Editor\u2019s note: Early voting for Fort Worth\u2019s May 2 election opens April 20 and runs through April 28. In the lead-up, the Report is breaking down each bond proposition and charter amendment on the ballot. Find the other articles here<\/a> as they are published.<\/p>\n On May 2, Fort Worth voters will be asked to consider raising pay for the mayor and city council members \u2014 the third time in 10 years.<\/p>\n What\u2019s changed?<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s really hard to tell where that race is going to be,\u201d former Mayor Betsy Price said in an interview. \u201cI get real mixed vibes about whether it’s going to pass.\u201d<\/p>\n Proposition G, one of several on the May 2 ballot<\/a>, asks voters to consider effectively doubling the mayor\u2019s and council members\u2019 annual salaries \u2014 the mayor\u2019s from $29,000 to $60,000 and council members\u2019 from $25,000 to $50,000. The raises would go into effect in October.<\/p>\n In 2016, when the proposed mayor\u2019s and council members\u2019 raises were to $60,000 and $45,000, respectively, the proposition failed by about a 2-1 vote, with about two-thirds of voters opposed to increasing the salaries.<\/p>\n In 2022, voters narrowly rejected a charter amendment that called for increasing the mayor\u2019s salary<\/a> to half the average pay of city department directors and council members\u2019 to half the average salary of assistant department directors.<\/p>\n Price said a lack of \u201ccohesive messaging\u201d may have helped lead to the failure of the 2016 proposal. She feels that many voters rejected the 2022 proposal, which allowed for variable annual increases, because they felt that removed control from the voters. \u201cThis time, it\u2019s not tied\u201d to that.<\/p>\n Other larger factors may play a role in how this year\u2019s proposal fares, including how voters feel about uncertainty in the economy and current affairs in general, she said.<\/p>\n The mayor and council pay proposal is the \u201cbiggest\u201d among the proposed charter amendments and the one that will most signal how voters feel about their mayor and council, she said. \u201cI don\u2019t think the other propositions reflect much\u201d in that vein, she said.<\/p>\n Voter turnout will also be important, she said. Beyond the charter amendments, Fort Worth\u2019s $845 million bond program is on the May 2 ballot<\/a>, asking voters to consider funding streets, parks, libraries, affordable housing, police and fire facilities and animal shelter. Also on May 2, voters in north Fort Worth\u2019s District 10 will choose a new City Council member<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople don\u2019t always understand charter elections,\u201d Price said. \u201cThey just vote no. I think the chances of it passing depend on who votes. If you turn out a really low percentage of voters, it\u2019s probably going to fail.\u201d<\/p>\n Fort Worth seeks to streamline budget vote process<\/p>\n Proposition J, before Fort Worth voters in the May 2 city charter election, would allow City Council members to approve the city\u2019s annual budget at the same meeting as their public hearing on the document. Constituents can speak to the council during the public hearing.<\/p>\n Council members currently must adopt the budget at a subsequent meeting. Last October, the council approved this fiscal year\u2019s budget in a meeting directly after the public hearing.<\/p>\n Proposition J\u2019s language: \u201cShall Section 2 of Chapter X of the Fort Worth City Charter be amended to allow for the budget to be adopted at the same meeting as a budget hearing as allowed under state law?\u201d<\/p>\n The arguments for and against higher pay for the mayor and council members remain the same today as they were 10 years ago.<\/p>\n