Whatâs on the horizon for Fort Worth? | Photo by @katebranning
The City Council approved the proposed 2023 fiscal budget and property taxrate on Tuesday. The $2.3 billion budget is approximately $2.5 million more than 2022 + focuses on public safety, cleanliness, and growth.
Thereâs a lot to unpack in the 248-page operating budget that will be active from Sat., Oct. 1, 2022-Sat., Sept. 30, 2023, but weâre here to holler out the highlights.
By the numbers
The cityâs operational budget comes from six sourcesâthree governmental funds and three proprietary funds.
General fund: $915.3 million
Debt service fund: $278.4 million
Special revenue funds: $228.8 million
Enterprise funds: $668.1 million
Internal service funds: $200.3 million
Fiduciary funds: $33.7 million
Total operating funds: $2.3 billion
The general fund
The general fund increased by $83.4 million compared to 2022 and includes money for 150+ new city staff positions in various departments. With strategic priorities for safety and cleanliness, infrastructure, growth, workforce, and tax rate reduction; the general fund breaks down as:
$491.3 million for public safety
$180.6 million for infrastructure
$97.6 million for financial growth
$83.1 million for community services
$7.9 million for legal services
$41.2 million for other expenses
Changes for residents
The council has approved a decreased property tax rate of $0.7125 per $100. This is 2% less than last year.
Note: Property tax amount is calculated as Property tax amount = (tax rate x taxable value of your property)/100
The city also approved an increasedenvironmental fee on monthly water bills by $1 to accommodate more trash and litter removal.
A line-by-line breakdown doesnât quite fit in your quick morning news. You can check out the full budget report from the city.
Whiskey Wednesdays | Wed., Sept. 28 | 5-11 p.m. | Kimpton Harper Hotel, 714 Main St. | Cost of purchase | Raise a glass to live music and deals on delicious whiskeys at Refinery 714, the penthouse lounge. No reservations required.
Thursday
Music Bingo | Thurs., Sept. 29 | 7-9 p.m. | Cowtown Brewing Co., 1301 E. Belknap St. | Cost of purchase | Relax with a local brew and be your own human jukebox.
Friday
Elton John | Fri., Sept. 30 | 8 p.m. | Globe Life Field, Arlington | $140+ | Donât miss your chance to see Rocket Man on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road final tour.
Saturday
Muscadine Bloodline | Sat., Oct. 1 | 8 p.m. | Tannahillâs Tavern and Music Hall, 122 E. Exchange Ave. | $37+ | Come to this Cowtown concert at Mule Alleyâs newest music venue.
Sunday
Fort Worth Eatz: Food Festival | Sun., Oct. 2 | 12-8 p.m. | Hulen Fashion Center, 5256 S. Hulen St. | $3+ | Bizhiorâs Sinful Delights and Gifted hosts the best food vendors in DFW.
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
The next installment of our FTW Neighborhoods Guide â a series in which weâre partnering with Williams Trew to walk yâall through 32 neighborhoods around Cowtown â explores life in downtown Fort Worth. đĄ
Need to know Home to charming, beautifully restored buildings + residences that stand alongside modern skyscrapers, downtown FTW offers both a friendly ambiance and all the buzz of an urban city.
Plus, there are parks and landmarks galore and the Sundance Square district â a walkable 37-square-blockarea dotted with:
Shopping
Restaurants
Art galleries
Entertainment
Offices
Residential living
Where to live If youâre itching for urban living + looking to buy in the area, search all the available homes currently on the market, or check out our favs via Williams Trew. đ
The City Plan Commission will hear two potential annexation cases to the west at todayâs meeting. If approved, the annexation will allow for the 262 acres off FM3325 and Old Weatherford Road to be zoned for residential and commercial development + 156 townhomes to be developed on 35 acres at Old Weatherford Road and Walsh Drive. đ (Dallas Business Journal)
Civic
On Sat., Oct., 1, the Parks & Recreation Department will take over the Alley Maintenance Program from the Neighborhood Services Department. The Alley Maintenance Program oversees the mowing of 1,200+ unpaved alleys each quarter. đ±
Traffic
Construction is starting on South University Drive between I-30 and the WestBend shopping center. As part of the $5.7 million University Drive improvement plan, the project will add new medians, signage, lighting, and crosswalks. đ§
Eat
Free chicken wings? Yes, please. To promote the opening of its new location, Pluckers Wing Bar is offering free meals from Mon., Oct. 3-Fri., Oct. 7. Stop by the Cityview restaurant â at the corner of City Lake Boulevard and Southwest Loop 820 â from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. + 6-8 p.m. đ
Real Estate
Addicted to Zillow? Local nonprofit Housing Channel is offering in-personal and virtual classes for first-time homebuyers. The classes cover credit scores, mortgages, and house shopping with HUD-certified counselors available for one-on-one sessions.
Arts
Head to the Modern Art Museum on Sat., Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m. for a book signing. Louisiana painter Jammie Holmes will release his monograph depicting the contemporary life of Black families in the Deep South. đš
Festival
Mark your calendars for a new Cowtown art festival. Art Worth: A Festival of Fine Art and Fine Craft will run Fri., Oct. 21-Sun., Oct. 23 on the lawn at Will Rogers Memorial Center. The juried show will feature 60+ artists. Stay tuned for ticket sales. đš
Environment
After a scalding summer and intense rains, Fort Worth trees are fighting off a caterpillar infestation â particularly on hackberry trees. Read what a forestry expert has to say about the infestation and what residents can do. đ (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Trending
This weekend, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Americabrought62 Uvalde residents to the NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway. The race was the beginning of the organizationâs effort to increase partnership with Uvalde schools and community centers. đ (The Dallas Morning News)
Number
52,173. Thatâs how many newsletter subscribers (like you) we reach every day through FTWtoday. Have a local, regional, or national business and want to expand your audience? Learn how to advertise with us.
The Cutting Edge ghoul has graced the skyline once again. | Photo by @_jrh79
Looking for a howling good time this Halloween? To make this season even more spooktacular, weâre creep-ing it real with a round-up of local haunted houses.
Voted USA Todayâs âBest Haunted Attractionâ in 2021, thrill seekers can experience many terrifying jump scares in this historic meat-packing facility.
Six Flags is hosting its annual Fright Fest featuring six horror attractions through Halloween.
THE WRAP
Todayâs issue was written by Kate.
Editorâs pick: Fall has just started but Christmas displays are already going up in stores around town. My favorite Fort Worth holiday tradition is the Parade of Lights â taking place on Sun., Nov. 20.
If youâre interested in being part of the show, applications for floats are open until Fri., Oct. 7. Submit an entry. đĄ
Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM Cityâs advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.
* This content is paid advertising, or contains links to our Six & Main marketplace, or affiliate partners which we may receive a commission from. ^ This content is created by our content studio.