Fort Worth residents are being called to voice their opinions on the city's recommended Fiscal Year 26 budget through a series of upcoming meetings. City staff and departments will be hosting these events across various districts, providing an opportunity both for in-person engagement and for questions to be submitted online. Scheduled meetings kick off on Aug. 21 at Truett Wilson Middle School and run through Sept. 15, concluding with the session at McDonald YMCA.
With a projected operating budget hitting $3.09 billion, the city sees a sizable increase of 10.93% over the previous year, amounting to a little over $304 million more due to factors such as population growth and shifts in property tax regulations. According to the City of Fort Worth's announcement, City Manager Jay Chapa has highlighted a commitment to fiscal responsibility, which, reported by increasing service levels for essential services like Police, Fire, and EMS, is being realized through various measures such as departmental budget cuts, fee adjustments, and a continued Pay-as-you-go (PayGo) investment in infrastructure.
The recommended budget is designed in alignment with the City Council's Strategic Priorities. Economic development, community investment, safety, infrastructure, and responsible growth stand at the core of the fiscal plan. Fort Worth TV will offer live broadcasts of the budget meetings, accessible online, on television, or afterward via the video library and the city's YouTube channel, ensuring that discussions around the budget reach a broader audience.
Once the community meetings have taken place, the City Council will tackle budget work sessions addressing concerns and suggestions put forth in these gatherings. Marked by the structure of this budget and fueled by resident input, public hearings on both the tax rate and the budget are scheduled for Sept. 16. The City expects that immediately following the public hearings, the tax rate, operating budget, five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and fee ordinance will receive the City Council's stamp of approval, setting the financial course for the year to begin on Oct. 1. Those looking to delve deeper into the budget details or hoping to catch meetings not attended can learn more via the official website provided by the City of Fort Worth.
