After conducting a series of open houses in May to collect feedback, Fort Worth officials have extended the deadline for feedback from residents on the fiscal year 2024-25 general fund budget to June 15.

What you need to know

According to a city news release, the general fund budget includes the following city services:

• Police
• Fire
• Community services
• Capital projects

The news release states there are several online platforms residents can use to give feedback on the city’s general fund budget. These include:

• Connect Fort Worth: This interactive tool allows residents to choose council priorities, submit opinions on what should be included in the budget and map where improvements are needed in the city.
• Steer the Budget: Residents can submit a picture of Molly—the city’s official mascot—around places in the city where they think dollars needs to be spent. Pictures can be submitted on the Steer the Budget website, on the MyFW app or on the Facebook page: @fortworthmolly.

Diving in deeper

According to the news release, Fort Worth City Council’s priorities for the fiscal year 2024-25 budget include:

• Economic development
• Community investment
• Community safety
• Infrastructure
• Responsible growth

To accomplish these priorities, city staff is using priority-based budgeting in nine departments. During this process, more than 300 city programs underwent peer reviews to determine how they align with the council’s priorities. According to the news release, the remaining departments will begin using priority-based budgeting over the next two budget cycles.

The news release states that the fiscal year 2024-25 projected budget is $1.049 billion budget, which is $35 million higher than the fiscal year 2023-24 budget. This 3.5% increase can be attributed to increasing salaries to retain employees and higher insurance costs.

Recommended budgets are typically reviewed and discussed over the summer before going to a final vote around September.