Page 214 - CityofArlingtonFY26AdoptedBudget

Capital Improvement Program

Identification of Needs
The needs for new capital improvements are identified in many different ways:

• calls from citizens,
• City Council priorities,
• inventory reviews,
• the various city-wide master plans,
• new development needs, and
• economic stimulation needs

To facilitate citizen input, the City of Arlington utilizes the Citizens’ Bond Committee (CBC), regular town hall meetings, and the
Capital Budget Executive Committee.

The Citizens’ Bond Committee brings Arlington residents directly into the capital improvement process by facilitating a face-to-
face meeting between City staff and citizens. Citizens are selected for the committee by the City Council through an application
process. Once selected, the Committee is provided with comprehensive information regarding the City's capital improvement
priorities, as well as staff recommendations. City staff then takes input on needs identification and even offers tours to capital
improvement sites. The CBC met in 2024 for the City’s next bond election. The 2025 Bond election was voted on and approved
by the voters in May 2025.

The City’s Capital Budget Executive Committee consists of directors of departments that utilize bond funding and representatives
of the Finance Department and the City Manager’s Office. For a more detailed description of the Committee, please see the
“Capital Budget” section on the next page.

Citizen Bond Election

After gathering stakeholder input, a comprehensive list of capital improvement projects is identified. As necessary, a bond
election is held in May or November to allow the general public to vote on the City’s ability to sell general obligation bonds to
fund this list of projects. The result of the election is a specific dollar amount in general obligation bonds and certificates of
obligation that the City is authorized to sell. The City will then use this authorization to sell bonds each year, within the constraints
of the City’s financial policies, until the authorization has been exhausted. The City held a bond election in May 2025, which
authorized the sale of $200.8 million in general obligation bonds. The City currently has $172.4 million in remaining authorization
from the recent 2025 Bond Election, $206.1 million from the 2023 Bond Election, and $4.2 million remaining from the 2018 Bond
Election.

Capital Improvement Plan
The Capital Improvement Plan represents a three- to five-year fiscal plan that prioritizes and schedules all projects included in
the bond elections. Through discussions with City staff, the Council, and citizens, the Capital Improvement Plan considers the
appropriate timing of project construction, the City’s ability to facilitate construction, financial constraints on repaying
indebtedness, and the increased costs of operation and maintenance. The Capital Budget is derived, on an annual basis, from
the Capital Improvement Plan. Because the Capital Improvement Plan is affected by changes in Arlington’s economy and is
revised annually, it should be viewed as a working document.

Capital Budget

Each year, a capital budget is presented to the City Council for approval. The Capital Budget provides city staff with budgeted
funds and authorization to begin or continue working on capital projects that are programmed year-by-year in the Capital
Improvement Plan.

FY 2026 Proposed Budget and Business Plan 208 City of Arlington, Texas