Thanks candidates; next stop Aug. 12

Our hats are off to an impressive field of candidates running for local office.

After the smoke had cleared at the end of the filing period on Friday, we ended up with six Carson City mayoral candidates. All three city government races are contested, with a total of 14 candidates. That's impressive.

School board? That's a slightly different story, with five candidates for the three open seats, leaving only incumbent Jim Lemaire uncontested.

The reason we believe those city races are so important is the same reason the term "crossroads" is brought up often when the subject comes to Carson City's future. At this juncture in its 150-year history, the city is experiencing a bit of an identity crisis. Part of that is because of its influential neighbors - Reno and Lake Tahoe - in whose presence on tourism and economic development pamphlets Carson City barely warrants a mention.

In the face of that, what identity is right for the city? Should this be a retirement community with a work force largely based on government jobs, or should more resources be spent exploring the potential to bring in more visitors and diverse businesses and manufacturers? One thing is certain - the new mayor and supervisors will play key roles in determining the answers to those questions.

They will also play key roles in two other pressing matters - deciding whether the city should spend more on fire and police protection, and on what measures the city should take if the economy continues to worsen, a scenario that could include layoffs and more service cuts.

Yes, the questions are important and, prior to the Aug. 12 primary, the Appeal will be providing you with each candidate's answers on those and more topics. We invite you to submit your questions for the candidates to the Appeal and we will ensure they supply the answers. E-mail your questions to editor@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-1221.

• This editorial represents the view of the Nevada Appeal Editorial Board.