Fort Worth’s budget focuses on public safety, growth. Most homeowners will see tax increase

Fort Worth’s 2023 budget will focus on police, cleanliness and growth.

The city plans to spend roughly $2.3 billion, roughly $2.5 million more than last year, with a focus on improving public safety, fixing roads and bridges, making it easier for development, all while lowering the city’s tax rate by 2 cents.

The city will increase funding to hire 100 police officers and add to crisis intervention teams, homeless services and victim assistance, city manager David Cooke said.

The city’s new rate would go from 0.7325 cents to 0.7125 cents per $100 of property value. Although the rate would drop, homeowners are likely to see their bills increase after the median home price in Fort Worth jumped 25.5% in 2022.

The owner of a home valued at the median price of $325,000 with a homestead exemption would pay $1,852.50 under the proposal.

This is the sixth time in the last decade the city has lowered its property tax rate, although it has taken in more money from property taxes in each of the past five years.

The city is also proposing increasing the environmental fee on monthly water bills from 50 cents to $1.50 for more trash and litter pickup.

The city is looking to purchase 10 street sweepers, boosting the city’s fleet from two to 12, as well as hire more cleaning crews.

The thought is that visible cleanliness should reduce crime, Cooke said.

An effort to clean up vacant lots in Philadelphia led to a 13.3% reduction crime, according to a 2018 study from the University of Pennsylvania.

Other public safety efforts include improved street markings and speeding up the time it takes to fix broken street lights.

The city expects to add positions in its development services department to streamline the permit process.

The City Council is scheduled to hold six special work sessions and eight public meetings on the budget before taking a final vote Sept. 27.