For the first time in four years, Fort Worth did not cut your property tax rate
For the first time in four years the city of Fort Worth did not reduce the tax rate property owners pay as the City Council approved a $1.9 billion budget for 2021 .
Mayor Betsy Price and the City Council have prioritized lowing the tax rate each year, relying on a growth to the tax base, though many homeowners often paid more because of increased evaluations. But because of concern over a coronavirus-spurred recession, City Manager David Cooke proposed the same 74.75 cents property tax rate and no increases to most user fees. The owner of a home valued at $250,000 with a homestead exemption would pay $1,495 in city property taxes.
The budget grew by $8.3 million from last year, because of increased property valuations. Cooke has said the budget allows the city to continue programs to improve city services while preparing the city for slimmer budgets in years to come. Based on trends seen during the Great Recession that started in 2007, Cooke projects the city’s tax base may shrink by 4% of over the next two years.
Cooke told the Star-Telegram in August that his hope is to maintain city services while still paying for several new endeavors, including the Golden Triangle Library and a far north Fort Worth animal shelter.
To trim the budget Cooke recommended eliminating more than 100 positions, of which he said about a dozen are occupied. About 70 are city employees transferring to the Botanic Research Institute of Texas under a new operating agreement for the botanic garden, so the net reduction is closer to 50.
Since April the city has froze hiring for roughly 300 positions, which will continue through 2021.
The police department will lose nine positions, including some helicopter maintenance staff, while increasing the number of neighborhood patrol officers by 10. The department will also fund 13 officer positions through the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS grant.
Both the library and the parks and recreation departments will lose about a dozen positions each.
Those employees whose positions are being cut may have the opportunity to transfer to other vacancies or retire early.
There was no public comment on the budget before Tuesday’s unanimous vote.
Councilwoman Ann Zadeh again voiced disappointment the city’s allocation to transit efforts. Several cash-funded city programs will see a 2.5% to 3% increase in funding for capital improvements. Transit received no additional dollars.
Trinity Metro had requested $10 million from the city’s 2021 budget for short-term improvements and additional funding for longer-term fixes. But the budget provides $1.5 million for improvements to Trinity Metro, of which about $650,000 is set aside for sidewalks and other improvements at bus stops.
The City Council last week approved the police department’s $81.4 million sales tax budget, which makes some changes to how officers will interact with the public, but doesn’t go as far as many who have called for police reform wanted.
Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus in August proposed making significant changes to how the fund, known as the Crime Control and Prevention District, operates. The city takes in a half cent sales tax to boost the police department beyond the more than $267 million it receives from the general fund.
Among the changes, the police department will pilot a civilian response team that will handle some non-emergency calls. Next year’s budget increases the pot of money available to Partners with a Shared Mission, a category that includes after-school programs and nonprofit partnerships. Despite growing sales tax revenue, the fund had been left at $250,000 for several years. Now nonprofits that provide social services and work to reduce crime can compete for $2 million.
This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 12:03 PM.
