is elected.
And Tina O, if the continued adequate staffing of public safety agencies isn't a "public safety issue" I don't know what is. Get your head out of your rear end. The people using "scare tactics" are the politicians who squander public money instead of directing it to the basic services that government is required to provide. Providing for public safety services is one of the only reasons local government exists. Until every other piece of local government is cut to the bone, public safety operations should never be touched.
Thanks to the (good) cops and woefully under appreciated firefighters in this community. Keep fighting the good fight, because some of us actually do get it.
keystone6,
I have consistently said in the past that I believe that public employee unions should not exist. That there is a fundamental contradiction in them.
On the other hand, I have always said that unions are a legitimate force in the private sector.
In this case, and similar ones, I am opposed to allowing public employee unions, as an official organization, taking action that influences the officials that are charged with negotiating with them. I have no problem at all with public employees exercising their rights as individuals.
I have, in the past, also said that public employee unions should be forbidden to endorse candidates for the very same reason, it is a gross conflict of interest for the candidate in question.
In general I think any corporation or organization should be prohibited from political activity. The individual members of such have the right to participate on their own. By also doing so as members of a corporation or organization they get a second bite at the apple compared to those of us who don't.
WOW! Strong words from keystone6, but I must agree here. Basing your voting on what public safety unions don't want shows utter stupidity and ignorance. You have truly allowed big business to corrupt your mind with the thought that unions are so bad. Redroc, you are way off base when it comes to the point of unions. Their sole purpose is to protect the AMERICAN WORKER. Big business is the one who sets the price of what we buy, and you want them to be the only ones to say what they'll pay us too? Please. And it's not that I think BB is the enemy, but without union protection (a voice from the people), greed rules.
Back to Cherchio here:
1. Cherchio is not up for re-election. He was never elected. He lost is election and was later appointed by the same people that he vote-blocks with $$
2. Cherchio voted FOR the $150 million new city hall
3. Cherchio voted FOR the $300 million water treatment the city didn't need
4. Cherchio voted AGAINST a $0.5 million fire department vehicle that was requested by the chief who said they needed it desperately.
Does that look like fiscal responsibility? It looks like the public unions are right...but there's more!!!
Mr. Cherchio's PUBLIC work computer was later found to contain emails from a PRIVATE BUSINESS upper management person discussing how to shoot down the vote on the fire department vehicle...and he succeeded.
Cherchio is corrupt, and OUR COPS AND FIREFIGHTERS who put there butts on the line for us every day in this city are RIGHT! And those of you who hate them are FOOLS! Hate them if you will, but don't be so ignorant as to vote against what they do, since it appears they are just providing the facts. Good day.
boftx-
In summary, by not allowing public employees to have unions or to prohibit them from any political activity, you would never get the half of the other side of the story. (And I say half because this story is clearly spun to be anti-union like you). You wouldn't know squat about Cherchio. If the unions put out pamphlets that only contain facts there should be no problem. The problem that I see, is that those facts aren't in this, or any newspaper.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/with-public-saf...
Our cops and firefighters who put their excessively large butts on the free chow line are right. Why does Cherichio want to stop us from getting perks far beyond what the average Joe gets. Doesn't he realize that being awakened in the middle of the night at the fire house can be hazardous to our health? That having a GED is equivalent to a masters degree in Las Vegas? Just because we knew the right pol to get a cushy do nothing job for life doesn't mean Cherichio can push us around.
This message brought to you by the one fire loafer with a small command of the English language....
1-true-taxpayer,
You seem to be ignoring my point that allowing public employee unions affect the election of those who are charged with negotiating the contracts is a conflict of interest. Our elected officials should be beholden to no one but us, the citizenry who elects them.
When an official is elected with a large amount of help from a public employee union just how objective do you think he or she will be when it is time to sit down and negotiate with that very same union? We, as taxpayers (which I presume includes you) deserve to have officials who will spend our taxes responsibly and not use them to pay back political favors to supporters. In the case of public employees, you and I and every other taxpayer are the shareholders who expect our representatives to act on our behalf and give us good value for our investment.
boftx,
I agree with that, that is what I want as a taxpayer too. However, that is not the case here. Yes, if the unions were trying to oust him because he was the one who voted against there contracts then a problem. But when he spends frivolously, and then goes against public safety, as is the case here, then problem. Do I like having unions involved in politics? No, I'd rather they not. But here, I feel that they (the police and firefighters) are looking out for our best interest by bringing to light what Cherchio really is: corrupt politician.
Doogie (aka ambulance driver),
Take your ridiculing nonsense comments, and spend some time studying this website about you and your co-workers:
www.latefor911.com
Tell me, when does ANY union run ANY business, city or state? When that happens FIRE every damn one of those so called employees and put people in their position that want to work. If those poor babies do not want to work...get rid of them. Here is a case when the tail is wagging the dog. I say VOTE FOR CHERCHIO and any other person the UNIONS are out to destroy!!!!!!
Botfx,
You completely ignore the fact that the cops and firefighters are American citizens just like me and (presumably) you.
Yet you wish to disenfranchise their ability to speak out collectively about political matters because they belong to a union.
If it weren't for the collective voice of those unions, it is very likely that the firefighters and cops would be working under conditions that would endanger their lives and the lives of the citizens they are supposed to protect.
I've commented at length in other threads about why public safety jobs are and should be treated differently. There is likely a fundamental disconnect between your personal feelings concerning public employees and the realities of working as a public safety employee.
Whether you look at the situation realistically or through the skewed perspective you seem to prefer, you are still way out of line by suggesting that anyone should sacrifice fundamental first amendment rights because of who they work for. Your stance goes against everything American.
Aaronboy-
Your comment bears no intelligence. Probably why you have "boy" at the end of your name.
