Fort Worth residents will have several propositions to vote on in the upcoming May election.

During the Feb. 10 City Council meeting, council members approved an $845 million general obligation debt program and proposed amendments to the existing city charter.

That is in addition to a special election for council District 10, a race to fill the final year of Alan Blaylock’s term. Blaylock, who represents the north Fort Worth area, is running for Texas House of Representatives District 98.

A closer look

The 2026 bond package had been in the works since 2024. In March 2025, the council was told the bond could be as high as $800 million. In August, that number changed to $840 million, which added funding for bridges and roadway construction, according to previous reporting.

An additional $5 million for affordable housing was added to the bond package at the Jan. 29 meeting, making it $845 million, per previous reporting. There is a presumed interest rate of 6% on the proposed debt obligation, according to city documents.

The details

The bond will have six propositions, and each will be voted on separately. If one proposition fails, the proposed funding will not be included in the financed bond amount, according to a presentation from the council meeting. Voters will vote for or against each of the propositions. They are:

Proposition A: streets and mobility infrastructure improvements, $511.4 millionProposition B: parks and open space improvements, $185.1 millionProposition C. public library improvements, $14.5 millionProposition D: affordable housing, $10 millionProposition E: public safety improvements [fire & 911 communications], $63.9 millionProposition F: animal care and shelter facility improvements, $59.8 millionLong story short

Each of the propositions will start with the wording, “This is a tax increase.” Mayor Mattie Parker said during the meeting that there will be no tax increase, despite the verbiage on the ballot.

“The Texas Legislature added a requirement that every city bond proposition begin with an all-cap statement that will state, ‘This is a tax increase,’” Parker said. “It is very important to voters and to those in this room to know that the city of Fort Worth has designed its bond program to work within the existing tax rate and without any tax increase in the tax rate projected to be needed now, or in the future, to repay these bonds, if the voters approve them in May. While we cannot change ballot proposition language that the state has authorized, we can assure our taxpayers and our voters that voting for the bond in May in Fort Worth will mean no tax increase in the city of Fort Worth.”

According to city documents, the ad valorem debt service tax rate is $0.1475 per $100 valuation.

Put in perspective

The charter portion of the election will have Propositions G to O.

During the council work session Feb. 3, Assistant City Attorney Gavin Midgley said the propositions are conforming changes to align with state law, either election law or election-code related.

Others are to clarify the duties of the city manager’s office, he said.

Proposition G is pay raises for the council and mayor. Currently, the council receives $25,000 a year, while the mayor receives $29,000. The change, if approved, would increase the pay to $50,000 for the council and $60,000 for the mayor.

According to previous reporting, voters denied pay raises for the council and mayor in 2016 and 2022.

Another change is being able to approve the city budget the same night as the budget hearing. The other charter propositions deal with the city’s day-to-day operations.

“This is just really aligning the charter with the power and the authority the city manager already has over personnel,” Parker said.

What else?

Early voting will run from April 20-28, according to the ordinances approved. Election day is May 2.