EDITORIAL: Bench Judge Ramsey

Embarrassingly low turnout makes Southern Nevada’s off-year municipal elections a waste of public money. It appears North Las Vegas voters will get a second ballot this year, but one that could actually pay for itself and save city taxpayers thousands of dollars more.

At North Las Vegas City Hall on Thursday, petitioners turned in more than 2,700 signatures to recall Municipal Judge Catherine Ramsey. If the city clerk confirms that at least 1,984 of those signatures are valid, the city will stage a special election — likely in the worst heat of the summer — to give voters a chance to replace one of the worst public officials in the state.

That the recall committee was able to obtain such a large surplus of signatures despite huge logistical challenges is a testament to the righteousness of their cause. Petitioners couldn’t collect signatures from just any registered North Las Vegas voters; they had to obtain signatures from residents who voted in the 2011 city election, when Judge Ramsey won her six-year term. That’s a much smaller pool of voters, and a lot of those voters no doubt have moved or left town in the four years since Judge Ramsey took office.

But those who pay attention to city politics know she has become a taxpayer nightmare inside a barely solvent government that can’t afford abuse.

First, Judge Ramsey has been widely accused of hostile and intimidating conduct. Those complaints have cost the city more than $50,000 in settlement and investigative costs. Far from trying to change her behavior, Ramsey has criticized city officials from the bench.

Second, when the city refused to represent the judge in a wrongful termination case brought by her former judicial assistant, Ramsey swiped $12,000 in legal fees on her city purchasing card. The city says it has no power to get the money back because Ramsey is an elected judge.

Third, attorneys say Ramsey dismisses cases and reduces charges out of spite for the city attorney and City Hall, actions that are costing the city as much as $10,000 per month in fee and fine collections.

It’s impossible to determine how much money Ramsey has cost city taxpayers — $150,000? $300,000? — money that could support parks, public safety or other important services. That’s reason enough for voters to remove her, notwithstanding her staggering arrogance and sense of entitlement.

If enough signatures are deemed valid, city residents should pay attention to when North Las Vegas schedules the recall election, then circle it on their calendars. If you’re on vacation, get an absentee ballot. And then vote to remove Catherine Ramsey from the Municipal Court bench.