First, congratulations to Miami Mayor-elect Tomás Regalado and the reelected mayors of key Miami-Dade cities -- Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina.

The three have many different challenges, but the No. 1 job will be keeping their city's services running efficiently during difficult economic times while reining in out-of-control pensions.

For Ms. Bower, her major priority should be Miami Beach's convention center, which needs to be spruced up to attract more shows and events. She should end this next term with a ``job done'' banner on the convention center, wrapping up any issues with Miami-Dade to move forward on expansion.

This is particularly important now as the region's lifeblood, tourism, still struggles to recover from the global recession.

For Mr. Robaina, who won with 90 percent of the vote, the challenge is to improve Hialeah's image for those who do not live there.

Certainly residents appreciate the parks, libraries and other services that the ``City of Progress'' has built over the decades, beginning with Mr. Robaina's predecessor, Raul Martinez. But attracting more and better-paying jobs remains a challenge. The Hialeah Race Track, which opens for limited racing later this month, can be the city's crown jewel, and Mr. Robaina should keep working on its full revival.

Mr. Regalado's ascendancy comes at a difficult time for the Magic City. Miami's facing a $100 million hole if city workers' salaries and pensions are not brought back to earth. Half of Miami government employees earn more than $100,000 in a city with a high poverty rate. It's unsustainable.

The mayor-elect set a splendid example upon his election Tuesday by taking a $53,000 cut in his new salary. He also has asked the city attorney to prepare a binding agreement to reduce his pension benefits by 25 percent, or about $22,000.

Mr. Regalado, who takes office Nov. 11 and was endorsed by the police and firefighters unions that have fought any attempt by Mayor Manny Diaz to reduce pension benefits, wants to lead by example. He plans a Nov. 16 public forum to push for needed reform.

We have our concerns about Mr. Regalado's lack of a big vision for Miami as an international hub of commerce, but most of the big projects have been set into motion by Mr. Diaz already. In some ways, Mr. Regalado's fiscal conservatism can bring some sanity to the city budget in these trying times, something voters clearly want.

The one change Mr. Regalado wants to make that's short-sighted is to push for the departure of Miami Police Chief John Timoney.

Although the city manager would have to recommend such a move and the commission approve it, Mr. Regalado has made his dislike of the chief no secret. That's unfortunate because despite Mr. Timoney's ethical lapse two years ago involving the use of a free SUV, the chief is a nationally recognized authority who has brought needed reform.

Under his watch, police-involved shootings have dropped dramatically, saving Miami millions of dollars in lawsuits. Sometimes it takes an outsider to change the status quo, which is what Mr. Timoney did and why the police union has been in battles with him ever since.

As the new mayor of the city known as the Gateway to the Americas, Mr. Regalado will be tested to do more for residents with less money. He promises transparency, and we expect him to deliver -- starting with the pension fix.

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