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THE MAY 3RD GRAND PRAIRIE CITY ELECTION INCLUDES RACES FOR MAYOR, ONE CITY COUNCIL SEAT, A SALES TAX REFERENDUM, AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER IN THE MAYOR'S RACE INCUMBENT, RON JENSEN IS SEEKING ANOTHER THREE YEAR TERM AGAINST RAVI L LESLEY.
IN DISTRICT TWO INCUMBENT, JACQUELINE HEDON IS RUNNING UNOPPOSED FOR ANOTHER THREE YEAR TERM, AND IN DISTRICT FOUR THERE IS A THREE-WAY RACE BETWEEN INCUMBENT JOHN LOPEZ, MARTA NEMO, AND CARLOS CHARLIE GARZA.
VOTERS WILL ALSO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO RE-AUTHORIZE A QUARTER CENT SALES TAX THAT IS BEING USED FOR STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
VOTERS RENEWED THE TAX FOR A FOURTH TIME IN 2017.
SINCE THEN, IT HAS GENERATED $81 MILLION, WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO IMPROVE MORE THAN 121 STREETS FIXED 64 MILES OF ROADWAY REPAIR 29 ALLEYS AND ELIMINATE 1,355 STANDING WATER SITES.
IF VOTERS RENEW THE STREET TAX FOR EIGHT YEARS, THE OVERALL SALES TAX WILL STAY THE SAME.
AN ESTIMATED $96 MILLION WOULD BE GENERATED FOR STREET REPAIRS AND NON-RESIDENTS WOULD SHARE THE COST THROUGH THE SALES TAX.
IF THE TAX IS NOT RENEWED, THE OVERALL SALES TAX WOULD BE REDUCED BY ONE QUARTER CENT.
THE LEVEL OF STREET REPAIRS WOULD DECLINE TO WHAT COULD BE ABSORBED BY THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
THERE ARE ALSO TWO CITY CHARTER AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT.
PROPOSITION B WOULD ADD THE POSITION OF DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, WHICH WILL BE SELECTED FROM AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE MAYOR.
IF THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS ABSENT OR DISABLED, PROPOSITION C WOULD REMOVE REDUNDANCIES, CORRECT TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS, AND MODIFY LANGUAGE THAT CONFLICTS WITH STATE OR FEDERAL LAW.
EARLY VOTING FOR THE MAY 3RD ELECTION IS AVAILABLE FROM APRIL 22ND THROUGH APRIL 29TH.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY IS FROM 7:00 AM UNTIL 7:00 PM.
FOR VOTING LOCATIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION, VISIT THE CITY'S WEBSITE@GPTX.ORG.