In front of a packed crowd at Dickies Arena on Thursday morning, Mayor Mattie Parker delivered an optimistic State of the City address, celebrating Fort Worth\u2019s growth and stability, while also acknowledging challenges with homelessness and the city\u2019s struggling public school district.<\/p>\n
The sold-out luncheon brought together Fort Worth businesses, community leaders, and major sponsors to reflect on the city\u2019s progress and look ahead to its next chapter.<\/p>\n
The event began with networking at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch and recognition of local entrepreneurs who helped drive the city\u2019s growth in 2025.<\/p>\n
Before Parker took the stage, the Fort Worth Chamber presented the 2025 Small Business and Innovator Awards, highlighting the city\u2019s business community. Among the honorees were:<\/p>\n
Emerging Business Award: At Your Home Caregiving of Texas<\/p>\n
1\u201320 Employees: Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation<\/p>\n
21\u201350 Employees: Bob Moore Construction<\/p>\n
Parker\u2019s speech centered on Fort Worth\u2019s story of steady, responsible growth, opening by saying, \u201cPerhaps most importantly, we raised our budget without raising your taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mayor quickly shifted to discussing the city\u2019s continued focus on managing homelessness.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne area we have doubled down is homelessness solutions,\u201d she said. \u201cThe discussion of homelessness often feels impersonal, but we are talking about human beings who are in crisis. No one living on the streets is well. It is very critical we maintain our focus, and our momentum on this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Police Department, and overall public safety, were another theme of discussion, earning some of the day\u2019s loudest applause. \u201cThe Fort Worth police department continues to be one of the best departments in the entire country thanks to our initiatives,\u201d Parker said acknowledging the recent SmartAsset.com study that ranked Fort Worth the third safest city in America.<\/p>\n
She then welcomed new Police Chief Eddie Garcia, praising his reputation for building trust and transparency. Garcia previously served as Dallas\u2019 police chief before resigning last year to take an assistant city manager position in Austin. His recruitment and hiring were widely seen as a major win for City Manager Jay Chapa, who has only been in the role since late January. Notably, Dallas reportedly did not want to lose Garcia to Austin, another major Texas city located about 30 miles away.<\/p>\n
Parker said she expects the police department to be fully staffed by 2026. The mayor also celebrated the addition of more than 600 first responders following the introduction of a new EMS system within the Fire Department, which has statistically improved emergency response times across all city districts.<\/p>\n
The Mayor would also recognized and honored the city\u2019s first responders for the city\u2019s quick action during recent Central Texas flooding, as previously reported by DX<\/a>, where more than 20 Fort Worth personnel joined rescue efforts.<\/p>\n The City Council\u2019s decision to rename the South Division headquarters in honor of Sgt. Billy Randolph was another reminder Thursday that Parker and the community will not forget its fallen heroes.<\/p>\n