Election Day is May 6 and the Fort Worth Report is committed to keeping you informed through our Election Central.
To help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box, we asked every candidate to respond to a candidate questionnaire intended to touch on the most pressing issues candidates may face while serving in elected office.
The candidate’s responses may be edited for grammar.
District 9 includes Fort Worth’s downtown and the south central core of the city. To find out what district you live in, input your address here.
Municipal elections are coming up. Here are some key dates:
April 24: Early voting begins
May 2: Early voting ends
May 6: Election Day
Candidate survey
Name: Pamela Boggess
Age: 38
Occupation: Attorney
What are your qualifications to serve on Fort Worth’s City Council?
I’m a former award-winning prosecutor, successful attorney, and proud mother of four.
I served as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney for nearly 12 years then as a Tarrant County criminal magistrate judge. I was named 2018 Prosecutor of the Year by the Texas Gang Investigators Association and subsequently honored by the United States Department of Justice
I am a fellow with the Texas Bar Foundation, an active member of the Junior League of Fort Worth, and attend First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth. In addition to being a tireless Room Mom, I have served on the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra Board of Directors, the Site-Based Decision Making Committee for the local elementary school, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association, and various other committees that enrich children in our community.
As a prosecutor, I helped victims and their families through some of the hardest times in their lives to find justice, closure, and a path forward. I will focus on finding practical, actionable solutions to issues affecting us, not political grandstanding.
What are your top two priorities if elected to City Council? Describe briefly how you would approach these priorities.
On council, I will strengthen our neighborhoods by supporting first responders who keep our families safe and support families — through lowering taxes and improving infrastructure — to keep Fort Worth a vibrant and exciting place to live.
How would you characterize the performance of city management over the past five years?
Overall I would characterize it as positive. Droves of people and business are moving to Fort Worth and we must give credit where credit is due for the work the city has done to help foster the high quality of life that so many people want to be a part of. Of course, improvements can be made to be good stewards for the taxpayers, while delivering high quality city services. I look forward to building a positive relationship with city staff to help the city serve everyone.
What is the single biggest issue your particular district faces?
Crime. The city’s number one responsibility is for families to feel safe in their neighborhoods. This takes a holistic approach to investing in public safety, better community policing and developing programs that build better relationships between public safety and our neighborhoods.
As a former prosecutor, I have seen the worst of our communities and know what it takes to fight crime.
How will you balance the concerns of your district vs. the city as a whole?
On the council, I’ll be a fierce advocate for my district. I do not prescribe to absolute win-lose resolutions and will always keep the good of the city as whole while fighting for the residents of District 9.
How can city leadership work to ensure all Fort Worth residents have equal access to city services regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and income?
I would like to see data that identify underserved areas where attention of city services can be focused. Everyone should expect the same level of service from the city.
Fort Worth’s annual general budget is currently around $915 million; do you feel this budget is appropriate, too large, or too small? If too large or too small, briefly describe how you would propose amending the budget.
I think the city council missed an opportunity to lower taxes at a time when hard working families are struggling with inflation. Instead, they increased city taxes.
For any organization with a nearly $1 billion dollar budget, savings can be found in each department. I do support the policy of zero based budgeting that forces department heads to justify the first and last dollar they request, rather than just adding to the previous year’s budget.
Moving forward, I think it would be a good practice for the City Manager, who presents the budget to Council, to present multiple budget options that would require different tax rates, with the lowest option being one with a no new revenue tax rate. If we do not slow the trend of ever-increasing tax hikes, then I fear Fort Worth will push residents out of the city, slow economic growth and worsen homeowner affordability.
In 2023 the city will levy a tax rate of $0.7125 per $100 of assessed evaluation. If you would advocate for decreasing/increasing the tax rate what would you cut/add?
Since the city just raised taxes, I would not support increasing taxes again.
As Fort Worth grows, how can the city ensure it keeps up with the pace of development?
For District 9, growth means more density. We do not have large tracts of undeveloped land like the west and far north areas of the city. Developments provide live, work and play amenities to nearby neighborhoods. We need to responsibility handle growth while preserving the integrity of our single family neighborhoods. Having infrastructure in place before approving projects that will lead to density is important.
In the last year, the city council has limited opportunities for public comment and changed meeting schedules. How would you approach community engagement as a council member?
Fort Worth has a new generation of council members with young families. I think this is a positive change from the old ways. This brings challenges to council members to serve while raising a family and taking care of professional obligations. We do need to ensure we have reasonably convenient times for the public to attend council meetings, but my preference is to be more proactive and engage the community directly on issues that could impact their neighborhoods.
What role does the City Council have in policing? Please describe how city council members should work to ensure the safety of their constituents.
Leadership plays a vital role. Negative rhetoric from city leadership sows seeds of distrust and animosity, which plummet morale within the department, fuel dangerous interactions on the streets and drive worthy applicants from a career in public safety. As an attorney, I have prosecuted and defended officers. I’ve seen the positive community impact that outstanding police investigations can bring. Public sentiment on domestic violence and sexual assault have changed significantly over the last decade. It is incumbent upon both police and city leadership to be part of positive change.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? If so, when.
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime, in Texas or another state? If so, what crime and when.
No.
You can find other candidates’ responses by reading our voter guide here. The candidate’s responses may be edited for grammar.
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