Budget Work Session on the FY2027 Budget | May 19, 2026

The City of Fort Worth held a budget work session on May 19, 2026, focusing primarily on the FY2027 budget with an emphasis on street maintenance funding. The session detailed a proposed supplemental street maintenance fee of $3 per residential unit per month aimed at closing a $66 million annual funding gap. This fee is designed to increase street maintenance funding by 50%, enabling a five-year proactive maintenance cycle, tripling pavement resurfacing, and expanding crack sealing nearly five-fold. The proposal includes dedicating 75% of the fee revenue to contract out heavy maintenance work, with the goal of preventing $110 million per year in future reconstruction costs and reducing the bond backlog. The fee implementation is planned for spring 2028, aligned with new water department billing software integration, allowing an 18-month public engagement and process development period. The council discussed the fee’s impact on various property types, potential exemptions for small businesses and schools, and the capacity of contractors to handle increased maintenance work. Additional budget topics included property tax projections, sales tax revenue forecasts, and the challenges posed by property tax protests. No formal votes were recorded during this session, as it was primarily informational and preparatory for the recommended budget presentation in August 2026.