Latest news with #FortWorthCityCouncil
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Local leaders speak out against Tarrant County redistricting efforts
The Brief Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare is leading an effort to redraw the county's commissioner precinct maps. Some Tarrant County Commissioners, Fort Worth City Council members, and local mayors are opposed to the plan, arguing it's an attempt to eliminate the chances of a minority being elected. Legal experts say redistricting to favor one political party over another is allowed, but racial discrimination is not. FORT WORTH, Texas - Tarrant County Commissioners will soon vote on a controversial redistricting map. Not all commissioners agree on it, and some argue that it could reshape Tarrant County politics. What we know Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare is reportedly behind the effort to redraw the Tarrant County Commissioners Court precinct boundaries. He and some other Republicans argue the process is more than a decade overdue. New maps are often drawn after census data is released every 10 years. But in 2021, commissioners voted against making any changes. They'll vote again on June 3. The other side U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey made a public statement on Tuesday, strongly denouncing the proposed changes. "Let me saw it loud and clear for the people in the back. This is illegal. this is intentional racial discrimination. It still violates the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment," he said. "If you look at this map, you will see. If you look precisely at this map, you will see that it was meant to dilute black voting power and brown voting power in Tarrant County. Period. End of story." He was joined by two Democratic Tarrant County Commissioners – Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles – as well as several Fort Worth City Council members. The mayors of 10 Tarrant County cities, including Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie, have also signed a letter expressing their opposition to the proposed map. "What you see in this redistricting effort today is nothing more than Tim O'Hare's continued efforts to silence the voices of those in Tarrant County who do not believe like him, to silence the voices specifically of the black and brown members of our community," said For Worth Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck. The group called the effort ill-timed because it's the middle of the decade and, in their opinion, the census data from 2020 is outdated. They also argued that four community meetings are not enough to give residents a chance to express their opinions on the proposed new precincts. Dig deeper Political analyst Bud Kennedy said that while there's nothing in the Voting Rights Act to prevent a redistricting effort that favors one political party over another, there are restrictions against racial discrimination. "The Republicans feel like they have to do this because if they were to lose the county judge seat, along with a commissioner seat, the Democrats would flip the court," he said. "It's something you can do any time. You're supposed to use the best census information." Kennedy is not familiar with what census data the proposed map uses but said the newest estimates would show a growing population in the northern part of the county. He pointed out that, collectively, the opposing cities can't compete with the population boom of the county's northern voters. "You didn't see any mayors from the Republican precincts in the north half of the county on that list (of opposing mayors). There's a reason for Fort Worth to be upset. People in Southwest Fort Worth would have to go to an Arlington commissioner for help. There's a reason for Arlington to be upset about being divided. The problem is these two big cities don't have any control with the county courthouse right now. It's Southlake, Keller, and Haslet that have control," he said. Kennedy said if the map is approved, it will likely be challenged. But with the Supreme Court removing the requirement for pre-clearance of the redistricting map, the approved version would likely take effect while it is contested in court. Kennedy also pointed out that Veasey has been a vocal advocate for fair redistricting at every level. "This is right up his alley. If there is a flaw in this map, he'll find it," he said. The Source FOX 4's Dionne Anglin gathered details for this story at a town hall event hosted by Congressman Mark Veasey, as well as an interview with political analyst Bud Kennedy.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Tarrant County redistricting plan draws accusations of racial gerrymandering, legal concerns
A coalition of elected leaders is urging Tarrant County commissioners to halt a controversial redistricting process they believe is being rushed through without justification or transparency, and could violate federal law. Congressman Marc Veasey, joined by the county's two Democratic commissioners and several Fort Worth City Council members, called the effort "an illegal power grab" during a press conference held outside the Commissioners Court on Tuesday. "This isn't democracy," Veasey said. "It's a demolition job." The push to redraw the precinct boundary lines is being led by Republican County Judge Tim O'Hare, who brought in a conservative law firm in early April to draft five proposed maps. Redistricting typically follows the decennial U.S. Census, which last occurred in 2020. The next count is not scheduled until 2030. "We have no new census data. None," said Commissioner Alisa Simmons. "So you're redrawing the boundaries based on 2020 census data. It just doesn't make sense." Critics argue the proposed changes disproportionately impact communities of color by shifting Black and Hispanic populations out of Precinct 2, currently represented by a Democrat, and into Precinct 1, also held by a Democrat. Both precincts would see significant changes under the new maps. "Black and Hispanic populations have surged in Tarrant County, but instead of respecting that reality, O'Hare is trying to erase that reality," Veasey said. "This is intentional racial discrimination that's unfolding in real time." Fort Worth City Council member Elizabeth Beck echoed that sentiment, accusing O'Hare of trying to suppress minority voters. "What you see in this redistricting today is nothing more than Tim O'Hare's continued effort to silence the voices of those in Tarrant County who do not believe like him, to silence the voices specifically of Black and brown members of our community," Beck said. Republican commissioners have been open in public comments that their goal is to increase GOP representation on the court. A previous redistricting effort by a Republican-majority court following the 2020 census resulted in no changes to the precinct maps. Critics now question why a mid-decade redistricting is being pursued, especially with no new data, and accuse the court of undermining public trust. The law firm hired for the job has not answered questions about the criteria or data it used to come up with the new boundary lines. Ten Tarrant County mayors, including those representing Fort Worth, Arlington and Grand Prairie, have signed a letter urging commissioners to delay the vote. They warn that the proposed maps may violate non-discrimination standards under the U.S. Voting Rights Act and could be vulnerable to legal challenges. "Their courage and clarity reflect the growing chorus of voices speaking out for justice, fairness, and local representation," said Commissioner Roderick Miles, Jr. The Arlington City Council is expected to vote on a resolution Monday night calling for more public engagement and a more thorough analysis of the redistricting plans. The city councils in Fort Worth and Grand Prairie have already passed resolutions opposing the process. CBS News Texas reached out to Judge O'Hare's office for comment, but has not received a response. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court is scheduled to vote on the redistricting proposal Tuesday, June 3.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker re-elected to third term
