On Tuesday Aug. 11, the City Manager presented the FY21 proposed budget to the City Council. The proposed $782 million general fund budget reflects some changes in the wake of the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet maintains the current rate of capital investment. The proposed fiscal 2021 budget will continue to fund new facilities, improve equity of city services and enhance policing.
Fort Worth’s full Capital and Operating Budget – which includes the general, debt service, special revenue, enterprise and internal service funds -- for fiscal 2021 remains relatively unchanged at $1.9 billion. Those funds operate the water and wastewater utility and airports, for example.
The budget calls for the continued property tax rate of 74.75 cents per $100 assessed valuation. Of that, 59.5 cents goes to fund operations and 15.25 cents to debt service. Projections put sales tax revenue $4.5 million lower, to $168.3 million to the city’s general fund in fiscal 2021.The general fund pays to operate city services and facilities. Property and sales taxes represent about 80 percent of the general fund budget.
Residents can comment on the recommended tax rate at several public meetings. They can also send comments to FWConnection@fortworthtexas.gov. All comments and suggestions will be shared with staff and elected officials.
The Council approved the tax rate, as well as the fiscal 2021 Capital and Operating Budget, on Sept. 22.
This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $21,558,067, which is a 3.7 percent increase from last year’s budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $18,729,638.
City Council Record Vote
The members of the governing body voted on the adoption of the budget as follows:
For: Mayor Betsy Price, Councilmembers Gyna Bivens, Brian Byrd, Carlos Flores, Kelly Allen Gray, Jungus Jordan, Cary Moon, Dennis Shingleton, and Ann Zadeh
Against: None
Present but abstained from voting: None
Absent: None
Municipal Property Tax Rates
The municipal property tax rates for the preceding fiscal year, and each municipal property tax rate that has been adopted or calculated for the current fiscal year, include:
|
Tax Rate
|
Adopted FY2019-20
|
Adopted FY2020-21
|
|
Property Tax Rate
|
$0.747500
|
$0.747500
|
|
No-New-Revenue Tax Rate
|
0.729187
|
0.777377
|
|
No-New-Revenue Maintenance and Operations Tax Rate
|
0.578466
|
0.623529
|
|
Voter-Approval Tax Rate
|
0.789191
|
0.807134
|
|
Debt Rate
|
0.152500
|
0.152500
|
Municipal Debt Obligations
The total amount of outstanding municipal debt obligations (including principal and interest) secured by property taxes is $951,429,863.
This cover page and the information it contains are included with the budget as required by the Texas Local Government Code. A PDF version is available online here(PDF, 81KB).
Public Meeting List as of Aug. 11, 2020
| Date |
Meeting |
Time |
Location |
Public Comments |
Aug. 14
(Agenda)(PDF, 45KB) |
City Council Work Session |
12:30 p.m. |
City Hall & Online |
No |
| Aug. 17 |
District 9 Town Hall |
6:30 p.m. |
WebEx |
Yes |
| Aug. 18 |
CCPD Public Hearing |
2 p.m. |
City Hall & Online |
Yes |
| Aug. 19 |
District 8 Town Hall |
6:30 p.m. |
City Hall & Online |
Yes |
| Aug. 20 |
District 2 Town Hall |
6 p.m. |
Facebook live(@CityFortWorth or @CarloseFloresFortWorth), FWTV & Online |
Yes |
| Aug. 20-21 |
Budget Work Sessions |
TBD |
City Hall & Online |
No |
| Aug. 22 |
District 5 Town Hall |
10 a.m. |
City Hall & Online |
Yes |
| Aug. 25 |
CCPD Action on Budget |
2 p.m. |
City Hall & Online |
|
| Aug. 29 |
District 6 Town Hall |
10 a.m. |
FWTV & Online |
Yes |
| Sept. 1 |
First Public Hearing at
City Council Meeting |
7 p.m. |
City Hall & Online |
Yes |
| Sept. 3-4 |
Budget Work Sessions |
TBD |
City Hall & Online |
No |
| Sept. 8 |
District 3 Town Hall |
6:30 p.m. |
FWTV & Online |
Yes |
| Sept. 15 |
Second Public Hearing at
City Council Meeting |
7 p.m. |
City Hall & Online |
Yes |
| Sept. 22 |
Anticipated Budget Adoption at
City Council meeting |
10 a.m. |
City Hall & Online |
Yes |
Details for each meeting will be posted on the City Calendar.
Here are some helpful documents. You can also watch the recorded presentations at fortworthtexas.gov/FWTV.
Budget Questions and Answers
- 21-012 Cash and Cash Equivalents(PDF, 155KB)
- 21-013 General Fund Revenue Trends(PDF, 179KB)
- 21-014 Alleyway Maintenance Program Update(PDF, 164KB)
- 21-015 General Fund Budget to Actuals Report(PDF, 158KB)
- 21-016 Analysis of Property Value Changes and Property Tax Rates(PDF, 191KB)
- 21-017 City-Owned Surplus Property(PDF, 215KB)
- 21-018 Solid Waste Budget Presentation Responses(PDF, 162KB)
- 21-019 CCPD Board Authority to Tax Res Gas and Electric Use(PDF, 101KB)
- 21-020 VIP FW Program(PDF, 96KB)
- 21-021 Transit Presentation(PDF, 1MB)
- AGENDA - Budget Work Session Sept 3-4(PDF, 210KB)
- 4. FY2021 Development Fee Adjustments.Budget WS(PDF, 962KB)
- 5. Parks Mowing Update.Budget WS(PDF, 3MB)
- 6. Town Hall Input.Budget WS(PDF, 2MB)
- CD9 Budget Town Hall Meeting Transcript(PDF, 164KB)
- Budget Questions and Comments August 27 English(PDF, 486KB)
- Budget Questions and Comments August 27 Spanish(PDF, 380KB)
- 3a. 21-001 Peer Tax- Rate Comparison.BR(PDF, 732KB)
- 3b. 21-002 FY2021 Recommended Fee Adjustments.BR(PDF, 157KB)
- 3c. 21-003 Gas Well Trust Distribution.BR(PDF, 98KB)
- 3d. 21-004 Payroll Taskforce Update.BR(PDF, 95KB)
- 3e. 21-005 Non-Profit Organization Funding.BR(PDF, 100KB)
- 3f. 21-006 FY2020 Mowing Program Update.BR(PDF, 121KB)
- 3g. 21-007 Opening Dates for New Facilities.BR(PDF, 91KB)
- 3h. 21-008 - 2020-2021 Water and Sewer Fund Budget.BR(PDF, 7MB)
- 3i. 21-009 History of General Fund Reserve Requirement and Changes in Fund Balance.BR(PDF, 97KB)
- 3j. 21-010 Position Reductions.B(PDF, 97KB)
- 3k. 21-011 FY20 to FY21 Department Budget Comparison with Reorganizations.BR(PDF, 332KB)
- Budget WS 4. Solid Waste Fund Sustainability(PDF, 204KB)
- Budget WS 7. Transit Funding(PDF, 610KB)
- Budget WS 8. Multi-Year Budget Forecast(PDF, 654KB)