Editor’s note: With early voting having started May 27 in this year’s municipal elections, The Sunday offers its endorsements for the four contested seats on ballots in the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas.
Las Vegas City Council Ward 6
The endorsement: Kelli Ross
The rationale: Echoes of the 2016 presidential campaign can be heard in this race, thanks to Ross’ opponent, Michele Fiore. Fiore, a right-wing former member of the Nevada Assembly, has a history of making inflammatory and profane remarks, vilifying political opponents and making showy displays of egotism (as when she issued a calendar in which she struck pinup poses while armed with an array of weapons).
Along the way, she aligned herself with the Bundy family and its anti-government supporters, and once chillingly stated that it was acceptable to point weapons at authorities who pointed them first.
This is not the type of person Las Vegas needs on the council, and not just because of her controversial nature. The kind of issues Fiore gets passionate about, like Second Amendment rights and immigration policy, aren’t in line with the bulk of matters that city councils deal with — zoning, code enforcement, parks and recreation, etc.
Meanwhile, Ross is an exceptionally strong candidate for the position. A business founder, former casino marketing executive and spouse of an outgoing council member (Steve Ross, who was term-limited), Kelli Ross has a dynamite résumé for a municipal candidate.
During the presidential election, Nevadans listened carefully to Donald Trump and voted for the more qualified, better-suited candidate, Hillary Clinton. Ward 6 voters can follow suit by choosing Ross over Fiore.
Las Vegas City Council Ward 2
The endorsement: Steve Seroka
The rationale: We won’t take sides in the key issue in this race — the zoning fight over a redevelopment project on the former Badlands Golf Course.
But regardless of how it turns out, the positive outcome is that it prompted a candidate of Seroka’s caliber to jump into the election.
An Air Force F-15 fighter pilot who went on to serve as a high-level commander, Seroka is eminently qualified and capable of serving on the council. He’s also deeply familiar with Las Vegas municipal operations and politics, having served as chief of staff for the Nellis Air Force Base Warfare Center during his last assignment before being selected as chief of staff for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Incumbent Bob Beers has served the city well and has handled the Badlands issue admirably. (Although he has taken criticism from residents near the property about siding with the developers, Beers has maintained that opposing the development under current zoning laws would have put the city in jeopardy of being sued.)
But Seroka is our pick, a candidate with an exceptional résumé who would bring a fresh perspective.
Henderson Ward 3 and North Las Vegas Ward 3
The endorsements: John Marz (Henderson) and Anita Wood (North Las Vegas)
The rationale: Both Henderson and North Las Vegas have made significant progress since the recession, and there’s no need to upset the status quo in either community by shaking up their councils. Marz and Wood are both incumbents who have helped place their cities on good trajectories and deserve subsequent terms.
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