The Brief Mattie Parker has been re-elected as mayor of Fort Worth It will be Parker's third term as mayor. She is the 45th mayor in Fort Worth's history. FORT WORTH, Texas - Mattie Parker has been elected to a third term as the mayor of Fort Worth. In unofficial results, Parker received 67 percent of the vote. Parker defeated seven other candidates. Parker was first elected to be the mayor of Fort Worth in 2021, becoming the first millennial and youngest mayor of a major American city. Prior to running for office, Parker, a licensed attorney, served as chief of staff for Mayor Betsy Price and Fort Worth City Council. In her time as mayor, Parker has pushed for improvement for Fort Worth ISD schools, an increase in police and fire and created an initiative to invest in parks and greenspaces in the city. She has also advocated for an increase in film incentives for Fort Worth. Parker is the 45th mayor in Fort Worth's history. The Source Information in this article comes from Tarrant County election results and past FOX 4 coverage.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Worth city council debate cut short after candidate accusations and shoving
A Fort Worth City Council candidate debate was cut short Thursday after organizers and police had to physically intervene to separate two of the candidates. The altercation came after challenger Payton Jackson brought up a civil lawsuit against District 8 council member Chris Nettles, accusing the incumbent of conspiring with Jackson's landlord to reveal confidential information from her lease agreement. Nettles denied the allegations. Roughly 100 people attended the debate, which was organized by the Historic Southside Neighborhood Association and held in the gymnasium of the Bethlehem Center, 951 Evans Ave. The disagreement was sparked by a question from the moderators about what neighborhood in the district the candidates lived in. Jackson, who was seated at a table to the left of Nettles, took the opportunity to bring up the lawsuit while walking over to the incumbent to place the legal filing on his table. Nettles initially looked away from Jackson, but got up to address her as she remained hovering over his table. The pair pointed fingers at each other before Nettles looked away. Jackson then placed her left hand on Nettles' shoulder, appearing to push him before he parried away her advance. Organizers and Fort Worth police officers then stepped in to separate the candidates. Jackson had to be held back from Nettles while Nettles, who was surrounded by police, sat back down. This isn't the first time Jackson and Nettles have been at odds. In December 2024, Jackson released a two-year-old audio clip of Nettles where he could be heard calling some of his council colleagues racist. Nettles acknowledged his comments after the clip was released, saying in a statement that the recording 'may have been heavily edited' and was taken during a deeply emotional time for him. After the debate, Jackson took to social media to criticize Nettles for his response to her serving him a lawsuit. 'Let that sink in: an elected official put his hands on a woman to avoid accountability,' she said in an Instagram post. Nettles called Jackson's post a lie in a phone call with the Star-Telegram. 'I'm disappointed that the voters didn't get the opportunity to hear the entire debate or the entire candidate forum due to Payton Jackson, resulting in physical violence toward me,' he said, adding that he was grateful to Fort Worth police for getting the situation under control and protecting him. Election day is May 3.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Endangered building, part of Fort Worth's Black history, gets historic designation
One of the most endangered buildings in Fort Worth — home to one of the oldest African American women's fraternal organizations in the country — was approved as a Historic and Cultural Landmark Tuesday. The Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved the designation for the Grand High Court of Heroines of Jericho at 3016 E. 4th St., northeast of Harmon Field Park, close to downtown Fort Worth. A designation preserves the building from being demolished, provides a 10-year freeze on city property taxes and limits changes to the property. The building was listed on Historic Fort Worth's Most Endangered Places List in 2024 and 2017. It serves as headquarters for all Heroines of Jericho chapters in Texas, a nonprofit charitable organization that has existed since the late 19th century, and holds official documents for each chapter. Historic Fort Worth describes the building as 'a rare historic resource representing African Americans throughout the state.' R. Lucille Samuel, who lives in El Paso, is the grand most ancient matron for the jurisdiction of Texas within the Heroines of Jericho, and she having this building designated is an honor. 'I believe in making that building a historical landmark is something that we can show to other states, what they can also do within their communities,' Samuel told the Star- Telegram. A staff report from the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission stated the building meets 3 of the 8 criteria for designation and all aspects of integrity and identity, which makes it significant. Some of the reasons the building is significant include: it represents a 'rare historical resource for African Americans in the state, particularly as it identifies with a Black female organization,' it shows a 'distinctive example of Mid-Century Modern architecture,' it is associated with William Madison McDonald, an 'influential American politician, businessman, and banker in Texas during the late nineteenth century' who was a Grand Joshua, the staff report said. The Heroines of Jericho's is an affiliation of the Prince Hall Freemasonry. The Grand High Court of Heroines of Jericho was adopted in 1897 in Texas as the first female Masonic house of the Texas Prince Hall Masons and Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Texas. The organization advocated for racial uplift and social justice for the African American community. There are over 900 members of the Heroines of Jericho in Texas. Fort Worth's local court is Centennial Court No. 500, which was chartered in 1984 and has about 30 members.
