Fort Worth City Council District 8 needs a fighter. Here’s our endorsement | Opinion
Chris Nettles is a fighter. After his scuffle with Fort Worth City Council District 8 challenger Payton Jackson, we should discuss what we mean by that.
Nettles has a track record of putting his reputation on the line on behalf of others. We admired how Nettles, a pastor and child care provider, spoke forcefully about the influential and increasingly powerful megachurch Mercy Culture’s attempts to threaten the council into a yes vote with frivolous lawsuits, claiming that the church doesn’t “give a damn about the community.” We also appreciated how he handled Jackson’s leaked audio in which he privately called “all Republicans” racist, including Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.
First, he apologized for his actions: “While I may have expressed frustration in that moment, I want to be clear: I do not believe my fellow council members are racist.” Second, he refused to back down about the reason for his anger.
Parker and Nettles’ conservative colleagues on the council voted down his efforts to create a police advisory board. The modest, incremental form of accountability for the Fort Worth Police Department has direct relevance to his predominantly Black district, which has seen notorious and well-documented instances of police violence, including the 2019 police killing of Atatiana Jefferson.
“I do, however, feel that there are systemic processes in our city that can and should be improved to ensure fairness, equity and balance for all residents,” Nettles said in his statement addressing the video. He is unquestionably correct.
Nettles’ posture is an asset to the council, district and city.
Another challenger, Arthur McCoy Jr., impressed us with his deep connection to the people of District 8. But we also found some of his prescriptions for problems to be light on substance or critical engagement with deep-rooted problems. One example: the businessman told the Board that Black people “don’t understand how to engage with police officers,” an impossible-to-prove trope. And the way to address homelessness, he said, is to dig in and fix it. Why didn’t we think of that?
Doubly so for Jackson, whose proposal for addressing homelessness included ending permanent supportive housing despite its success as a compassionate and empirically promising approach to helping homeless people achieve stability, including in our city.
Instead, the 28-year-old real estate investor said that she favors units “set up like PadSplit’s.” Some former tenants and housing advocates have roundly criticized PadSplit, the rapidly growing rooming house startup, for its deceptive business practices and offering tenants limited recourse for addressing problems.
Jackson also said she would offer housing “in exchange for work that the city needs, like lawn care.” Jackson’s expectations are unrealistic for a population over-represented with people suffering severe physical and mental illness.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bradford William Davis, columnist and editorial writer; Bud Kennedy, columnist; and Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.
District 8 stretches south from Historic Southside all the way to Coventry, Early voting starts April 22, and Election Day is May 3. If no candidate gets more than half the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bradford William Davis, columnist and editorial writer; Bud Kennedy, columnist; and Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.
This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 5:25 AM.