For the third consecutive year, Fort Worth homeowners could see a decrease in the City’s property tax rate – the largest reduction in at least 30 years.
City Manager David Cooke has recommended the City Council lower the tax rate 4 cents, to 67.25 cents per $100 assessed valuation. Even with the rate decrease, the City is considering adding 106 positions in the Police Department and 76 positions in the Fire Department as part of an ongoing commitment to maintaining high levels of public safety.
The theme of the fiscal year 2024 budget is So Safe. So Clean. So Green.
Although the property tax rate would go down, a property tax bill could increase depending on the property appraisal. Earlier this summer, the City adopted an increased homestead exemption for residents who are disabled or age 65 or older that will assist those eligible taxpayers in reducing their tax burden.
The City Council has lowered the tax rate six times in the past seven years, totaling 16.25 cents. The rate has decreased from 85.50 cents per $100 assessed valuation in fiscal 2016.
The Tarrant County Appraisal District placed the total appraised value of homes and commercial properties at $115.7 billion, up 15.6% from the previous year.
Total property tax revenue is estimated to be $735 million, up $71.5 million from the previous year, or 10.8%.
The council is scheduled to approve the tax rate Tuesday, Sept. 19. The City’s new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Learn more about the City of Fort Worth budget and opportunities for engagement.
he City of Fort Worth is planning the FY2024 budget and recently asked residents what they think budget dollars should be spent on. Feedback was collected June 6-July 9, where residents had multiple avenues to provide comments and photos.
Why it matters: Like in 2022, this year the City is looking for residents to provide feedback about what they think budget dollars should be spent on. As the City focuses on the next fiscal year, the City also wants to engage residents and understand what is important to them.
The bottom line: The top requests were:
What’s next: The city manager will present the proposed budget to City Council on Aug. 8. Beginning in August, a series of community meetings will be held to get. feedback and answer questions. The final budget for FY2024 will be approved by City Council in September.
Movies That Matter, a film series program of the City of Fort Worth’s Human Relations Commission, will present Paper Tigers at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St.
Event details: Admission is free. Make reservations online.
About the film: Paper Tigers (2015, 102 minutes, PG-13 strong language, offensive slurs and violence) chronicles a year in the life of Lincoln High School in the community of Walla Walla, Washington. The kids who come to Lincoln have a history of truancy, behavioral problems and substance abuse. After Lincoln’s principal is exposed to research about the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences, he decides to radically change the school’s approach to discipline. With the aid of diary camera footage, the film follows six students. From getting into fights, grappling with traumatic events in their lives, and on the cusp of dropping out, they find healing, support and academic promise at Lincoln High.
View a trailer.
Movies That Matter was created in 2010 as a way to create awareness in the community about human rights issues affecting people in Fort Worth and worldwide. The series presents human rights-related film screenings and moderated discussions. The program is managed by the Diversity & Inclusion Department.
The Fort Worth Art Commission this week approved new interpretive plaques designed to foster cultural equity and provide historical context for a series of scenes depicted in murals at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.
About the artwork: Created to commemorate the Texas Centennial in 1936, two 200-foot-long, hand-painted tile murals trace the state’s settlement and industrial development. The murals were integrated into the facades of the National Register-listed Will Rogers auditorium and coliseum.
In 2019, a social media post raised concerns about the depiction of Black Texans in the auditorium mural. Alongside other agricultural workers, Black workers are depicted harvesting cotton.
The Mayor’s Office asked the Fort Worth Art Commission to seek community input and make a recommendation for responding to the concerns. Consensus emerged strongly in favor of presenting historical context for all segments of the murals.
An advisory panel recommended that permanent interpretive plaques be embedded in the plazas in front of the coliseum and auditorium. This was followed by more than two years of research and meetings with focus groups representing the diverse cultures depicted in the murals.
The goal of the project is to encourage viewers to learn more about Texas’ multifaceted history and to foster cultural equity and community understanding.
