Firefighter ballot prop changed from chart to wordy item

should get paid… we’re checking if the ballot language is easy to understand. in late march, city council decided the best way to help voters understand the issue – was if the ballot included two charts: one with the city’s pay options. the other with the fire union’s options. but that has since changed. now – the sample ballot shows that instead of charts – voters will see long, wordy questions. the city attorney says that’s because the city found out the voting machines can’t show the charts – even though they’re easier to understand. the fire union leader told us it’s unfortunate the two couldn’t come to an agreement in almost a year: “it’s part of the process unfortunately we couldn’t come to an agreement and this is where the process took us. Unfortunately mediation didn’t work. Fact finding is not binding. Council voted to call for the election and we’re here.” if the fire union and the city come to an agreement before the election, the ballot will be void … despite early voting the election, the ballot will be void … despite early voting starting monday. voters will also have a say on the size of the firefighters pay increase and the policy for failed drug tests.