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Reno Public Radio is providing coverage of several local and state political races for this year's elections.For a look at national elections, NPR has provided special online coverage. Click here to see those stories.

Mayoral hopefuls differ in style and tone

Will Stone

 

With the November election fast approaching, Reno’s two mayoral candidates squared off recently for one of their first debates, but neither candidate was on the offensive exactly.

Hillary Schieve

The race is nonpartisan and what sets Hillary Schieve and Ray Pezonellaapart often comes down to style, personality and backing, rather than policy.

On the subject of Tesla, the need to improve the city’s troubled finances and fire service, or the danger of passing the Margins Tax, the councilwoman and the civil engineer expressed similar views.

Where the two seem to differ, at least some, is what to do with the rising cost of the city’s public unions, especially as Reno struggles with more than 500 million dollars in debt.

On this point, Pezonella took a hardline.

“Truly, the unions are hurting the city of Reno, the unions. Now, let me say this really carefully: I love the police and fire; public safety is really important to this community. But the unions have kind of outdone themselves and had the upper hand, and we are going through some difficult times.”

Ray Pezonella

He says the benefit package for the city’s salaried employees has jumped from 70 million dollars in 1999 to 135 million as of 2013. He’d like to see that reevaluated for future hirings and for the labor group representing the firefighters to make concessions, like allowing 2 or 3 man crews rather than just 4 man crews.

Schieve, who has been endorsed by Reno’s fire and police unions, took a more conciliatory tone and focused on her ability to smooth over the disputes between the city and its labor groups.

“I would like to sit down with them (the unions) because that's something about me, I'm a consensus builder. I would like to sit down with them and see what we can achieve."

But she also pushed back on the notion that she simply caves to union interests.

“I do also want to make clear, because the media sometimes gets convoluted, I have never voted in favor of giving the firefighters a raise.”

Both candidates are also in favor of consolidating the county's and city’s fire departments.

On the economy, they’re optimistic about the prosperity Tesla and other new companies will bring to Reno.

Pezonella says, as mayor, it won’t be difficult for him to recruit more big names from the tech industry, including Apple, which currently has not delivered on its plans to build an office downtown.

"You won't have to worry about Apple. As a matter of fact, they're going to jump on that bandwagon so quick because they're going to get left behind. All I have to say is hi to them, embrace them and love them a little bit, and I guarantee you they're going to move like there's no tomorrow."

The councilwoman hinted that the city is in talks with Apple and the company still wants to locate in the city. While she’s enthusiastic about those kinds of projects, she also sounded a note of caution about giving away too much without a guarantee.

“Benchmarks are very important. You want to be also very careful about opening the doors for other companies coming here and wanting big subsidies. I do think that's something you want to be very careful about, but I do think you will see Apple."

Up to this point, interest in this race has been lackluster, according to Fred Lokken, a professor of political science at Truckee Meadows Community College. He says that’s because of the confusion created by the crowded field in the primary and neither candidate having much name recognition.

Still, Lokken says, if voters decide they want to ally themselves with outgoing Mayor Bob Cashell, Pezonella stands to gain, since he’s received Cashell’s endorsement.

“There's probably in the minds of the typical Reno voter a desire to stay the course that Bob Cashell has established in his terms as mayor. The endorsement is, maybe, a way of saying this is the way to go."

Lokken notes that Schieve also has the backing of an established political insider, Jessica Sferrazza who was barred from running for mayor because of term limits. That said, he thinks Schieve is trying to project a new image for Reno's mayor, something Cashell and his supporters don’t offer.

“Is there a climate in Reno of change? That, yeah, we had that (Cashell). That was all good, but there were some controversies during that leadership, and it's time to break new ground and engage other portions of the community. "

These different approaches were on display in this most recent debate.

The councilwoman focused on her ability to jumpstart a "Reno Revival," citing her help establishing the Midtown neighborhood and advocating for those who haven’t traditionally had much say in how the city is run. 

"I promise to run this city with integrity, transparency and economic vitality. I believe everyone at City Hall should have a voice, not just the select few."

Pezonella, on the other hand, emphasized the leadership and experience he’ll bring to the office as a businessman who has run a large engineering firm for decades and has ties with all the major players in town.

“I’ve said to myself,  'You know what? Maybe, I’ve been molded, to some extent, to be able to do the best job I can and go into the city at this point and time, because it really requires someone with knowledge, some wisdom and some experience.”

Ultimately, the mayor only has one vote on the city council, so the position is much more about setting the tone of the city’s leadership.

The candidates now have less than two months to convince voters that the paths being offered are indeed different and the city’s future will be shaped by this decision. 

Will Stone is a former reporter at KUNR Public Radio.