According to city documents, sales tax collections for August 2023 stood at $18.9 million versus $17.87 million for the same month in 2022, which represents an increase of almost $1.03 million.
What you need to know
City documents state sales tax revenue is 23% of Fort Worth’s general fund revenue for fiscal year 2023-24. Following property tax, which makes up 58% of the city’s revenue source, sales tax is the second-largest source of revenue for the city.
While it is a major source of revenue for cities, city documents state sales tax is also prone to volatile swings due to local, national and global economic impacts, such as:
- Legislative reforms
- Weather-related shutdowns, such as historic winter storms
- A global pandemic, such as COVID-19
Sales tax revenue also funds the city’s Crime Control and Prevention District and is the largest source of revenue for this fund.
According to a city website, Fort Worth residents voted to create the Crime Control and Prevention District in 1995 as a response to the city experiencing double-digit increases in criminal activity in the 1980s and '90s as well as having the highest crime rate in the U.S. for two years during that time period.
The website states voters have continuously voted to approve the Crime Control and Prevention District for subsequent five-year periods in 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2014. Voters approved the continuance of the district for a 10-year period in 2020.
The city website states the Crime Control and Prevention District funds crime reduction resources across the city. These resources include:
- Enhanced enforcement
- Neighborhood crime prevention
- Partner programs
- Recruitment and training
- Department equipment, technology and infrastructure