The plaque for the mosaic depicting Black fieldworkers would read:
“Use of the land and its value was changing dramatically. For the first two decades of 20th century, agriculture led the state’s economic growth. Texas produced almost one third of America’s cotton. This scene depicts tenant farming and sharecropping, systems in which freedmen, poor white, and Mexican workers farmed rented land for a share of the harvested crops. Sharecropping rarely resulted in farm ownership. After World War I (1914-1918), many laborers moved to cities for work, forcing landowners to modernize with machinery to harvest millions of acres of cotton, wheat, and other crops.”
View approved text for the other mural segments.
What’s next: City Council will be asked to consider authorizing a construction contract to fabricate, deliver and install the plaques.
The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) and Mayor Mattie Parker recently recorded a new video about Fort Worth Safe:
https://youtu.be/17-Oz57jHvc
Why it matters: In 2022, FWPD implemented the Fort Worth Safe Violent Crime Strategy, focusing on preventing violent criminals from victimizing Fort Worth residents. Since the initiative’s implementation, there has been a 13% drop in overall violent crime in Fort Worth.
What's next: New technology and collaboration among units and agencies has helped the department increase its efforts. Additional programs have been developed to also assist in reducing violent crime.
View a list of resources and partners working together to keep Fort Worth safe.
Welcome to Smart Irrigation Month, a time dedicated to promoting water efficiency and raising awareness about the importance of smart irrigation practices.
Why it matters: Irrigation systems play a vital role in maintaining healthy landscapes, but they can also be a source of water waste if they are not properly optimized.
It’s easy: Follow these Environmental Protection Agency sprinkler tips:
Check the system for any visible leaks in the pipes, valves, or sprinkler heads. Examine each sprinkler head for proper alignment, damage, or clogs.
Review and fine-tune the settings on the sprinkler system controller. Check the functionality of rain sensors and ensure they are correctly connected. Inspect valves in your system for leaks, proper opening and closing, and signs of wear or damage
Ensure water flows and coverage is directed where it is needed. Adjust sprinkler heads to avoid overspray on to sidewalks and other hard surfaces. Group plants with similar watering needs into separate watering zones and adjust schedules and runtimes.
Explore alternative watering methods such as drip irrigation or micro-sprinklers. Consider upgrading to WaterSense labeled or smart irrigation system for automatic adjustments based on weather and soil moisture.
For additional help: The City of Fort Worth offers no-cost irrigation system evaluations by licensed irrigators to Fort Worth homeowners. No repairs or adjustments are made during the evaluation.
Go deeper: For more information or an appointment.
A City Council-appointed task force recommended reimagining the future of the building at 1300 Gendy St. as a world-class cultural hub and redeveloping the property accordingly.
A 2022 study identified $26.1 million in needed repairs and upgrades to the City-owned building known as the Community Arts Center. Due to inflation and other factors, those costs could reach $30 million in 2023 dollars.
The Community Arts Center houses 14 residents, including nine nonprofit organizations and five studio artists.
Task force representatives, including Chairman Leonard Firestone and Vice Chairman Glenn Lewis, on Tuesday told councilmembers that the task force considered three possible scenarios for the building’s future: restoration, renovation and redevelopment. Members used seven factors to evaluate each development strategy.
The task force recommended that future development:
June 13: City Council will vote on adopting a resolution accepting the final report of the task force and authorizing the city manager to proceed in implementing its recommendations.
June 21: Staff issues a request for proposals to redevelop 1300 Gendy St.
Sept. 14: Initial proposals are due.
October: Opportunities for public feedback on the proposals will be scheduled.
A five-member committee made up of City staff and community stakeholders will evaluate proposals.
FORT WORTH, Texas (June 5, 2023) — The Fort Worth Botanic Garden (FWBG) invites guests to visit the Garden with free admission Monday, June 19 in honor of the Juneteenth federal holiday, thanks to the generosity of R Bank, which makes this opportunity accessible to all for the second year in a row.
"The significance of Juneteenth spans our nation, but we are proud to celebrate this day in Fort Worth, home of the future National Juneteenth Museum and activist, Opal Lee," said FWBG CEO and President Patrick Newman. "Offering free admission is our way of honoring this significant holiday. We invite the community to create emotional souvenirs with their family and friends at the Garden on Juneteenth, and we thank R Bank for making it possible again this year."
