The City of Fort Worth is considering raising the minimum wage from $15.45 per hour to $20.00 per hour for city employees while putting together the budget for FY2025. The wage increase to $20/hr is being championed by District 6 Fort Worth City Councilmember Dr. Jared Williams. We need all of the council to support us!

There was an informal report presented during the 05/07 City Council work session by the Human Resources department about employee wages. The informal report made a recommendation that the city support an increase to only $16.07 per hour. The report states that “the City does not support a higher wage rate at this time nor does HR support a phased approach.”

• Fort Worth's cost of living has sharply risen over time, making it difficult for city employees to afford basic necessities on the current minimum wage of $15/hr. Some cannot afford to live in Fort Worth with the current wage rate without having to work multiple jobs. Raising the minimum wage helps align employees' earnings with the current realities of affordability in the city.
• The current living wage calculated by MIT for the City of Fort Worth is $22.10/hr to cover basic necessities. This breaks down to $46,597 per year.

The City of Fort Worth must raise the minimum wage to AT LEAST $20/hr to combat growing poverty rates.

• The City of Fort Worth is already falling behind other major cities in Texas. In 2022, the City of Austin increased to $20/hr, in 2023 the City of Dallas raised its minimum wage to $18.24 through a living wage ordinance that has annual adjustments according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator. Travis County raised the minimum wage from $15 to $20.

Why would the City of Fort Worth move to less than $20/hr in 2024 if it wants to be a champion for working people?

• These folks perform essential services that are crucial for the functioning of our community. These workers deserve fair compensation for their contributions to the well-being of Fort Worth.