I see 1-true-taxpayer is a true blue liberal. Probably shows up for his check and wants more for nothing as most losers do. You go Mr. Taxpayer since you have no idea what a true taxpayer is.
I would like to disenfranchise *any* collective voice in politics other than political parties themselves. We have the best government money can buy thanks to the collective voices of corporations and other organizations, including unions.
The case of public employee unions endorsing (or working against) candidates is especially conducive to corruption because it is such an obvious conflict of interest.
The members of such unions are free to participate as private citizens, I just want them to do so without displaying or saying anything to indicate the union affiliation.
The Unions in this state have become nothing more then legal racketeering. Al Capone would be proud.
It does not matter if they are after a business or elected official, they want it their way or no way.
Cuts are needed because the money is not there. The union does not care about the people in this state as long as their "members" get what they want and only what they want.
The elected officials knew they did not have the money to go on so they found a way to keep everyone employed but the Union is not happy with that. Until they bust the city/county and state they will not be happy.
What is the difference between a union and a political party, with the exception that political parties are governed by election regulations?
In fact, there is very little. Unions support political candidates that align with the union's beliefs, just as political parties do. Unions speak out about issues, just as political parties do. Unions act in a manner that is very similar to political parties, without actually representing candidates.
You just don't like the fact that unions carry influence in society that doesn't jibe with your beliefs. You'd rather disenfranchise workers and prevent them from working for their best interests in the political system, but why? To support corporate profits? To what end? Until everybody makes minimum wage and only a privileged enriched few have political influence?
No thanks. Once again, this is America, where like minded people are free to come together to work in the political system. No one is stopping you from starting your own "only rich white people can influence politics" union.
I think that already exists though, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, right?
we would definitly be safer on the road with less police to watch out for as they run thru stop signs! I live near one of these stations and it is dangerous when they are on a shift change!
Just HOW MANY Police do we need? HOW MANY Firefighters to we need? WHO DETERMINED these numbers?
It's almost impossible to be hired onto the Fire Dept because of the Nepotism and back room dealings that go on during hiring.
What is said to me: "If you don't like your job and can get a better one or make more money somewhere else - DO IT". Isn't that what Freedom is All About?
Cherchio is nothing but a liar, his answer now is he received advice from a city staffer on what he had to put on his form. Does he think that we are stupid.
How he ever got appointed in the first place is crazy. Vote the liar out of the office, he was never elected for it in the first place.
The unions need to ve voted out, The "TAXPAYING" public needs to be allowed into the bargining process.
Just a few observations. To call Cherchio a liar is ridiculous. He disclosed his properties in 07 and has always contended that a staffer advised him that it was not necessary to re-disclose the information. Why would he try to hide what he had already disclosed? That makes no sense. It was obviously an oversite that a greedy union is now using to get a reasonable councilman thrown out so they can install a 'union friendly' politician. While we are throwing people under the bus, why not point a mirror at the fine union firefighters of NLV. Is '1 True Taxpayer' actually a resident of NLV? After all, less than 10% of the 300+ NLV firefighters are residents of NLV. So I suppose that our city is good enough to work for and negotiate against, but not good enough to live in. It disgusts me that these non-residents are running around MY city trying to get OUR residents to vote against someone THEY don't like because he wants to be 'fiscally' responsible. I find it laughable that the department with the biggest budget feels it is okay to shut down libraries and community centers so that they can continue to live in gated communities outside of our city and NOT support our tax base. I will vote for Cherchio, I will campaign for Cherchio and I will most certainly vote agains Mayor Buck when it is her turn to ride the election ride. It is time for the citizens of NLV to wake up and see where the true waste of tax dollars is.
my problem is not with unions in the private sector, it is with unions for PUBLIC employees, as there is no true oversight. in the private sector, if a business cannot afford to pay union demands, the private business goes out of business, and will be replaced by another more efficient business. this is the crux of the free market system.
PUBLIC unions however, just drive up employee costs to totally ridiculous levels (think $300k per year firefighters, retiring in their late 40's with a 6-figure publicly funded annual pension). this is because corrupt and indifferent politicians are motivated to spend spend spend the public dollar to repay political favors, rather that being a true steward of the taxpayers money. simply put, they don't have a "dog in the fight" when it comes to preserving long term fiscal sanity (profitability in the private sector)
you liberal fools are unable to see the forest for the trees.
I know Richard Cherchio to be a class person who is highly commited to making North Las Vegas
the very best City it can be. He is the target of malicious conduct by the police and fire fighters unions for his attempts to bring fiscal accountability to the City. Also, the hand of Mayor Buck is all over this tirad against Cherchio. Buck is consistently on the opposite side of the votes of Cherchio and three other councilpersons on most issues and wants to rid the council of her opposition. Buck is for Buck make no mistake about that. Public safety is not her first priority. Power is.It would be a horrendous mistake for Rirchard Cherchio not to receive the full and faithful support of his constituent in North Las Vegas. He is a true gentleman and a class act.
I am voting for Cherchio again. And he did win the election previously. I remember because I voted for him before.
I have been a volunteer with Richard Cherchio for years both in North Las Vegas Community Watch activities and on the North Las Vegas Police Department's Northwest Area Command Community Council. Public safety and quality of life for North Las Vegas residents are two themes that have driven Richard since I met him many years before he entered the political arena. In my opinion, what Richard strongly opposes is self-serving organizations or politicians; e.g., public safety unions that seem more interested in benefiting themselves than benefiting the public they are supposed to serve, or a mayor whose focus appears to be more on preparing the groundwork for her future political ambitions than in standing up to public safety unions to ensure a balance between fiscal responsibility and public safety. If you will take the time to get to know him on a personal level, you will find that there is no one with a higher standard of integrity or a stronger sense of public service than Councilman Richard Cherchio.