Tarrant County judge spotlights his business approach to governing
Taking an entrepreneur-friendly approach to government is what helps make Tarrant County “a pleasure every day to wake up in,” County Judge Tim O’Hare acclaimed Thursday at the annual Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce-hosted State of the County luncheon.
O’Hare highlighted his four-pronged approach to bring more business to the county.
“I don’t believe government creates jobs,” O’Hare said. “I believe entrepreneurs, business owners, create jobs. But what government officials can do is put things in place and eliminate things that are in place that make it easier for the job creator to create jobs.”
The keys to do so are low property taxes, limited regulations, low crime and taking a business-like approach to running the county, O’Hare said. He is also focused on improving transportation through the county.
With two years of lowering the tax burden under his belt, the Southlake Republican is posed to do the same this year. The county commissioners have given preliminary approval to a budget that is under the no new revenue rate. The no new revenue rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of revenue in 2026 from properties that were on the tax rolls in 2025.
“In the last two budget years, we’ve cut $58 million out of the budget, but we’re able to do more with less,” O’Hare said. “We run Tarrant County like a business, and it’s able to do more for the people that we serve in Tarrant County.”
With nearly 500 people in attendance, O’Hare then emceed a discussion with Sheriff Bill Waybourn, District Attorney Phil Sorrells and County Clerk Mary Louise Nicholson.
After telling the crowd about their families, each explained what their offices have achieved in the past year.
In his nearly eight years as sheriff, Waybourn said his accomplishments have been shortening the number of days people are in the jail, starting a human trafficking task force to go after predators and the jail being dubbed “the Cadillac model” by the Department of Justice.
When asked about jail deaths, Waybourn said “don’t believe what you’re seeing” in the media coverage surrounding the 71 deaths in the Tarrant County Jail since he took office in January 2017. He said most of the deaths happen in a hospital and there are immense investigations that begin immediately.
Sorrells quoted a Metroplex Civic and Business Association 2025 report that says Dallas has a higher rate of crime by a multiplier of nine when compared to Fort Worth.
“It’s a lot better to be here in Fort Worth when you’re talking about crime than it is in Dallas,” Sorrells said. “We’re going to enforce the law, and the police know that we have their back, and it’s a great relationship.”
The district attorney said his office is “not turning a blind eye to anything,” highlighting the three cases when defendants were given the death penalty.
Nicholson’s office, which services residents from “cradle to grave,” has grown its passport acceptance facilities to process roughly 44,000 applications in 2024. She said she is proud of the work her office has done to lead a self-sustaining program that generated about $2.1 million for the county’s general fund since its genesis in 2016.
With a nearly guaranteed Republican majority on the commissioners court because of the county precinct redistricting in June, O’Hare said residents will continue to see a focus on spending reforms, property tax cuts, strong law and order presence and stronger economic development efforts.
This story was originally published August 21, 2025 at 5:20 PM.