Three vie for North Las Vegas council seat

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories previewing local municipal races for the April 2 primary election.

North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Anita Wood faces two challengers in her first re-election primary test next month, and neither is pleased with what he or she sees.

One, Tony Gales, is a substitute teacher and owner of Skool Bandz, which sells personalized bracelets to area high schools. The father of two is married to a Las Vegas police officer and claims a “good base” with North Las Vegas’ employee unions and the city’s black and Hispanic communities.

The other, Clark County liaison Janice Ridondo, works for County Commissioner Tom Collins and is a former secretary to the Whitney Town Advisory Board.

She has won backing from the North Las Vegas Police Supervisors Association.

Besides being Democrats and local government employees, both challengers in the Ward 3 nonpartisan race have a third thing in common, according to Wood: a lack of familiarity.

“My residents know me, and people know I love my city,” the 48-year-old Democrat said last week. “I think my voters already know who I am.”

Wood, a former city planning commissioner and full-time City Council member since 2009, admits the city’s public safety unions “aren’t her biggest fan” but predicts voters will reward her experience in public office come next month’s primary.

More than 1,000 North Las Vegas employees have been laid off since 2009 to close budget gaps once estimated at more than $30 million, a big part of the reason Wood’s opponents think they have a good chance of winning.

Neither Ward 3 challenger has any government experience, and neither could claim attendance at more than a dozen City Council meetings over the past year, but both said next month’s primary couldn’t have come at a worse time for incumbents.

“So many people say you can’t trust the people in office right now, and that’s why I’m running,” Ridondo said.

“I think (Wood) has a lot of enemies,” Gales agreed. “The way our city is being run right now financially, it just looks bad, and somebody needs to step in and get involved.”

The pair of political newcomers also shared opposition to proposed usage fees at the city’s 150-acre Craig Ranch Regional Park.

Wood doesn’t see that the city has much of a choice.

City officials face an estimated $500,000 in annual maintenance dues for the park, which is scheduled to open Labor Day weekend.

“We’re certainly going to charge, but not for access,” Wood said. “No one’s going to get charged to have a picnic.”

The charges would be assessed for special events, she said.

All three candidates offered tentative praise for North Las Vegas’ shared jail services contract with the city of Las Vegas.

The agreement, which allowed officials to shutter much of the city’s decades-old jail in July, looks to save North Las Vegas more than $15 million over the next five years.

Gales would like to see those dollars go back in the pockets of laid-off city police, firefighters and jail workers.

Gales, 38, said he would be open to trying to generate additional city revenues through a business license fee holiday for new business owners.

Ridondo, 52, said she hopes to spur growth through further debt restructuring.

She said she “wouldn’t be above” hiring economic development consultants to help guide investors North Las Vegas’ way.

Wood aims to increase city tax revenue through a nonprofit community development corporation intended to promote business investment.

Ward 3’s primary hopefuls join four contenders for a Ward 1 City Council spot and three candidates for mayor on the April 2 municipal primary ballot.

Each of those positions lasts four years.

Early primary voting gets under way March 18. The municipal general election is scheduled for June 4.

Council members are paid $41,826.98 a year.