Page 35 - Fort Worth City Budget 2019

Processes and Policies

infrastructure improvements and additions. The useful life of the asset or project shall exceed the payout schedule
of any debt the city assumes.

The city shall not assume more tax-supported general purpose debt than it retires each year without conducting
an objective analysis as to the city’s ability to assume and support additional debt service payments. When
appropriate, self- supporting revenue bonds shall be considered before general obligation bonds.

Debt Service Guidelines
Generally, the city shall issue bonds with an average life of approximately 10.5 years for general obligation bonds
and approximately 17-18 years for revenue bonds. The structure should approximate level principal on general
obligation bonds and level debt service for revenue bonds. With respect to the issuance of revenue bonds for a
stand-alone or self- supporting project, the term of the debt and debt service structure shall be consistent with
the useful life of the project and the revenue-generating capability of the project.

There shall be no debt structures, which include increasing debt service levels in subsequent years, with the
exception of the first and second year of a payment schedule. There shall be no "balloon" bond repayment
schedules, which consist of low annual payments and one large payment of the balance due at the end of the
term. There shall always be at least interest paid in the first fiscal year after a bond sale and principal starting
generally no later than the second fiscal year after the bond issue. In the case of a revenue generating project,
principal repayment should begin no later than the first full year after the project has been placed in service.
Normally, there shall be no capitalized interest included in the debt structure unless there are no historical
reserves upon which to draw.

User Fee Policy
For services that benefit specific users, the city shall establish and collect fees to recover the costs of those
services. The City Council shall determine the appropriate cost recovery level and establish the fees. Where
feasible and desirable, the city shall seek to recover full direct and indirect costs. User fees shall be reviewed on a
regular basis to calculate their full cost recovery levels, to compare them to the current fee structure and to
recommend adjustments where necessary.

It is the intention of the city that all utilities and enterprise funds be self-supporting. As a result, utility rates and
enterprise user fees shall be set at levels sufficient to cover operating expenditures, meet debt obligations, provide
additional funding for capital improvements and provide adequate levels of working capital. The city shall seek to
eliminate all forms of subsidization to utility/enterprise funds from the General Fund.

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