Budget Work Session | June 2, 2026

The City of Fort Worth held a budget work session on June 2, 2026, focusing primarily on compensation and benefits-related budget considerations. The Human Resources Director presented findings from a comprehensive classification and compensation study initiated in 2025, recommending an 8 to 10 million dollar allocation for employee salary adjustments within existing salary grades to address pay compression and retention issues. Additionally, a revamped performance management process was introduced to better align merit increases with budget constraints and employee performance. The session also addressed the city’s group health fund, which is operating at a deficit without a reserve. Discussions highlighted the significant and growing pharmacy costs related to GLP-1 medications, with potential cost savings of 8 to 10 million dollars through direct-to-consumer options and other cost containment strategies. Council members debated the impact of restricting GLP-1 coverage on employees and considered a reimbursement plan capped at $200 to balance fiscal responsibility with employee healthcare needs. The city plans to continue multi-year strategic planning to stabilize the health fund and implement compensation adjustments.