The freeze won’t apply to police and fire, but is projected to continue into next year unless conditions change.
Amanda McCoy
amccoy@star-telegram.com
The city of Fort Worth has instituted a hiring freeze because of a budget shortfall, according to a memo from City Manager Jay Chapa shared with the Star-Telegram by District 3 council member Michael Crain.
The city’s is projecting it will spend more money than it’s taking in through the end of fiscal year, and it’s also planning to take in less revenue in 2027, according to the memo.
The memo also instructs department heads to limit discretionary spending until further notice.
The freeze won’t apply to positions in the police and fire departments or those posted before March 12. Seasonally hired positions, like lifeguards, will also be exempt.
“Please manage workload with existing staff as best you can. There is no official waiver process,” Chapa said in the memo.
The situation is being monitored monthly as the city gets in new expenditure projections, Chapa wrote in the memo.
In statement to the Star-Telegram, Crain said fiscal responsibility is of the utmost importance, and he fully supported Chapa’s effort to shore up the budget.
He said he plans to not fill an open district director position in his council office even though the position is exempt from the freeze.
He referenced his prior experience as the lone district director for former City Council member Brian Byrd to argue he could still handle constituent services.
“District 3 residents can be confident that our office will remain responsive while doing our part to be fiscally responsible,” Crain said.
District 7 council member Macy Hill echoed Crain’s call for belt tightening from council members saying in a text message to the Star-Telegram that true fiscal conservatism starts at the top.
“We must lead by example to ensure every taxpayer dollar is treated with the utmost respect and efficiency,” Hill said.
District 4 council member Charles Lauersdorf framed the freeze as a good preemptive move while the city gets a better handle on what’s to come in the next budget cycle.
“Right now there are just too many unknowns to not take the necessary steps to ensure fiscal discipline and responsibility,” he said in a text message to the Star-Telegram.
He stressed the freeze won’t affect city services residents have come to expect especially when it comes to first responders.
Two of the primary reasons to implement a hiring freeze is to avoid the need to raise taxes or cut services, said Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores in a phone call with the Star-Telegram.
Flores credited city staff for monitoring the city’s projected revenue saying it makes it easier to make small changes address fiscal challenges now rather than larger more disruptive changes in the future.
“Budget projections are continually updated because city management has an excellent system to ensure we’re prepared for the next fiscal year,” Mayor Mattie Parker said in an emailed statement to the Star-Telegram.
City manager Chapa and his team did not make this decision lightly, and this will be an evolving conversation as the city council gets ready for budget discussions in the fall, Parker said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 10:40 AM.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.