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North Las Vegas City Council Ward 4: Wade Wagner and Richard Cherchio
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When Sookie, a two-year-old bichon schnauzer, jumps on his lap, Richard Cherchio's heart melts.
Her wagging tail is the perfect way to end a stressful day.
Last year, Cherchio, who represents North Las Vegas City Council Ward 4, and his wife, Gloria, threw a birthday party complete with cupcakes and candles for their puppy pal.
They even got their little darling to wear a hat.
Pet adoption and safety are issues close to his heart. Cherchio even supported legislation making it a felony to mistreat or harm an animal statewide.
The incumbent councilman and self-professed animal lover is campaigning against Wade Wagner, a dentist, to keep his seat during the June 7 general election. In the primary, Wagner took home 47 percent of the votes. Cherchio had 44 percent. Only 72 votes separated the candidates.
Not to worry, Cherchio said. He believes his knowledge of the North Las Vegas City Council process will get him the votes for a victory in June.
Cherchio's campaign is focused on ways to grow the economy while controlling the city's costs. As the city grapples with a $22.6 million budget gap, Cherchio said North Las Vegas needs to "live within a budget like all of us have to do as families across the valley."
"We cannot lay our way off our cut our way through this problem," Cherchio said.
The Ward 4 race has been messy at times. Cherchio has clashed with the city's police and fire unions over several issues. The state ethics commission recently ruled that Cherchio made a mistake after he failed to disclose several properties as required by law. No penalties were assessed.
Cherchio said he was confused about what was necessary to disclose as an appointed, rather than elected, council member. He said he asked for help from the City Clerk's office, which told him he did not need to list the properties as an appointee.
"I need to get out into the public, knock on those doors and speak to the constituents so they can hear the truth from me directly," he said. "There's a lot of false information put out there."
Despite the mudslinging (see cherchiosdirtydeals.com and wadethepuppet.com), Cherchio said his experience on the council will be the determining factor in June.
"The next four years are extremely critical to the city," he said. "I've got the background as to what needs to be done. I've already gone through some talks with our unions, and I understand what the issues are. I bring that to the table."
The Brooklyn, N.Y., native spent 25 years as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, working in Florida before retiring and coming to North Las Vegas. He became involved in his local neighborhood association, the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the National Association of Retired Americans and the North Las Vegas Citizens Police Academy.
"What people should really know about me is my desire to be on council has been from day one since I moved here," Cherchio said. "I've wanted to be a positive influence on the community. I've always been service-oriented. The idea of being on council to me is just being able to give back to our community. That may sound a little corny, but I do enjoy helping people."
Cherchio and his wife, Gloria, have a daughter, Lisa. They also have three granddaughters: Jennifer, Nicole and Allison. Jennifer recently returned from military missions in Kuwait and Afghanistan.
Wade Wagner
Wade Wagner spends his day fixing teeth.
It's in his blood to be a dentist. His father started the family practice 40 years ago in Las Vegas.
Wagner, 48, lives in North Las Vegas and is a candidate for the city's Ward 4 City Council race. He is campaigning against incumbent Richard Cherchio. The general election is June 7.
In the primary, Wagner led with 47 percent. Cherchio garnered 44 percent of the vote. Only 72 votes separated the candidates.
When it comes to the financial issues facing North Las Vegas -- including a $22.6 million budget gap that must be filled by June -- Wagner said the problem is three-pronged.
"It's about public safety, jobs and economy and foreclosures," Wagner said. "I'm definitely not for cutting public safety. North Las Vegas needs to be a safe place to attract families and business here. We need more police officers, not less."
In order to close the budget gap, Wagner said the city needs to be economically competitive.
"We have to be a city attractive to current and new businesses," he said. "We do this by solving the foreclosure problem, ensuring public safety and by being a fiscally conservative government that will allow our city to grow and be prosperous."
To solve the foreclosure problem, Wagner proposes a city partnership with banks to maintain foreclosed properties to reduce damage and drive down crime. That would include law enforcement patrols of vacant properties in addition to neighborhood groups and code enforcement monitoring property conditions.
Wagner added that his experience as a small-business owner could provide fresh ideas on council to fill vacant commercial and industrial properties by offering incentives to those who provide jobs here while marketing the city as an employment destination.
