Now burn it

It's a tried-and-true tactic of elected bodies: When the public is made wise to an outrageous proposal to expand government power, withdraw the plan and hide it until voters are preoccupied with something else. Then try, try again.

North Las Vegas is following the playbook to the letter.

Like every other Nevada government, North Las Vegas has a union payroll it can no longer afford. The economy has degraded finances to the point where layoffs are unavoidable. More than $33 million in cuts must be made next fiscal year.

As many as 21 North Las Vegas Fire Department positions could be eliminated by summer. But rather than make contract concessions including pay cuts, the firefighters came up with a different way to save their jobs: taking over the transport of most emergency patients (including all traffic accident victims) to local hospitals from the ambulance company that provides the service.

The City Council held a special meeting on the issue Feb. 17, and it didn't go in the firefighters' favor. It was obvious the plan, if adopted, would result in the layoffs of MedicWest paramedics -- sacrificing more private-sector jobs to maintain the unsustainable salaries and benefits of public-sector workers. So the proposal was tabled.

"We're not looking to bridge a budget gap on the backs of private business," said Councilman Richard Cherchio.

But it's clear that the Fire Department isn't ready to let go of the idea -- and that not everyone in city government sides with Mr. Cherchio.

"Internally, there are people still evaluating the issue," said city spokeswoman Juliet Casey. "But right now it's not scheduled to come back on any agenda."

Note the qualifying context of "right now." In other words, the plan is very much alive and could be brought back when no one is paying attention.

Unfortunately, North Las Vegas is not alone in trying to subvert its franchise agreement with MedicWest. Other jurisdictions are considering muscling out the private sector to meet Fire Department payrolls. Such power plays do not serve the public interest -- they temporarily insulate firefighters from the sacrifices being made in businesses and households across the region.

What businesses might firefighters try to supplant when the next round of raises gobbles up the transport revenue?

North Las Vegas did the right thing in tabling its patient-transport plan. Now it needs to shred it, burn it and take the urn out behind City Hall to be shot.