"R Bank is proud to continue its sponsorship of Juneteenth at the Garden. We believe in celebrating diversity, freedom, and honoring the history that has shaped us. This is an integral part of R Bank’s commitment to being more than just a bank, but also a cornerstone of our vibrant community," said Kent McCune, Market President for R Bank Fort Worth.
Date: June 13, 2023
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Location: Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1600 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, Texas 71607
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is pleased to invite members of the media to the groundbreaking event for the highly anticipated Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater project. This event marks a significant milestone in the Museum's commitment to providing educational and immersive experiences for the community.
Event Details:
The groundbreaking event will take place on June 13, 2023, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1600 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, Texas 71607. Parking is available in the Museum School parking lot on the corner of Montgomery and Lansford.
Agenda:
9:00 AM - Arrival and registration of media representatives
9:15 AM - Welcoming remarks by Museum President, Orlando Carvalho, Mayor Mattie Parker, and Board Chair Marianne Auld
9:30 AM - Groundbreaking ceremony with ceremonial sledgehammers
9:40 AM - Photo opportunities and refreshments
Key Attendees:
· Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker
· Representatives from The Amon Carter Foundation, The City of Fort Worth, The Jane & John Justin Foundation, Leo Potishman Trust, Tarrant County, The Burnett Foundation, William E. Scott Foundation, The Paul E. Andrews Foundation, and The Ryan Foundation
· Local government officials and community leaders
· Project architects and designers
Arts Fort Worth announces Wesley Gentle, CFRE has been appointed its next Executive Director & President.
“Over the past ten months, we have had the opportunity to see all of the leadership qualities, as well as the passion and dedication to the organization, that we believe to be necessary to successfully lead Arts Fort Worth into the future,” said Carter Shackelford, Chair of the Arts Fort Worth Board. “Initially, Arts Fort Worth engaged an independent executive search firm to help determine who should replace Karen Wiley by providing the Board a list of qualified candidates to interview for the role. However, after viewing the high level of work that Wesley has delivered since taking on the interim role, we no longer believe that an external candidate would add a greater value to the organization than what we have already seen from him.”
Wesley Gentle joined the staff of Arts Fort Worth in 2018, bringing with him prior experience fundraising for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Fort Worth Opera, in addition to his career as a performing artist.
As Interim Managing Director, Mr. Gentle implemented a new strategic plan, oversaw the organization’s finances and operations, strengthened partnerships, and led fundraising. As executive director and president, Mr. Gentle will continue the work of navigating the unique challenge surrounding the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. For twenty years, the Arts Center’s expansive galleries, unique theater amenities, and multiple office and classroom have served the arts community and beyond. The building, which is owned by the City of Fort Worth and managed by Arts Fort Worth, requires an estimated $26 million in improvements, and Fort Worth City Council has appointed a task force to recommend future uses for the property.
Arts Fort Worth offers consulting and managerial services and provides arts education, research, and advocacy programs to Fort Worth-area residents. In partnership with the City and other organizations, Arts Fort Worth’s competitive grants program supports arts nonprofits of every size to foster a culture of creativity and innovation throughout the city. Additionally, Arts Fort Worth partners with the City of Fort Worth to administer the Fort Worth Public Art program- bringing Fort Worth residents together to commission works of art that represent their communities’ stories. incubate numerous arts programs and empower the careers of thousands of individual artists and performers.
“When everyone in Fort Worth has the resources, opportunities and empowerment to share their stories through art, and when everyone here can see part of their own story reflected in the art around them, then Arts Fort Worth has succeeded in our mission. Fort Worth is a big city. We’ve got some work to do. But our organization has a long history of changing our city for the better, and I know this community is filled with amazing people who are ready to partner with us to see that vision through.”
Mr. Gentle also serves as president of the board for the Association of Fundraising Professional Fort Worth Metro Chapter, as a board member of Texans for the Arts, and as an active member of the Rotary Club of Fort Worth.
Arts Fort Worth is excited to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2023 under new leadership with Wesley Gentle, which will continue to move the organization toward an inclusive, expansive, and sustainable future.
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