However, Wagner said he disagreed with the city's plans to spend $500,000 for a study from Gensler, an internationally known architecture firm that oversaw Las Vegas' CityCenter. Gensler backed out of the plans, citing political controversy surrounding the proposed project.
"You get frustrated sometimes when you watch government operate and you see some of the decisions being made," Wagner said. "We've had studies and restudies and studied again. I didn't agree with that.
"Fiscally, we definitely have some issues there. We need to balance that budget. I've appreciated people that have given back, given concessions and taken pay cuts. I appreciate everybody stepping up to the plate to help out."
Wagner was born in St. Louis and moved with his family to the Las Vegas Valley when he was 4 years old. He attended Western High School, Brigham Young University, Clark County Community College and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 1997 from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
That was the same year Wagner and his wife, Rebecca, bought their home in North Las Vegas. They have eight children. Wagner knows what it's like to come from a large family -- he's the second of 11 children.
Four months ago, he became a grandfather for the first time.
Wagner has been a Little League coach, a basketball referee and served on the city's "Visioning 2025" Advisory Board.
Contact Downtown and North Las Vegas View reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@viewnews.com or 383-0492.
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Hey Sweet Cindy, this is not a time for gloating. The best man won and now it's time to repair the damage Cherchio has done to the city and it's employees. As much as i'd like to rub their nose in it and say "In you're face" or "Kiss my marble sack", I'm not going to do that. No sir. Not me. I'll be taking the high rode.
Hey infrmd .... buhbye!
Typo. I respect VIP and Mr. Sanson and their work.
I resect VIP for their advocacy for veterans, but disagree with this endorsement. As a proud veteran of the Marine Corps and member of the Marine Corps League, we expect our leaders to have honesty, tact, loyalty, and most of all integrity. Richard Cherchio possesses none of these traits. He has proven he will say and do anything in a desperate bid to cling to power. Character counts and we deserve better.
ENDORSED BY VETERANS IN POLITICS:
Councilman Richard Cherchio was appointed by the City Council in July 2009 to fill the City Council Ward 4 seat. Councilman Cherchio has been a resident of North Las Vegas since 2001. Councilman Cherchio civic involvement began in 2001, shortly after moving to North Las Vegas when he took the post of president of The Parks Homeowners Association. Councilman Cherchio is a hand's on type of guy, he is not scared to get his hands dirty and stand up for what he believes is right not what he believes people want to hear. Councilman Cherchio is a supporter of a uniformed gun law for North Las Vegas and we would like to see North Las Vegas adopt the same laws as the city of Las Vegas.
Listen to Richard Cherchio North Las Vegas COUNCIL - WARD 4
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Veterans in Politics 03/12/11: Salazar & Churchio:
Steve and Jim talk to Lou Salazar Compliance Officer for Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 525 and Councilman Richard Cherchio North Las Vegas City Council Ward 4
http://www.vegasallnetradio.com/Shows/VeteransInPolitics.html
North Las Vegas COUNCIL - WARD 4
Councilman Richard Cherchio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD2fHaKTsEE
What in the H, Sweet Cindy? Are you married to a FF or something? You're right though, Cherchio is a jabroni. One lie after the next. He's managed to drive a wedge between private and public EMTs. Poor leadership. Poor judgement. He's been incapable of winning an election and doesn't look like that's going to change. His slimy campaign has shown his lack of character and has turned a lot of stomachs in Ward 4. Pack up you're desk you
scoundrel.
I agree with Wade Wagner when he says that there needs to be pay cuts and not just concessions from the Police and Fire Unions. Wagner says we have to balance the budget and he knows the fire fighters and police will do the right thing and take pay cuts to save their brothers jobs. I believe Wade Wagner will move his businesses into NLV and prove to everyone that NLV is a Business destination. I believe Wade Wagner is frustrated with the Goverment decisions of Mayor Montandon, Sheri Buck and Stephanie Smith to build the new City Hall, Water Reclamation Facility and Nellis Recreation Center as stated by his fliers. I believe all of this because he said so in the article above.
Vote for Cherhio. He's at least as good as anyone else and most importanly he is BLATENLY owned by the government unions that want a raise at all times. Vote NO to Wagner, he represents the worse
of local politics. We citizens deserve better than a Wagner. VOTE as the unions count on YOU not caring about your lives in the years ahead.