Education focus of mayor’s state of city address
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price on Tuesday pressed upon business leaders how important education is to the community and the city’s continued growth, urging them to get more involved in public schools in the city.
In Fort Worth, 81 percent of adults have a high school diploma or better, but 19 percent of the citizens still live at or below the poverty level and don’t have a high school diploma, she said.
“Those statistics are startling,” Price said. “The biggest risk of regression ... to continue to thrive and be a strong city, education must improve and must be strong. Education is economic development. We are seriously lagging in college graduates. We have to continue to work with our public schools,” she said.
We know Fort Worth’s public schools can be among the top in the nation. We have a ways to go, but with your focus our schools will get there. No child’s zip code should determine their future success.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price
“We know Fort Worth’s public schools can be among the top in the nation,” she added. “We have a ways to go, but with your focus our schools will get there. No child’s zip code should determine their future success.”
“We simply can and must expand career and technical education. Many kids don’t want to go to college and they need to have the certifications to hold a good job. Our future growth depends on preparing kids for our workforce. I expect this city to be built around great jobs that pay well. We must partner up with our school districts.”
Price’s remarks came during her fifth annual State of the City address to about 1,200 people at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The luncheon was hosted by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, which honored its small business of the year award winners.
In the crowd was Oscar Vasquez, the BNSF Railway employee and retired U.S. Army veteran who attended President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address last month in Washington, D.C.
Price spoke about many issues, including transportation, improving roads and the progress made last year by the City Council and city staff in running a fiscally-sound city. Price also spoke about fitness and public engagement — issues she is passionate about, but which are key to the city’s future as well, she said.
Building that sense of place must include an engaged public. We’re building that sense of place involving our citizens. You don’t want Cowtown’s future shaped by just a few people. As growth continues at the fever pitch we’ve seen, we have to stay attuned to you.
Mayor Price
“Building that sense of place must include an engaged public,” Price said. “We’re building that sense of place involving our citizens. You don’t want Cowtown’s future shaped by just a few people. As growth continues at the fever pitch we’ve seen, we have to stay attuned to you.”
She touted the fact the city’s fiscal 2016 budget saw no tax increase, but more money was going toward ongoing maintenance of infrastructure and capital projects. She touched on the progress of the much-needed sixth patrol division in far north Fort Worth, that will have 98 police jobs when fully staffed. A new facility will be open in 2018.
In an unusual move, City Manager David Cooke took the stage for a few minutes to float the idea of another bond to keep up with city’s growing population, predicted to reach 1 million residents in the next decade.
The eye to the future is also about planning our infrastructure investment. We’re going to be good stewards with the money you entrust in us. We’re going to be so tight with that money . . . because we’ll be before you in the future asking you to approve bond referendums to invest in more infrastructure.
Fort Worth City Manager David Cooke
“The eye to the future is also about planning our infrastructure investment,” Cooke said. “We’re going to be good stewards with the money you entrust in us. We’re going to be so tight with that money . . . because we’ll be before you in the future asking you to approve bond referendums to invest in more infrastructure.”
Serving needs, dreams
Said Price, “Everything our city does must be based on serving the needs and dreams of our citizens. First, we have continued putting our fiscal house in order, providing critical city services all while balancing the budget, while living within our means. We are keeping the politics our of your tax dollars and doing what is right. We are good stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars.”
In March, the city and chamber are expected to announce the relocation of two California companies to Fort Worth, she said.
“Whether we like it or not, the fact of the matter is that luring business and creating jobs is a competitive sport,” she said. “And you should know by now I, and this council, have the energy to push forward.”
Sandra Baker: 817-390-7727, @SandraBakerFWST
Small Business of the Year winners
Four Tarrant County companies received the 2016 Small Business of the Year Award from the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. The winners were selected from a field of 125 nominees.
Emerging Business – Ventavia Research Group, a clinical research company that conducts trials for new medications developed by pharmaceutical companies
1-10 Employees – Blue Jean Networks, an information technology service provider to small and mid-sized businesses
11-50 Employees – The Baker Firm – Fidelity National Title – residential and commercial title services
51-150 Employees – Firefighting's Finest Moving & Storage, a moving company that specializes in moving, packing and crating, shipping, receiving and short- to long-term storage.
“These outstanding businesses are models of entrepreneurial vision, courage and spirit that define Fort Worth,” said Bill Thornton, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber.
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Education focus of mayor’s state of city address."