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Executive Message

The FY2023 Adopted Budget is the product of prioritizing expenditures with available revenues while balancing
the burden to the taxpayers. The budget process is centered on a broader, organizationally-focused decision-
making process that support its financial health, not only for the upcoming year, but well into the future. In
addition to the annual operating budget development, the City adopts a five-year Capital Improvement Program
that addresses the growth and infrastructure needs. These philosophies and processes ensure our focus is not a
narrow operational view but rather a forward-looking strategic view.

The local Fort Worth economy has shown strong growth over the last five years, along with the greater Dallas-
Fort Worth metropolitan area; however, the growing demands on the city’s limited financial resources while
minimizing taxpayer burden continue to set the stage in which the City must operate.

In addition to the promoting the City’s strategic vision, there were several guiding principles for the final budget:

• Maintain or lower property tax rates
• Prioritize funding for infrastructure growth & maintenance
• Focus on initiatives that promote a clean & Safe Fort Worth

This year, the continued challenge of COVID-19 and forecasting the impacts of this pandemic into the foreseeable
future has added levels of complexity since predictions surrounding the economic recovery are varied. Looking
back to the “great recession” of 2008 does provide some insight into how staff plans for an economic rebound,
but the pandemic has permanently impacted the way we do business.

OVERVIEW
The FY2023 Adopted Budget totals $2.3 billion, which includes 7,877 authorized positions (AP) and consists of 20
different operating departments (excluding Non-Departmental) plus four appointed officials’ offices, across
multiple funds, including the General Fund, Special Revenue Funds, Debt Service Funds, Enterprise Funds, and
Internal Service Funds. Of the total budget, 39 percent, or $915 million, reflects the cost of General Fund activities
such as public safety, parks, neighborhood services, economic development, property management,
transportation and public works, planning, development, public libraries, and general management of the city.
The remaining 61 percent, or $1.36 billion, will fund the operations of the other funds noted above.

BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
The FY2023 budget process began in January of 2022 when City executive staff internally reviewed the upcoming
seven-year projection. February of 2021 brought the City Council retreat and an effort to align City Council goals
with executive staff guiding principles. On March 25, the Planning and Data Analytics Department hosted a
citywide Budget Kickoff to mark the formal beginning of the budget development process. The meeting brought
together the executive team, department heads, operations planning division staff, and departmental fiscal
coordinators to discuss the overall strategy for developing the FY2023 budget.

Moving into the development of the FY2023 budget, programs and services were reviewed for prioritization,
continued growth as Fort Worth attracts new residents and businesses, and the desire to minimize the financial
burden to taxpayers. City staff set out to prepare the FY2023 Budget by relying on the following budget
development strategies:

· Maintain or lower the property tax rate in the General Fund
· Increase funding for capital investment and maintenance

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